Exercise Won't Make You Thin?

TIME:

As I write this, tomorrow is Tuesday, which is a cardio day. I'll spend five minutes warming up on the VersaClimber, a towering machine that requires you to move your arms and legs simultaneously. Then I'll do 30 minutes on a stair mill. On Wednesday a personal trainer will work me like a farm animal for an hour, sometimes to the point that I am dizzy an abuse for which I pay as much as I spend on groceries in a week. Thursday is "body wedge" class, which involves another exercise contraption, this one a large foam wedge from which I will push myself up in various hateful ways for an hour. Friday will bring a 5.5-mile run, the extra half-mile my grueling expiation of any gastronomical indulgences during the week.

Read the whole story: TIME

Comments

[sunnybunny]

My exercise teacher was talking just the other day about how if we are trying to lose weight, don't leave this class and go have a big dinner (unfortunately she was obviously talking to me - that's exactly what I do and have complained in the past about working out so hard and not losing any weight) She quickly pointed out also that if weight loss isn't your goal here, feel free to have that big meal. It takes all the factors in combination consistently to achieve our fitness goals.

[Sam1234567]

Eat 5 meals, and only eat the amount equal to the size of your hand. Your body will burn only what you have consumed, therefore work out will be productive.

[Callyson]

From the article: "As recently as the 1960s, doctors routinely advised against rigorous exercise, particularly for older adults who could injure themselves." Uh-huh, and they also thought that women should not run marathons lest they harm their fragile bodies. Please.
The benefits of exercise for people of all sizes go way beyond promting weight loss. In my experience, exercise has not only helped me lose weight, it has made me stronger, invigorated, less depressed and more confident. If the tradeoff is that I am *slightly* hungry after a workout, and do not want to starve myself to drop the last five pounds, it is well worth it.
But this is TIME magazine, so I am hardly surprised that they would go for sensationalism over substance on this subject...yet again...

[kjstjohn]

I find that when I exercise I have almost no desire to eat fatty food. What I crave are massive quantities of vegetables and lean meats.

I still have to use willpower with starches and sweets. I eat a serving of whole grains and a little chocolate every day. I foreswear all dessert except on special occasions.

My overall concern about this article is that it will discourage people from engaging in exercise. I am now lifting about 15,000 pounds three days a week and walking about 20 miles a week. In my younger years I was naturally slim and ate whatever I wanted. At age 50, I have found this exercise regimen (along with good eating habits) to be critical to feeling good and controlling my weight.

[Sam1234567]

15,000 pounds? You can lift cars?

[benne]

This article demonstrates why the philosophy of Health at Every Size should be embraced. Presumably, exercise is no good, the article says, unless you lose weight or at least not gain weight. Hate to tell you, folks, but science doesn't back up this claim. A different approach would be to encourage all people to exercise, regardless of their size.

[Judster]

I disagree with the article as well. I am in the absolutely need to exercise in order to keep my weight down camp. I have lost over 40 pounds over the past four months, and I did not start to see appreciable weight loss until I jump started my exercise regimen.

I exercise seven days a week, eat a high fiber, high protein diet, and get most of my carbs from fruits and vegetables, and this approach has been a winning formula for me. I am below my, for me, ideal weight but I am still losing weight because of my diet and exercise approach. This article is pure hogwash!

Jude

[American04]

Probably a report paid for by the fast food industry, another slimy bunch…

[marlovian]

Active and ample:

http://wcwbrueghelpoetry.blogspot.com/2007/06/wedding-dance-in-open-air.html

[thehonestpolitician]

This article doesn't make much sense....

But, I say this guy from http://road2riddick.blogspot.com/ got it right...I think he's doing pretty well with his weight loss...

[chroma601]

Why does every woman want to look emaciated? Why do you torture yourselves just to diminish yourselves? Why do we as a society accept only one body type as "beauty"?

