40-Somethings - Time article that exercise doesn't help ypou lose weight

Has anyone read the article in Time about exercise not helping people lose weight on the average?

I feel it is misleading. Basically when you look closely it says if you exercise and then eat the fattening muffin which has more calories than you just burned off then you won't lose weight.....but the overall implication is that exercise doesn't help you lose weight. And diet is what is important.

How about if they stress exercise BUT DON'T eat the damn muffin and you will lose more weight??????? gads....

Also says that exercise makes people hungrier so they eat more...and I guess the tendency is to eat more than you burn off.

any thoughts?

I think it had been widely accepted that exercise is 1/5 of the equation when it comes to weight loss.
Reccomendations for exercise are generally for you health and well being.Physical health as well as mental health.Decreased risk for depression,cancer,cardiovascular disease,diabetes,osteoporosis.......(many more).

related threads:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/exercise/179385-tom-venutos-respone-times-article.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weight-loss-news-current-events/178643-time-article-why-exercise-wont-make-you-thin.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/la-weight-loss/179060-why-exercise-wont-make-you-thin.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/100-lb-club/179064-why-exercise-wont-make-you-thin-rebuttal.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/100-lb-club/178647-why-exercise-wont-make-you-thin-time-article.html

I think there was one more thread about the LA times rebuttal but I couldn't find it

I haven't read the article, but I know for me, exercise is the key. Because when I exercise, caring about what I eat and not wanting to blow all my hard work, goes hand in hand. The exercise may not be the physiological reason why I have lost, but it definitely drives the loss. If I'm not exercising, then I am not eating as well as I could be.

Alas, maybe I'm just saying the same thing as the article (which, again, I haven't read). The wise food choices are why I lose weight, but the exercise enables / drives me to make wiser food choices that I would in its absence.

I have also fallen victim to being really hungry when I am done exercising, and then eating too much afterward. But I work very hard to be mindful of that.

I'm looking forward to going back and reading some of the links later...

You are definitly not repeating what the article said.

The reason the article has cause such a stir is because it basically says exercise makes you eat more so you can't lose weight. It does not discuss the possibility of choosing low cal foods so that you can eat more quantity without eating more calories. It says you only have so much will power and if you use the will power to make yourself exercise, you won't have enough remaining will power to chose healthy foods.

In short, exercise makes you eat muffins and doughnuts. It's really just mind-boggling that Time would publish such an illogical article

What do you mean I am NOT repeating what the article said?

I ALSO said:
"Also says that exercise makes people hungrier so they eat more...and I guess the tendency is to eat more than you burn off."

Anyway- I didn't realize the article caused any stir but it pissed me off because it says things in a really stupid way and the overall implication is don't bother exercising. I am equally pissed off over all the articles that say diet coke makes you gain weight. When really what they are saying is some bozos think because they drank a diet soda that means they can have a big mac, fries and milkshake without reprecussions and NOT that diet coke causes weight gain. And it might cause weight gain but they don't actually do any research on that.

The answer to all seems to calorie count and be accountable for what you eat if you want to lose weight.maintain.

i read this article on my recent flight. and the article brought up some good points. A lot of people do hit the gym like crazy but they haven't change their eating habits.

for example i have always been active with exercising. and one point i was exercising every single day. but i've still managed to gain 30lbs. and that was partly because i was still eating like a baby hippo.

but at the same times i think some people will take this article as an excuse to stop exercising.

I use a combination of healthy food choices and exercise to lose weight. I hear ya about the baby hippo! LOL I joined a gym and worked out like a fiend but didn't lose one pound. I could, however, bench press a Buick!! LOL

The article was probably written by a very obese MAN who tells himself that exercise doesn't make HIM lose weight and would like to push his excuses in other peoples faces....

... either that or it was written by someone who never had a weight problem in their life...

Articles like that are misleading. Sadly they are taken to heart by those who just became aware that they have an weight problem.... OR... those that are obese and feel like they are powerless to change and now here is one more reason to not bother to try...

I believe that everyone can succeed. With some motivation and support, we all can do it! We all can be healthy and lean mean fighing machines!! :)

OK - Maybe ... exercise won't take the weight off. Could very well be ... I tried training for a 10 mile run a few years back and gained weight. I will admit, I haven't read the article. That being said, IMO, the benefits of exercise are the improved shape, ease of movement, better health, and perhaps my favorite, the increase in mental quietude. Working my bod puts my negative voices to sleep. I can, and am, losing weight because I've changed what I ate. But I really enjoy life a lot more when I'm active - I really believe that we were designed to move. A lot. ;)

What do you mean I am NOT repeating what the article said?

I ALSO said:
"Also says that exercise makes people hungrier so they eat more...and I guess the tendency is to eat more than you burn off."


Take it easy... :hug:

I think she was talking to me. My post was right above and I said in it "Alas, maybe I'm just saying the same thing as the article (which, again, I haven't read). "

As the trainers in my gym and various others kept advising me when I would complain about working out without losing weight, it makes you healthier on the inside. My rebuttal is that I want it to show on the outside as well! I am one of those who gets super hungry after a workout - and I seldom actually feel "hunger pangs". However I believe in the combination of exercise to increase your metabolism and burn more calories plus following a lower calorie diet and eating healthier foods is the way to go. And yes, it used to be easy to justify eating chinese food or pizza, because I had put in a good workout that day. Which is self-defeating! I need the exercise as much for stress relief and to help with my insomnia as I do for weight loss : )

What do you mean I am NOT repeating what the article said?


