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I read this interesting article over at Time magazine entitled "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin." The authors' contention is that after strenuous exercise most people overcompensate with the amount of food they eat, so weight loss is difficult to achieve with hard exercise alone. They argue that an easier path to weight loss is moderate physical activity and a good diet. In fact, apparently before the 1970s doctors did not include exercise as essential to maintaining a healthy weight, focusing instead on the role of diet.
You can read the article here: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html
I am trying to eat healthier but not stress myself out about exercising a lot. I try to add small exercise bits to my life, because if I do too much I know it will backfire and I'll never stick with it.
What relationship do you see between diet, exercise, and body weight? What keeps you looking and feeling the healthiest?
I think you have to have a delicate balance. My FH thinks I eat very healthy but need to exercise more. Where on the other hand he loves to exercise but eats terrible, he's a Snack-a-saurus Rex! together we'd make the perfect blend of healthy eating and exercise!
I kinda disagree. For one thing, exercising is the thing that keeps me motivated! I'm more likely to eat healthier if I have been exercising so I don't "mess it up." I think the two just go hand-in-hand so much! Yes, you do eat more when you exercise hard, but that doesn't necessarily mean that one cancels the other out. If you work out really hard at the gym, and then scarf something unhealthy right after, your body will automatically burn most of it off! has to do with your glycemic index or something. Anyway, the point is exercise works! For me, it is the only thing that works. You just can't do the same thing over and over--you have to mix it up and trick your body into thinking you're doing something new.
I am always at least moderately active, but the thing that makes me drop pounds is paying attention to my diet. I have to restrict myself *a lot* (otherwise I am a tortilla chip fiend) but once I am able to cut the snacking, pounds fall off.
Of course, sometimes totally ignoring everything and doing whatever I feel like results in lost weight too, apparently, since I just wore a bridesmaid dress to a wedding last night that practically fell off me since the alterations a month ago (a month in which I paid absolutely no attention to my diet whatever). Oops! But I was under a lot of stress, so maybe I didn't eat as much as I thought.
I might be with the 1970s doctors! When you think about it, the most calories I can burn at the gym, even working really hard, is probably about 500, and I usually don't get to 500. Even though that SEEMS like a lot, 350-400 calories is eaiser to cut out in your diet on a daily basis.
Although, when I am exercising consistently, it does motivate me to eat healthier...I don't want to waste all the hard work I put in at the gym! Plus, you do feel a lot better, and if I were ever to lose enough weight to see muscle tone, that would be inspiring, too! :)
I exercise moderately and eat pretty healthily on a regular basis. When I notice I'm getting a little heavier than I want, I try to cut calories from drinks. I love soda and beer and try to eliminate those.
I'll also kick the workouts up a notch (from a long walk or half jog to actually running or jogging for a longer time) to remind myself how hard it is to burn those 200 calories I can drink so quickly.
Your article has a good point, though, and I catch myself allowing more bad foods when I work out!
A healthy diet with some splurges + exercise is the best for me!
i worked out hard with a trainer 3-4 times a week, but I didn't lose a single pound until I changed my diet. i think both are very important, but diet makes a bigger difference for me.
there has to be a good balance between eating healthy and exercise.. it won't be a healthy or effective weight loss if all you do is ONLY change your diet (with no exercise) or ONLY exercise (and make poor food choices). you have to make changes to BOTH.
So for me personally.. i play sports and eat fairly healthy.. and don't eat a whole lot if it's unhealthy ;)
I lost a few lbs in one week in march this year.. getting your wisdom teeth out will do that though hehe
if you want to get into the science of it, 3500 calories = 1 lb roughly, so you can either work off 3500 calories (running about 35 miles, since the average person burns off 100 calories per mile), or eat less. physically, it's easier to eat less. mentally, it's easier to work it off (although working out can sometimes be mentally challenging). i believe in moderation, but 80% of weight loss is diet. i work out because diet alone is not going to keep me toned. being skinny is one thing, being toned is another.
Personally, I work out for the health benefits, not just because it helps me lose weight. I find it's a great stress reliever and I actually just enjoy working out. Also, I have a history of heart disease in my family, so I want to increase my cardiovascular health to do everything I can to prevent this from happening to me.
