Losing the Faith

duckpond11

Since joining MFP, I've been reading a lot about fitness, both on blogs and in books. At first after reading a few books that all put forth essentially the same magic formula for fat loss, I thought I finally understood the answer. Strength training, plus interval training, plus moderate calorie deficit was the magic combination. And now I am beginning to question it all.

It all started when I learned that muscle mass does not actually increase your metabolism all that much. I had previously been told that muscle burned a significant more number of calories than fat, but it turns out that is a myth. Muscle burns barely more than fat. I'd also been told that strength training causes your metabolism to rev up for 48 hours after the workout. Well, it turns out that isn't true either -- apparently the effects of EPOC are severely overstated, both for strength training as well as interval training.*

Sure, lifting weights and interval training can make you look all awesome-y and muscley --- unless your muscles are covered in many layers of fat. Which leads me to the sorry conclusion that I've had to come to. For obese people, there seems to be little physical value in doing interval training, weight training, or really any kind of training at all. We already have massive amounts of LBM from dragging our fat around 24/7, and that hasn't done us any good. We already exercise super hard just dragging said fat around all day long. Adding all this heavy lifting and HIIT on top of that seems like overkill to the point where you are likely to cause injury. I in fact wound up in physical therapy within weeks of trying to move from just walking for my exercise to something with more intensity (gasp, jogging.). It seems like I would have been better off sticking with walking (or nothing at all) and just focussing on creating a calorie deficit through diet alone. I feel like all this exercise stuff is beneficial if you have 20 or 30 pounds to lose, but the those of us who could drop 50 or more, it might just be a waste of time and energy.

So, I've been asking myself why. If this is what I think, why am I still planning on going to the gym tomorrow? Why am I still planning on lifting as much weight as I can, even though no one will be able to see the results. Why am I thinking of investing in spin shoes so I can do spinning classes without aggrevating my feet further. I don't know - I guess I like feeling like I'm doing something. I am getting stronger for whatever that is worth. I do feel like I stick to my nutrition better when I'm exercising because I don't want to "waste" the time I put in at the gym by having a crappy diet. Maybe there isn't much physically in it for me as far as exercise goes, but I know myself and I know that I won't succeed without exercising. I am just sad knowing that all I'm really doing is fooling myself with regard to exercise.

* www.bodyrecomposition.com - search for articles on EPOC or interval training and you too can become just as disillusioned as I am. Oh, and then go read "Training the Obese", where he tells you that it is difficult for an obese person to burn enough calories through exercise to make a difference, and you will want to beat yourself over the head with a 20 pound dumbbell. (wonder what calorie burn I'd get for that?).

KetoMomRN

My sister-in-law and I can never seem to agree on anything. She is "always right" and I never am. Needless to say, she has lost around 115# doing nothing but change her diet (she does Paleo/ Low Carb). She does really well on it. It wasn't until she'd lost nearly all that weight before she added in some exercise (C25k, P90X, etc). I on the other hand have lost nearly 70# and I changed my diet a little but have been exercising the entire time (Curves, C25k, dvd's, etc). I found that the more weight I lose, the more I want to exercise. Regardless of the methods, I truly think it's all at your own pace. Walking is just fine if it means avoiding an injury. The idea is to "eat better and move more" not necessarily in the extremes. I still enjoy cookies and some days I don't make it to Curves but it's a journey. Please don't feel like your efforts are for nothing. You can do this!

Teliooo

For me it is all about the cardio. The weight training may come later when I am just trying tone.

I lost of about 84 pounds without even touching a gym or doing any form of training. I just ate better and exercised and even then my exercise was cycling and walking, nothing else later on I joined a gym for a bit but personally I don't like them very much. There really is no magic formula. You have to find out what suits your body.

I know this lady who is a fitness trainer who does not even believe in gyms. She says you should only do the exercise that you enjoy and that fits with your life style. I have found swimming to be excellent. I hate wearing my costume in front of people but I have said stuff it it is my health.

It is like pregnancy and raising kids, don't be reading all of these books. You have to do it your way and how you are comfortable. Everyone has different views and one thing will work for others but not for you. Don't be disheartened, find out what fits in with YOUR life, not any elses. x

snookumss

Well, a benefit: When you do work out, you are burning extra calories that you wouldn't have otherwise. Therefore, speeding up your weight loss. Also, if one doesn't go to the gym at all while losing those initial lbs, its going to be much harder to get into going to the gym for them when they finally really need to so they can continue the weight loss.

