"Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin" - NYTime Article

Robin1117

I have mixed feelings about articles like this. On one hand, I think people do need to educate themselves and learn the very basic principle of "calories in, calories out." Until you understand that, you won't be successful at sustained weight-loss. Part of learning that principle is learning that exercise alone is not going to cut it unless you're burning thousands of calories a day, every day.

On the other hand, I know a lot of people who read stuff like this or see stories like this on the news, and they're convinced that they don't need to exercise. They think losing weight is as simple as just changing your diet. And for a certain amount of time, it IS that simple. But you can only cut your calories by so much before that stops becoming effective and even begins to reverse your weight-loss.

You have to learn how to incorporate exercise into both weight-loss and maintenance programs if you want to be successful long-term. Exercise isn't enough by itself, but in the long run, dieting isn't either.

totally agree with what you said about people reading things like this and jumping to conclusions--like, maybe I don't need exercise now? The title is kind of sensationalist and if people don't read the full article, they are going to jump to some dumb conclusions. We all know exercise is good for us, but the part about all the ladies going to the gym and then heading off to starbucks after---it's so true---most people do not quantify what they are doing and that's why they won't get thin. it's not that exercise is bad, it's just that people do not take the time to balance it all so eating and exercise can work together to make them more healthy and fit.

daydreamer_28

Here is what I believe thanks to Miss Leigh Peele.

1. Diet is everything
2. Training is specific
3.Denial is death
4. Movement is king
5. Rest is non-negotiable

shouts12

Interesting article... but I find when I exercise a lot, I'm never hungry enough to eat back the entire deficit. The guy climbing the stairs and burning three calories can't possibly blame exercise on his hunger. I think the best solution is vigorous enough exercise that doesn't sap your energy for the rest of the day (so you just sit around).

The fact is we are much more sedentary today, sitting at desks or in front of the television most of the day - while our food is more processed and fattier - so how can we compare our judgements today to those 50 years ago?

darrenham

Hmm, agree with some of that article, not all of it though by any means.

Fat loss is as much diet as exercised based. Burning 200kcals in the gym has exactly the same effect as eating 200kcals less. The problem is, people then go "I'm going to the gym, I'll have this energy drink to give me the energy to exercise" or "I've just been to the gym, better refuel" or "I've just been to the gym, I deserve this chocolate cake". Unless you're an athlete, and your next training session is before your next meal, you do not need to refuel, and if you're trying to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is fill yourself with excess calories.

Equally though, if you eat less food but find that it leaves you feeling pathetic and lazy and you do less exercise, then that ain't gonna work either.

darrenham

I have mixed feelings about articles like this. On one hand, I think people do need to educate themselves and learn the very basic principle of "calories in, calories out." Until you understand that, you won't be successful at sustained weight-loss. Part of learning that principle is learning that exercise alone is not going to cut it unless you're burning thousands of calories a day, every day.

On the other hand, I know a lot of people who read stuff like this or see stories like this on the news, and they're convinced that they don't need to exercise. They think losing weight is as simple as just changing your diet. And for a certain amount of time, it IS that simple. But you can only cut your calories by so much before that stops becoming effective and even begins to reverse your weight-loss.

You have to learn how to incorporate exercise into both weight-loss and maintenance programs if you want to be successful long-term. Exercise isn't enough by itself, but in the long run, dieting isn't either.

totally agree with what you said about people reading things like this and jumping to conclusions--like, maybe I don't need exercise now? The title is kind of sensationalist and if people don't read the full article, they are going to jump to some dumb conclusions. We all know exercise is good for us, but the part about all the ladies going to the gym and then heading off to starbucks after---it's so true---most people do not quantify what they are doing and that's why they won't get thin. it's not that exercise is bad, it's just that people do not take the time to balance it all so eating and exercise can work together to make them more healthy and fit.

That's the problem with the media these days, it's less about what you write, and more about how many people will click on and read your article.

Limeinthecoconut

Bump

ItsCasey

The fact is we are much more sedentary today, sitting at desks or in front of the television most of the day - while our food is more processed and fattier - so how can we compare our judgements today to those 50 years ago?

This is an important point. The food that was available 50 years ago is still available today, but so are a ton of other easier, cheaper, faster options, and we've become obsessed with easy, cheap, and fast (in all areas of our lives). The nature of our work has changed, too, due in large part to technological innovations that have made jobs a lot less labor-intensive than they used to be. I'd say that's a prime reason doctors advocate exercise a lot more now than they used to. If we're not getting it through our normal activities, working out is the only way.