Also, I can work out all day long, but the only way I seem to lose weight is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. I think it's a metabolism/age thing--just working out really doesn't do enough for me at this point. I don't eat a restrictive diet--just eat mostly healthy foods in proper portion sizes. I do splurge occasionally, just so that I don't feel too deprived. However, I keep track of calories, so if I splurge, I build it into my day. I don't eat more just because I burn calories working out. I feel like Miss Mouse, working out makes me feel better, which motivates me to eat better and take better care of myself.
In my experience as a trainer it's about 60-80% diet and 20-40% exercise for successful weightloss!
We live in a society where portions are too big and food is high in fat, salt and is often processed! So the majority of people who work their butts off at the gym and don't see results it's because they are eating those results away!
Individuals who watch their diet, eat healthy and proper portions will see results without exercise but exercise will increase the speed of seeing results as well as exercise has many other health benefits!
Personally, I love to work out it keeps me mentally and physically balanced but if I want to see results I have to eat well and continue my work-outs!
I've never been trying hard to lose weight or anything bc I'm kind of a string bean, but I find that when I'm running often (4 times a week) I just eat better naturally, because it's what feels better in my body. I get around toa point where excessive grease and fats etc just give me stomach aches and make me feel lethargic or something. I could see how for some people excessive exercise might mean that they binge eat, but this hasn't been my experience at all.
I think that the article may not cover everything that is crucial to "losing weight." While it focuses on the post workout hunger binge, not everyone who eats properly will have that problem. My trainer and I worked out a 6 meal a day system that allows me to eat before and after the workout, preventing any binging after our sessions.
In addition, most people think of exercise strictly as cardio. Cardio makes you "skinny fat," which for most people consists of losing water weight. Any weight you lose from just doing cardio alone will be gained back if you do not modify your diet along with the exercise.
As you probably have read or heard before, weight training can be extremely beneficial to maintaining weight or losing inches(notice I did not necessarily say "lose weight" as muscle is heavier but is much tighter than fat on your body). Of course, NO, you do NOT bulk up just because you weight train. Those women who do so typically have a genetic predisposition to muscle gain, and are taking serious supplements to gain that weight. Most of us(including myself) just get lean and gain strength. Now, even though I have off days, my extra muscle and my metabolism are able to burn through the extra calories. My clothes fit looser even though my scale weight has not changed more than a few pounds. I dropped almost 2 dress sizes through weight training.
The important thing is not to focus on the scale weight but rather your body and its signals. When you do strictly cardio and do not eat healthy, your body tends to yo-yo in its weight. Eating healthy is better, but it tends to just maintain your weight and does not improve your overall lean muscle mass. I personally found that after years of strenuous cardio versus diet alone versus both, the last option has worked the best for me.
Best of all, I get great cardiovascular and health benefits from weight training and cardio exercise(less chance of osteoporosis, lower blood pressure and heart rate, improved respiratory function, strength, metabolism - all just some of the benefits) without stressing out about the constant calorie counting or weighing.
I know that was a REALLY long post, but I hope that helps!
I have to do both. In fact, doing one encourages the other for me. If i eat healthy, i work out. If i work out, I want to eat healthy. I can tone up fast with a restrictive diet and very intense workouts, but 3-4 pounds isn't a big enough deal on my frame that i'm going to deny myself everything yummy. Working out makes the biggest difference on my frame. I can slim down, but man, do I tone up and get shapely with some weights and cardio!
LOTS of cardio (60 minutes) takes the fat off, but yes, I was the "skinny fat" point where I go "hmm, my arms don't look good" and then the weights make it so much better! But i like to blast the fat off, THEN focus on toning up.
I never exercise. I'm horrible about that, plus it gives me migraines. I swear it's not just an excuse, it really does! But I just got off wheat for that same reason, migraines, and I lost 2 pounds in a weak. I think that it's good to exercise to be healthy, but for me I can lose weight just by having a healthy diet.
I read that article yesterday and mostly agree with it. I have been working out long enough now to understand not to binge after a hard workout, but I know LOTS of people who get on an exercise kick, but chow down on some horrible things afterwardsbecause they're just so hungry. I've heard for many years that you continue to burn calories right after you work out, but I've been reading more and more that this is just not true. Here's just one new study: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30826120/
About 3 years ago I started working out hard with a trainer, but did not change my diet. The result: Lost virtually nothing! Gained some strength and toned up the areas that already carried little fat, but did nothing to the areas that liked to store fat.