I was refering to the post above me. Where she said she hoped she wasn't just repeating what the article had said because she had not read it yet

Aclai- thanks for clarifying and thanks for all the links. I follow Tom Venuto's program loosely so will be interested in what his response was.

Helwa- that is exactly what I thought---it will make some people not even try to exercise

I feel better after reading Tom Venuto's response. It addressed what upset me in the Time article.

http://www.burnthefatblog.com/archives/2009/08/why_time_magazine_owes_the_fit.php

I didn't find the article upsetting myself. It helped by reminding me that it's just as important to watch what I eat even when I exercise regularly. I'm one of those who can easily rationalize an extra slice of pizza or a muffin a little too often "because I was so good today and exercised" It helps to have it in black and white-hey you've only burned 150 calories in that workout today and you've just ate 500

So, when I read the article I took away that it's as important for weight loss purposes to watch what goes into my body in addition to exercising to build muscle and get fit. Maybe it's because I'm familiar with all the good benefits of exercise that I didn't pick up on the "don't exercise" vibe.

I was in a beginning women running group a few years ago to help with weightloss plateau and none of us lost any weight and a few gained. After our 30-60 minutes jogs as a very slow pace we'd all meet back at the starbucks for coffee and goodies. I'd only drink coffee, but some of those women really chowed down on those pastries and they were the ones who gained weight.

I guess it boils down to why we exercise, is it only to lose weight or is it for overall health and well being? Just thinking out loud, don't mean to offend anyone.
Sarah in MD

When I walk regularly, I lose weight. When I stop walking, even if I do not change my eating habits, I gain weight. So, I guess I disagree. Even if you at the same number of calories every day, obviousy burning some of them is going to help. Walking may make you hungrier, but it also usually makes me not want to undo the good I just did, so I tend to eat better.

I read that article, & I have to say... it made sense to me.

But then, I've done "tests" on myself to try to get to the bottom line regarding this very thing. I've tried exercising without dieting, dieting without exercising, and both exercising and dieting combined.

They have all 3 worked for me... the dieting alone was easy in my 20's, I could lose 5-10 pounds in a month just by ignoring Domino's! In my 30's I found exercising to be the magic bullet. But now... in my 40's... I have discovered that it takes BOTH to get the fat to budge. And even THEN, sometimes it just.... doesn't. :(

HOWEVER, I have had more than ONE trainer at different gyms tell me to "diet to lose weight" before starting an exercise program... especially weight lifting, because as we all know, muscle weighs more than fat. Still, at this time in my life, nothing is working. For instance, last spring, I gave up ALL sweets & other snack foods, including sodas - & ate a very healthy balanced diet, and kept my calories between 1200-1400 per day...and I walked 30 min a day & lifted light weights. I LOST ZERO. That's right, big fat ZERO pounds.

It was very discouraging.

Beach Patrol---all the research I have done and my own experience would suggest lifting light weights is a major waste of time. If you want results you have to lift heavy weights. Check out the ladies who lift on 3FC for more info.

Also- I have recently experienced some good results with adding intense cardio through interval training. I also have to minimize my carb intake and eat only complex carbs. I will gain 2-3 pounds in 2 days if I eat too many carbs.

But it looks like you have lost 20 pounds so something is working right.

Check out Tom Venuto's "Burn the Fat Build the Muscle"....I found it very helpful.

Speaking from personal experience, when I tried to lose weight by exercising, I gained instead. I did get much hungrier, rationalized eating more, and obviously it ended up being too much more.

My current gut feel, though, is that exercise is key for long term weight loss and maintenance, along with appropriate calorie restriction. Otherwise, if you are skinny (without muscle) and sedentary, you need to follow a very restrictive WOE, one that is unrealistic for most folks to maintain long term.

which is often most people that are overweight. We, the overweight, barter with ourselves all the time. If I walk a mile I can eat a doughnut and STILL lose weight...well of course not. Most overweight people know how to lose weight better than anyone - speaking for myself, I live and breathe the fact I need to lose weight and I certainly know that eating a doughnut and barely exercising will only maintain my weight at best, not lower it.

I haven't read the article, just your posts but it's annoying that somebody would waste good paper and ink on such a subject as that.

Somebody on here wrote about how good exercise is for you psychologically. Plus there is no doubt that exercising your heart muscle is good for you, not bad.

Time to take my own advice! I've just started my weight loss journey but I very much remember how upbeat exercise made me feel. I know I'll be an even better mom if I take the time for myself and exercise - I'll have energy and a much happier mood - now how can that not be a good thing?! LOl

Tracy

hmmm...it's all a bit confusing, but for me that by walking 2 miles a day that I feel sooo much better about myself. Thankfully I don't trade exercise for food...I think I'll save that for the athletes who are in training lol

I have recently started using 5 pound weights during some floor exercises...I think someone posted it's a complete waste of time...Does anyone know more about this?? Cause I'd really hate to be using them for nothing...ugh!

Strength training is working for me, GivTLC. I'm extremely cautious about it because I've always injured myself in the past. So I found the smallest baby routine I could -- a video called 10 Minute Solutions: Target Toning for Beginners. With my Netflix account, I can watch it for free on my computer under the Watch Instantly tab.

I do one 10 Minute workout 4 days a week. For the Arms one, I've started with one pound weights. But, I already bought two pound weights so that I can move up when I feel more confident.

I look and feel thinner at this weight than I did the last two times I was here. I've also noticed that I'm using more quad muscle and less knee joint when I walk up steps -- which has to be good.

When i don't exercise, i don't lose weight, plain and simple. i don't care how little i eat, i will not lose. Exercise helps my metabolism perk up so that i can shed that weight.