Okay, so I was listening to the morning show today on my way to work and they were discussing an article that I believe they said was from the Times (I could be wrong though). And it was pretty much the opposite of everything I knew…wondering if anyone else has heard theories like this??

Basically, there has been research done that indicates the exercise is pretty much pointless in weight loss and might even prevent weight loss…or cause weight gain! The basic ideas are these: 1) Exercise causes us to eat more 2) We move less after work outs and in general because we are physically exhausted and our muscles are sore, etc. 3) We eat more when we are tired…and exercise makes us tired.

I understand the concepts…but I don’t think I agree with the theory that exercise can hinder weight loss…I think it’s a very important tool and was baffled to hear that anyone suggest otherwise.

What do you ladies think?

They were probably talking about an article that was published in Time magazine last summer: Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin. It was very controversial and we had a lot of discussion about it here at 3FC. If you read the article, I think you'll see the logical flaws in it.

The best rebuttal to the article is this Tom Venuto blog post that is well worth reading: Why Time Magazine Owes the Fitness Industry a Big Fat Apology

All I can add is my personal experience that exercise is THE big change that made permanent weight loss possible for me.

I understand where the author is coming from, but I disagree. Anyone who is really committed to weight loss will pay attention to everything they are doing, and will not overeat after working out. I think it might be true for people who are not educated about weight loss, fitness and nutrition. But I think most of us chicks don't fall into that category.

Oh yes, there are loads of that kind of theory out there. Factoids crocheted together with gossamer threads of half truth to create something someone wants to hear.

Personally I think we should look at exercise in another way - does it help weight loss? It can, yes. But sometimes people exercise just so they CAN eat more and maybe they maintain their weight.

My reasons for exercise go beyond the weight loss aspect. Exercising has enabled me to feel more confident, stronger, less stressed. It provides time I need for me to take care of me. I'm healthier as a result, mentally and physically.

The last three months my exercise has been more and I'm maintaining my weight. In that respect I'm frustrated, but at the same time I know the exercise is doing WONDERS for me non-scale related. I'm going to keep it up, regardless of what a bunch of people say. there will always be differing opinions and facts and figures and studies, so why not do something just because it actually makes me FEEL GOOD and forget about all that other stuff?

related threads:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/exer...s-article.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...-you-thin.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/la-w...-you-thin.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/100-...-rebuttal.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/100-...e-article.html

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/40-s...se-weight.html

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

My favorite part is where he talks about how we can't choose to eat healthy foods after our workouts because we've already worn out our "will power muscle." Seriously?

For me, it's about the calorie deficit. I'm not willing to put up with the hunger a lower calorie level invokes, and I also can't get a balanced diet on very low calorie amount. So I would rather get the deficit by getting 6 hours of cardio a week.

However, I can see that if I weren't tracking so carefully, I would be tempted to eat that deficit back on the days I swim and hike so without tracking, I probably would not lose weight from what some folks think is a lot of exercise.

a problem with the excerise is that some times people will also get false belief about the intensity of their work out or how much they actually burn during it, which might make them feel safe to eat more thus hinder weight loss.

but that's not the exercise's fault, it's human error

I can believe these arguments, but they are founded on the presumption that a person exercises without also being mindful of what she eats.

The first rule of weight loss is: eat fewer calories than you burn. It's not exactly a giant insight that someone who isn't mindful of her eating isn't likely to lose weight. If you step up your exercise, only, without coupling it to a careful eating plan, surprise surprise! Your body will try to preserve its fat stores (because that is what bodies do) by stepping up hunger signals and encouraging you to eat more. So it stands to reason that for a lot of people, exercise alone isn't going to do the trick.

On the flip side, if you *are* following a careful eating plan designed to maintain a calorie deficit, then exercise is a very useful supplement to that, as most of here have already thought about and understand. It helps you burn more calories to maintain that deficit, and it helps preserve lean muscle mass so that when you do have a caloric deficit your body doesn't cannibalize your muscles as much as it might otherwise.

I'm definitely more hungry the day after I lift weights. I am aware of that and I plan for it. If I didn't plan and just ate how I felt like after working out, I'd at best maintain. So food-mindfulness is essential, and exercise on top of that is useful. Exercise without that, I am sure, has at best very variable results.

The author of the Times article can claim whatever he/she wants (I haven't read the article yet not Tom's reply but I will) but my personal experience is just the opposite. So who do I believe? The answer is simple.

I cannot imagine my life without exercise now. Exercise has made me a much better person and I am not talking only about weight loss. I am not willing to starve myself on 1200 calories a day, and that's why I don't count calories. I eat clean and my diet is very healthy. When I exercise, I have the will power to not binge on pizza, McDonald's and other unmentionables in the fast food industry. Exercise gives me DISCIPLINE. Even my doctor, who got very interested when she saw me after I lost some 30+ lbs, said that I eat better and more balanced diet than she does. :-)

Besides, weight loss is not the only benefit of exercise (especially of some particular forms of exercise). As women head into menopause, they need to worry about bone density, etc.

I agree, I think the author is targeting people that think a little exercise and maybe skipping their evening snack with help them lose weight. I think for some one like me who is very mindful of diet and exercise, exercise certainly helps aid weight loss.

More than anything(for me) I think exercise helps keep me on track with my eating plan, I can do so many things physically now that I couldn't do before, exercise reminds me of that and that reminds me to eat well because I don't ever want to go back.

Exercise makes me FEEL good. When I FEEL good, I don't want to binge on crap. I am also eating healthier so I can see better results when I work out. If I have a weekend of drinking booze and eating refined, prepackaged, crap... then that is how I feel when I work out.

Exercise helps my moods remain level - level moods = level eating.

I think it depends on what you are trying to get out of exercise. I do it to feel good. I can jog for 2 - 4 miles and feel good. If I did it soley for weight loss, that would make it a very daunting task. To burn the 3,500 calories to lose one pound, I would have to jog about 23 - 24 miles. So to lose 40 lbs, I would have to jog 920+ miles. Just typing that makes me want to lay down and take a nap!!

This I know to be true: Exercise puts me solidly inside my body. It gives me time alone with nothing but my moving limbs, my will & some sort of incidental, circling stray thoughts. So I don't forget that I have a body during the rest of my day, when I'm focused more on my job & other people & other not particularlly physical activities. Mindfulness regarding my body causes me to make better choices regarding anything that will affect it, like eating & sleeping & etc. It's what they call (I think) a virtuous circle or cycle.

I believe that in some respect the article partly applies. For example when I first started exercising I felt hungry all the time, sometimes I still do, but there is another side to it. Just because I am hungry, it doesn't mean I can't be careful on what I eat.

Ever since I started exercising I became more concious of what I eat. I often caught myself going "hey I wasn't running on the treadmil for an hour to eat that cookie and put the calories in again". I just don't know, but I seemed to also develop this mentality.