In January of '08, I began a new diet, with more moderate excercise, and dropped 30 lbs and went from a 10 to a 4 in about 2.5 months. I have now kept it off for 1.5 yrs with just moderate excercise and a healthy balanced diet, which includes limiting of anything white (white bread, enriched pasta, potates, etc.).
It has been really interesting to learn my body's signals, and to learn how it reacts to different foods. As angeldoc mentioned, maintaining your weight is best achieved by finding out what works for your body, and by recognizing what it reacts negatively and positively to.
I find that if I'm serious about amping up my workouts, the weight will come off. I don't really eat that terribly, although I admit I do like to snack when I get home from work. I try to come home, eat dinner, have my little bit of dessert, then brush my teeth and work out. By the time I do that, I'm too tired to snack anymore!
I heard about that article on the radio and thought, "What?!" It made me evaluate over the years what has worked for me. when I was younger I was so naive about diet and exercise. I'd stop at the gym after class, workout for about an hour and then pick up Wendy's on the way home for me and my boyfriend. I would have a salad. A CAESAR salad! Can't say that really did much.
What has worked for me is eating a balanced healthy diet and exercising by doing cardio and ST througout the week. I have to agree with those that say it is more about hunger after you exercise. I have to eat a snack basically before my workout to sustain me until I can make dinner. In the morning, I don't have that problem though. I can go to the gym on an empty stomach and make it home to shower and not eat my breakfast until I get to work. I think making sure you don't binge after a workout is a mixture of convenience and fueling your workouts. If there are bananas sitting on the counter, then FH will reach for one of those than grab stale tortillas chips and salsa. Or if we haven't had a snack before working out we are more likely to stp at Subway on the way home from the gym.
Ok, I've been going to the gym 3-4 times per week for years, but once I hit the -8 month mark for my wedding, I increased to 5 days a week. I burn 700 cals on the Arc Trainer (or in a high intense. class), then add in about 15 mins of abs/weights. I am also following a really healthy diet right now and drinking a healthy ton of water. I feel really good and lost 10 lbs in 6 months. 2 months to go and I'd like to drop another 2-3 lbs. It's really all about cals in/cals out.
Also, for those crazy insane hunger moments, the 0 grams of fat Greek Yogurt (Fage or Trader Joe's) fills you up hard core. And skim milk will settle insane hunger too.
Haha, my cousin and I were talking about this article at the gym. OF COURSE if you work out and then go eat a giant blueberry muffin you're not going to lose weight. Are the people you know who workout/go to the gym fatter or thinner than those who never go (who aren't naturally predisposed to being thin)?? At a time when obesisty is such an national health issue I think now is hardly the time to say things like " working out doesn't work" in Time magazine.
I'd venture to say that your diet is just as, if not more impt than going to the gym. But I'd never, ever take fitness out of the equation. Building muscle and endurance has made all the difference in my body.
It's all about cals in/vs cals out, and obviously working out helps with that. To curb after workout hunger I drink a 110 calorie whey protein shake with 17g of protein. By the time I make it home and being preparing a meal (about 45 min to an hour) I'm no longer ravenous and am ready to eat a full meal.
these are such interesting responses. I think it totally depends on what type of body you have and how your family genetics come into play. For me, no matter how much physical activity I do, I don't just drop weight. i have to restrict my diet and combine it with going to the gym. I am also a fan of moderation and have to consistently remind myself that if i want something, having a little bite is better (for me) than having none because it prevents a binge factor later.
My trainer's "Rules to live by":
Every time I've "dieted" or cut foods out, I've gained weight. What works for me is water, lots of sleep, a normal diet in fresh foods & TONS of hardcore physical activity. I mostly take dance classes, spinning classes, yoga & PT. I go for a beat down with my trainer about twice a week.
He trained me yesterday from 6am-8am. I puked, I cried (okay more like blubbered) and I'm walking around like a 90 year old woman today, but: pain is temporary, quitting lasts a lifetime!
Just keep working at it until you reach your goal!!