Go to a museum and look at paintings of women from the 19th century and earlier. Look at Renoir, Rubens, Titan and all the other classic painters, and you will discover timeless feminine beauty. Only in the 20th century did we turn away from this aesthetic. Fashion empathizes skinny models "so the model doesn't get in the way of the clothes" (translation - "I'm gay and I hate the way real women look"). Media have bought into this as well, and most all our actresses look like they came out of a very thin mold.

Exercise is vital and important, but please do it to be healthy, not to get skinny. Curves are not to be feared!

http://www.judgmentofparis.com

[hellameangirl]

Well how do "real women" look? Aren't you just perpetuating the problem by claiming skinny women aren't real or feminine? I am naturally skinny and I keep healthy habits, but if I lived in the 19th century or earlier I probably would have been considered sickly. Women shouldn't be judged on pure aesthetic no matter what century.

[chroma601]

Some people are naturally thin, and some naturally fuller-figured. My main complaint is that we as a society have bought into the "only skinny is beautiful" myth, and as a result we have a lot of perfectly gorgeous women starving and exercising themselves into a "fashionable" stick figure. Until the 20th century, fuller figures were deemed the most beautiful. Lillian Russell was considered the most beautiful woman of her time (the 1890s), and she weighed just a bit under 200 pounds.

And yes, I personally think that those very thin models do look a bit boyish. But I'd be the first to say that we all have our preferences - different strokes for different folks. I would prefer that _all_ body types - thick, regular, and thin - be presented as valid beauty. As it stands now, only skinny is deemed worthy of beauty. Right now on HuffPo there is a story about Britney Spears in a bikini. People in the Comments section are saying she "needs to lose 10 pounds". This is, to me, insane.

Check out some of the forums on the website I posted. There's a lot there to think about.

[Callyson]

I don't know that *every* woman has this issue--I've known several African American women who have escaped this curse, for example. But I'll confess that *I* have struggled with the "you can't be too thin" mentality. Part of the problem, at least in my experience, is that if you have an interest in fashion, there are very few fashion icons who are not emaciated (and I would not blame that mostly on gay men BTW--Anna Wintour is one of the harshest critics of the non-emaciated look.) And for me, the other reason I have wanted to be thin was to have a sense of control: I may not be able to change the world, but I can keep myself skinny. A sad mentality, yes, but one that was very appealing to a young woman who did not feel very powerful...
To the extent that I have overcome this complex, it has been due to--wait for it--exercising! Working out my body has taught me to value what it can do, not just what it looks like, and to see the beauty of feminine muscularity as at least as attractive as slenderness. Not to mention the power I feel when I have a good lifting session in the gym or complete a marathon. So, for those who are dealing with this complex, my advice is to ignore what the fashion promoters (and TIME) say and get your healthy workout on!

[Fromageball]

I think the author needs to ditch the personal trainer or get a new one. I went to one for a few months and it sounds like we had the same guy. I was constantly sore(at the beginning to the point where I could barely walk), I even ended up slightly tearing my meniscus because of stuff he was having me do. I figured I was just getting a good work out...yeah right. Do some research and you do not need a trainer.

I love exercise and I do weight training most days, along with some form of cardio. I feel great after I work out and feel great when I eat right. It's very simple and I've never had a weight problem.

[jinsei]

This author ignores the fact that if you eat too little and exercise, your body will store fat and burn muscle.

[Kayte]

This article is bogus! The condensed version of weight loss is that you need to expend more calories you consume. How does one do this? Through physical activity or starving yourself.

The most important aspect of weight loss, is knowing what your basal metabolic rate is, how many calories you consume on a average day, and how much extra energy you expend at the gym or elsewhere. That part is simple math, it isn't a perfect calculation but it helps give you an idea of what is going on. Obviously *what* you are consuming is hugely important, 1500 cals of whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean meats, is much better energy than 1500 calories of crap food.

I hear ALL the time how building muscle makes you weigh more. In theory yes, muscle weighs more than fat, but unless you are lifting tons of weight, your'e not going to be packing on muscle pounds. Doing low weight/hi rep exercises is a wonderful way to burn fat and to tone, the more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn.

