Hi all,

I don't think I'm allowed to post links yet, but I'll try and see what happens. Yesterday's NY Times had an interesting article on the role of exercise in weight loss and loss maintenance. Very timely, because I had a great run yesterday morning but spent the rest of the day FAMISHED!

If the link doesn't work, you can go to www dot nytimes dot com and search on exercise weight loss. It will be the first article to come up.

Awesome article. I think that my regular exercise has abated my appetite somewhat, but it may also be because I'm smaller and need fewer calories anyway. Well, I really don't lose weight unless I am starving at least a couple days a week. I know that sounds horrible. I still eat 3 times a day, but I have hunger pangs throughout the day, and before bed. I could probably eat more fiber and drink more water to at least feel fuller, but the water doesn't do anything for me (plus, I don't like water that much). I have to put myself at a noticeable, uncomfortable deficit to lose any weight. However, if I exercise, I'm able to eat a little more to at least feel decent (without the energy, I couldn't exercise).
It's so frustrating that our bodies want to hold onto fat.

I didn't exercise for one day yesterday, and ate good, nutritious meals (i.e. not hungry afterwards, with a good amount of fiber and protein), and I am up 1 pound in 1 day.

It sucks.

I've read the article and it seems to ring true to what my experiences have been with trying to "exercise away the pounds" before.

If I exercise and don't diet, I gain weight right away, mostly because I eat everything in sight. I'm physically hungry all the time plus the added sense of entitlement results in out of control eating.

If I exercise while I am dieting, my weight loss stops and slows to a crawl. That's demotivating enough as it is, but then the hunger makes me have cravings that would otherwise be well in check, which also leads to out of control eating.

So what I've found works for me, right now, as I'm trying to lose the last 10 or so pounds, is long periods of low intensity exercise. I don't do it to lose weight, I do it to improve my overall cardiac ability and for fun. Long walks with the dogs, hiking with DH, etc.

Once I get to a goal weight that I'm happy with, the first thing I'm going to do is crank up the exercise to help maintain my weight loss and so I can gradually add back some of my favorite foods.