It all depends on where you are at...if you have a lot of weight to lose and have had a poor diet and no exercise, any change you make will have a dramatic result...If, however, you already eat somewhat healthy and you are moderately active, your body is already used to that and is not going to pay attention to slight changes. I lost 60 pounds 10 years ago by mostly changing my diet. I kept it off by exercising. When FI and I started dating, I gained about 12 pounds in the first few years--not because I was eating horribly, but just because I was "cheating" more frequently and definitely exercising less...I have tried to lose that weight for the last two years to no avail by doing what you suggest good diet and moderate activity. In March I recommitted to my good eating habits and revamped my workouts to intense! The 12 pounds are gone!! While you may lose weight initially with good diet and moderate activity, you'll reach a plateau that won't budge until you step it up a notch...plus, remember that the more muscle you have the better your metabolism will be. It's all about self control. If you are working out thinking--Yeah, I can now have that pizza since I worked out--then you'll see no results.
I'm working on my diet and trying to buy only healthy foods but it is time consuming to prepare your own food all the time and so easy to go out to lunch with co-workers.I'm about 4 weeks into this plan and down 5 pounds. Thus far, I reduced alcohol consumption to special celebrations and monitor calories on www.caloriecount.about.com to keep myself in check and add in physical activity whenever possible (i.e. biking to work instead of using public transport). It is working slowly but steady and makes me feel like I'm doing something right. Last week I had a birthday and allowed myself to induldge in a fancy dinner out and then a BBQ on the weekend with beer but immediately saw that I didn't lose any weight with these behaviors. I am also trying to seperate eating from entertainment- social dinners and happy hours are killer on the diet. My goal is one pound loss per week until I reach my goal weight and then reevaluate /maintain. Hope this helps someone else get healthy.
I try to stick to a healthy moderation of all the foods I love. And I try to do some kind of physical activity each day. I'm not so much concerned about being thin but since diabetes and heart disease runs in my family, I'm more concerned about being healthy. But I have no willpower to give up ice cream. I just don't eat it everyday.
For me, it's been really hard to get back into a regular exercise regiment. Once I get there though, I tend to eat healthier and I look forward to working out.
I definitely lose lbs when I change my diet, in comparison to working out longer/harder. My workouts are mostly to tone up & define areas on my body. I focus more on the the great feeling after working out, than trying to use it to lose weight. For a long time, I ate what I wanted and worked out, but never lost weight. It wasn't until I changed my diet that the lbs started falling off...
I read that article to and ranted for a long time to my then FI about it. While true you can't exercize and expect to eat whatever you want, you build muscle which helps to burn calories while just resting. The research cited was only half the story, I'm not sure why they ran such a crap piece. Here's a brief article that sums up part of the problems with the Times article and links to what the American College of Sports Medicine statement had to say... which is basically the article was foolish and misrepresented people's opinions and the studies they cited.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/08/exercise-weight-loss.html
I eat very healthy during the week, work out almost daily and then splurge a little on the weekend (helps to have something to look forward to...fried mac and cheese bites, anyone?!?!). I also try to limit how much I drink during the week to just a glass of wine at dinner once or twice.
If it would have allowed me, I would have voted for a combination of factors...I think that you have to eat healthy, but you have to combine that healthy lifestyle along with a work-out program...
I think something that you can maintain for a lifetime is the best plan. Eating healthy and exercising (anything you can stick to) is key to lose weight and keep it off.
I eat super healthy and my weight stays the same. I workout (lots of cardio) and I gain weight and NO its not muscle. So I've found if I just eat two meals instead of 3 I lose weight at a healthy pace. I've tried this for the past 3 weeks and have lost 4 pounds by ONLY eating lunch and dinner. I'm not big on breakfast.
Diet + exercise works for me.
I can be skinny if I diet only.
But I can be STRONG if I do both.
Healthy eating habits and regular exercize. If I get into unhealthy eating habits I feel bad (blah, bloated, or constantly tired), and if I don't exercize I feel worse (exhausted, stressed, moody). If I exercize I feel fabulous and look fabulous, which makes a healthy diet that much easier to maintain.
For me, simply cutting out food to be thin isn't an option. My weight is too low as it is (have lost 10 lbs in three weeks due to stress and college diet, 105 overall), so exercize is necessary as a regulator.
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