I know my numbers and perfectly maintain my weight. I'm at the gym 3-4 days a week and weight train each day; I do not gain weight because of it. I'm happy with my weight but if I wanted to lose a pound or two, I'd cut back the cals a bit and or up my activity level. No excuses, this is not rocket science.

[Fromageball]

Couldn't have said it better...

[jinsei]

Exactly. Also, people forget that it matters more about WHAT you eat, rather than how much you eat. With a proper diet filled with whole grains and vegetables, a person will probably not overeat.

I used to add so much sugar to my coffee everyday, and consequently I began to develop belly fat as I got older that I never had before. I decided to stop adding sugar to my coffee and stop drinking any sugary drinks as a first step, and I was surprised to see how quickly the belly fat melted away within a few weeks. It's amazing how bad processed sugar is for us.

[hellameangirl]

So true! I've always said its not what people eat that makes them overweight, its those drinks! Drink water and tea only and see the difference.

[SaltySaltillo]

Well said. Exercise when combined with an increased calory consumption to compensate for burned calories doesn't make you lose wait. You MUST manage your intake and output. As you say, this is NOT rocket science.

[allonfla]

muscle takes up less space than fat, it doesn't weigh more. A pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle.

[SaltySaltillo]

You are saying the same thing. A given volume of muscle will weigh more than a given volume of fat. Or, as you say, a given pound of muscle will take up less space than a pound of fat. The poster's point is that if you were a particular size of clothes, but have a very body fat index and a lot of muscle tissue, you will weigh more than another person who wears the same size of clothes but has less muscle and more fat.

[thepoliticalcat]

Well, that was a disturbing article, although the author doesn't make her point too clearly when she states that exercise won't make you think. What she ought to have said was, "Exercise ALONE won't make you thin." It's the combination of exercise, diet, and metabolism that controls our weight. That said, I feel less guilty now about not going to the gym.

[ninja45]

Seriously this article is ridiculous. Is it any surprise that if you exercise and then eat a bunch more food that you're not going to lose weight. The entire purpose of exercising to lose weight is to create a caloric deficit. Why would they assume that people should drink Gatorade after a workout anyway? I've never seen a single bottle of Gatorade at the gym I go to, only water.

[Haditup2here]

This article is @$$i9 for three reasons:

1. First off, it has been proven that the key cause for weight gain, obesity, and also diabetes is the eating of food with high glycemic index. This not only includes the obvious culprits such as sugar and flour but also corn and even some grain products. This has been debated for over 25 years (carbohydrates vs. high protein), and the reader should have done his research before writing this article. However, a person can actually attain the necessary amount of carbohydrates by eating vegetables while eating a decent ratio of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

2. Secondly, most people should actually eat equal meals or snacks through the day in addition to drinking water. While metabolism slows as people age, it is not a good idea to wait for long periods of time before eating.

3. Thirdly, a person needs to do weight training in addition to cardiovascular exercise in order to lose weight. However, it is foolish for a person to think they can go back to routinely eating junk once losing some weight--even if they exercise. When you reach a certain intensity, your metabolism adjust in order to maintain a set weight. Therefore, I am doubtful that this author has even worked to push himself beyond what he is used to doing.

[jinsei]

That's exactly right. It's clear that the people this author talked to have atrocious diets, and were probably exercising incorrectly. It's better to be active all day long, rather than one burst of movement followed by total inactivity. I think I read once that people should be eating six very small meals (healthy) a day.

Also, you're totally right about the sugar! The best thing I did was stop adding sugar to my coffee and learn to love the bitter taste :0

[singermuse]

Exercise should be about fitness, strength, and feeling GOOD. Weight loss and muscularity are just side effects. Throw away the scale and use a tape measure instead. You'll know you're on the right track if you:
are sleeping better
have more energy
Actually don't want to eat junk food like substances anymore
feel more upbeat and happy
have a more positive outlook
and yes, your clothes will fit differently or you will have to buy smaller sizes...but size isn't what it's about no matter what the current misogynistic pseudo culture tells you.