I used to wear a pedometer all day, every day. Once, I tested how many steps I took during a day when I did as little physical activity as possible, both at work and at home. I had less than 2000 steps by the end of the day. I was astounded by that, when compared to how many steps I would get on a "normal" active day (meaning regular office activity plus my standard workout), which was 11,000 to 12,000 minimum. I never realized before how sedentary I was when I wasn't actively trying to get exercise.

Mayor_West

Fat loss is as much diet as exercised based. Burning 200kcals in the gym has exactly the same effect as eating 200kcals less.

That depends entirely on the type of exercise done and the intensity level it's performed at. Higher intensity exercise, such as heavy weight training and HIIT will burn more calories AFTER the workout. Also, dropping 200kcals from your diet can be harmful, especially if it puts the body into starvation mode. This could also potentially deprive the body of the essential macros it needs to function.

The problem is, people then go "I'm going to the gym, I'll have this energy drink to give me the energy to exercise" or "I've just been to the gym, better refuel" or "I've just been to the gym, I deserve this chocolate cake". Unless you're an athlete, and your next training session is before your next meal, you do not need to refuel, and if you're trying to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is fill yourself with excess calories.

Actually, everyone who works out needs to refuel, athletes are not the exception. Studies have proven that consuming a post-workout meal of protein and carbs will help the body repair itself from the workout.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi4.htm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/65946-ideas-post-workout-meal/

The difference, however, is making sure that meal is conducive to that result.

johnwhitent

I have mixed feelings about articles like this. On one hand, I think people do need to educate themselves and learn the very basic principle of "calories in, calories out." Until you understand that, you won't be successful at sustained weight-loss. Part of learning that principle is learning that exercise alone is not going to cut it unless you're burning thousands of calories a day, every day.

On the other hand, I know a lot of people who read stuff like this or see stories like this on the news, and they're convinced that they don't need to exercise. They think losing weight is as simple as just changing your diet. And for a certain amount of time, it IS that simple. But you can only cut your calories by so much before that stops becoming effective and even begins to reverse your weight-loss.

You have to learn how to incorporate exercise into both weight-loss and maintenance programs if you want to be successful long-term. Exercise isn't enough by itself, but in the long run, dieting isn't either.

Absolutely agree. Diet is important, necessary for weight loss, but diet alone still usually results in poor health. Over the years I have had so many coworkers say “I’m doing this great new diet that requires no exercise.” Guess how many have lost weight and kept it off? You guessed it, zero! To be a healthy person requires healthy eating and physical activity. It is a lifestyle not a diet. Too many people just trying to lose weight and sacrificing health in the process and the headline of this article just feeds that mindset.

mollymoo89

Bump

BigBoneSista

I've learned that I lose the same amount of weight a month if I do cardio 6 days a week or if I do cardio 3 days a week. There is no significant difference. So now it comes down to preference for me. My minimum is 3 days a week...my max is 6. I do it how I feel. I have learned to eat realistically and in moderation and its paid off.

bootoou

it is very dissapointing when I have been kickboxing 3X per week and doing Kettlebells 3X per week and eating clean and a friend of mine says she started weight watchers about the same time and she has lost more weight than me... I know I am healtier than her and could run circles around her but it is still very frustrating. I however have lost more inches, Yea me!!

BigBoneSista

Fat loss is as much diet as exercised based. Burning 200kcals in the gym has exactly the same effect as eating 200kcals less.

That depends entirely on the type of exercise done and the intensity level it's performed at. Higher intensity exercise, such as heavy weight training and HIIT will burn more calories AFTER the workout. Also, dropping 200kcals from your diet can be harmful, especially if it puts the body into starvation mode. This could also potentially deprive the body of the essential macros it needs to function.

The problem is, people then go "I'm going to the gym, I'll have this energy drink to give me the energy to exercise" or "I've just been to the gym, better refuel" or "I've just been to the gym, I deserve this chocolate cake". Unless you're an athlete, and your next training session is before your next meal, you do not need to refuel, and if you're trying to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is fill yourself with excess calories.

Actually, everyone who works out needs to refuel, athletes are not the exception. Studies have proven that consuming a post-workout meal of protein and carbs will help the body repair itself from the workout.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi4.htm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/65946-ideas-post-workout-meal/

The difference, however, is making sure that meal is conducive to that result.

I agree.

BigBoneSista

it is very dissapointing when I have been kickboxing 3X per week and doing Kettlebells 3X per week and eating clean and a friend of mine says she started weight watchers about the same time and she has lost more weight than me... I know I am healtier than her and could run circles around her but it is still very frustrating. I however have lost more inches, Yea me!!

Don't be disappointed. You've gain lean muscle and had shrunk fat. Thats your ultimate goal. She has lost water, muscle and probably very little fat. Both of you could be the same height and weigh the same but your body would be leaner. Keep up the good work.

TurboJenn

I'm just wondering how a child eats 1000 calories of nutritious whole food in one sitting. I think what the writer is saying is kids who play more eat more junk and they gain or don't lose? Seriously? JUST eat nutritious whole foods I find it difficult most days to eat all my calories if I stay far way from junk.

healthyjen342

interesting post...Thanks for sharing!

jellybaby84

mmmm, I don't think it should make generalisations like that. My sister's neer dieted a day in her life. She was slighly overweight, joined the gym and has lost over 2 stone in a year and a bit, slowly, healthily and solely through exercise. She doesn't have an unhealthy diet but she she eats what she feels like when she feels like it.

I agree that exercise isn't going to make an overeater lose weight but it can help those who eat normally but don't don't deprive themselves of anything

ItsCasey

it is very dissapointing when I have been kickboxing 3X per week and doing Kettlebells 3X per week and eating clean and a friend of mine says she started weight watchers about the same time and she has lost more weight than me... I know I am healtier than her and could run circles around her but it is still very frustrating. I however have lost more inches, Yea me!!

Don't be disappointed. You've gain lean muscle and had shrunk fat. Thats your ultimate goal. She has lost water, muscle and probably very little fat. Both of you could be the same height and weigh the same but your body would be leaner. Keep up the good work.

Very true. You also have to keep in mind that people who go on programs like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, etc., but don't work out will eventually gain some, maybe even all of the weight back when they get off the program. People who are succesful at keeping the weight off work out regularly. They have to. Once you go from a severe and consistent calorie restriction, like 1200 per day, to adding hundreds more calories to your diet, the only way to avoid gaining weight back is to work out. Because you're using exercise to help with losing the weight, you're already ahead of the curve.

torregro

Let us all not lose site of the fact that there are *other* reasons to exercise besides the looks of our newly lean bodies.
Weight bearing exercise is critical in maintaining bone mass as we age, especially us women. I've been doing strength training regularly for a while now, and had a bone density DEXSA scan showing that I"ve got the bone density of a an 18 year old (I'm 53).
Some of us are trying to "outrun" our genetics to some extent, by exercising to reduce risk of early cardiac disease. You can buy into whatever theory of exercise vs. diet or exercise + diet that you want, but the fact remains...........exercise is critical to a long healthy life. Burn on, folks! ;-)

johnwhitent

Let us all not lose site of the fact that there are *other* reasons to exercise besides the looks of our newly lean bodies.
Weight bearing exercise is critical in maintaining bone mass as we age, especially us women. I've been doing strength training regularly for a while now, and had a bone density DEXSA scan showing that I"ve got the bone density of a an 18 year old (I'm 53).
Some of us are trying to "outrun" our genetics to some extent, by exercising to reduce risk of early cardiac disease. You can buy into whatever theory of exercise vs. diet or exercise + diet that you want, but the fact remains...........exercise is critical to a long healthy life. Burn on, folks! ;-)

I agree completely. I am 58, happily married, and feel no need to impress anyone with a good looking body. I eat well and work out so that I may enjoy a long, healthy, fun life. A sedentary lifestyle and poor diet has resulted in way too many people dying early and/or living with unnecessary infirmities as they mature. I run, cycle, and strength train because I want to enjoy my latter years. Bone density, cardio vascular health, and all the benefits gained by healthy eating and exercise provide a full life that can be thoroughly enjoyed by people into their 60's. 70's, 80's and even beyond. Where I go to church the congregation is, shall we say, mature. It is disheartening to see so many that are feeble yet only a few years older than I. They all assume that I am younger than our 46 year old pastor because they are aware that I do so many things that they can't do. I'm not out to impress them, but I enjoy hiking, canoeing, cycling, and a generally active life and I don't want to give that lifestyle up anytime soon.