cathdrew2

I'm no expert. I know you will probably get some very detailed responses that will explain why or why not your disillusionment is accurate or misguided. I have been interested in fitness for 25+ years at a hobby level and I can tell you this. 1) You must create a calorie deficit to lose weight. You can go to the gym 365 days a year and still gain weight. Weight training does nothing for weight loss if you are still eating too much. 2) Your future smaller self will eat less so you must train your current self to eat less or you will never be successful at maintaining a lower weight. 3) Exercise has many, many benefits besides the potential to increase weight loss: your heart gets more efficient at pumping blood bringing your heart rate and blood pressure down; your are able to haul the current weight around more easily with stronger muscles; less huffing and puffing as you go up the stairs or sprint to catch a bus; good example for your kiddos to hopefully avoid excess weight; muscles do burn more calories than fat (maybe not exponentially, but they do) and the list goes on. Stop watching the scale - create goals for yourself like an increase in steps walked on a pedometer, an increase of number of minutes exercised, an increase in days in a row logging in to MFP, a decrease in dietary sodium, or an increase in dietary fiber - de-emphasize weight loss for a while and instead monitor through a pair of snug pants. Focus on the positive. Find friends to cheer you on. Reward reaching your (non-weight loss) goals. Consider getting a body fat test to track your progress in an alternate way. Consider having your metabolism tested to make sure you're not fighting any hormone issues. Very personal question, but if your profile picture is you with your baby, are you BFing? This can make it harder for some people to lose even though they are burning extra calories. Some people burn nowhere near the 500 calories the books say they should when they are BFing. Get plenty of rest (everything looks better with a full sleep tank) and try to reduce the stress in your life. Inadequate sleep and excess stress make it hard to lose weight, too. YOU CAN DO THIS!! Every day is a new day - fall down 7, get up 8. Don't give up.

txmike64

Cardio isn't just for weight loss.
Heart health depends on it!!!!!

Awake_Alive

Wow. I, too, kind of felt disillusioned after reading this post, and actually pretty sad.

But then I thought about how great I feel after a good, hard workout. I thought about how much stronger I feel and how much easier everything is when I know I can depend on my new muscles...no matter how buried in fat they are. I thought about the great inspiration my kids get from watching me come home from the gym dripping in sweat after taking another step toward reclaiming my body, about how much better I feel every day knowing I did something good for myself.

I would love to lose weight, but if I don't lose anything, and instead I gain things like....some new self respect, better health, and the possibility of tacking a few extra years onto my life....well, I guess that is a gain that I am more than happy to accept.

It's all about attitude. You can do this, and you should...for yourself.

pinkgigi

Are you only exercising because of the 'myth' of having a higher BMR from greater muscle definition?
Are you exercising just to lose weight?

I exercise for the greater health benefits of living an active life. I see my mother all bent over and infirm because of leading a sedentary life. I exercise to be stronger, more flexible and more confident. I exercise because it feels good.

Enjoy your life, don't look for reasons not to exercise, there are so many reasons to do it! Besides it is far more healthy to be slightly overweight and fit than skinny and unfit. Don't lose the faith, you can find pros and cons for just about anything out there, just keep up the movement!

GG

Teliooo

Also just looking at a couple of days of your diary,your fat intake is quite high and do you eat a lot of dairy? I find that is a killer for keeping weight on. I had to give up most cow products about 10 years ago for my skin and I had really bad irritable bowel and I lost quite a lot of weight after giving it up.

harpospeaking

I've read a number of articles that claim that exercise and strength training doesn't really make a dent with weight loss.

I seriously think that people who write these articles saying that exercise doesn't really help with weight loss (these articles even appear in Time magazine and other credible newspapers) are trying to convince people that we need to cure obesity and weight problems with a manufactured pill.

Even though my weight loss progress has been incredibly slow, exercising has given me more energy and better sleep. Being overweight slows you down emotionally and mentally as well as physically. There are so many benefits in addition to weight loss, and through exercise you might realize those benefits before seeing the pounds come off.

Keep it going with the exercise. This guy didn't give up and over the course of time, he completely transformed his body.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbXgQqbOoU

HackerX

While it sounds like the benefits have been (way) over emphasised to you, I think you should have a hard think before you completely reject them. Just because they're not as beneficial as you think, doesn't make them a waste of time.

Off the top of my head, the RMR raising with muscle mass was something in the range of a potential 500 cal/day (for men, perhaps less for women) as a long term result. i.e. it's something you'd have to stick with long term ( ~ 1 year) to see such a big benefit. Even 200-300 calories extra on your RMR a day is a significant extra buffer when you need to start maintaining your weight after you've lost it.

Strength training also has a significant impact on bone strength in later life, an issue particularly important for women. If you injured yourself doing such, you plain overdid it, and I'm guessing you overdid it because your expectations were too high.

Only a freak would see a benefit from HIIT for over 48 hours, I'm not sure who would tell you that that's what you'd expect. A normal person pushing themselves hard is looking at 2-5 hours benefit. HIIT is good in the sense that you can get the same benefit as a much longer workout in far less time. If there is a 2-3 hour bonus effect at the end, then yay.

It's also true that most people (significantly) over estimate the calorie burning potential of exercise. But there are other benefits, like aerobic performance. Hell, it just makes you feel good.

Just like weight loss is a long term goal, the benefits you receive from exercise, strength training etc are also long term and that's the way you need to look at them.

It's true that diet is the key to losing weight, but that doesn't mean you should reject everything else to help you on the way. It sounds like you were sold on some unrealistic ideal of all the benefits these things will have for you immediately, and now that the curtain has been pulled back and you see the truth, you're ready to throw the towel in and not bother at all.

There's still plenty of benefit for doing all these things, it's just not some magic solution I think you were expecting.

duckpond11

Thank you for all the thoughtful responses. I'm not going to give up exercising - I guess I just wish that it could have really been the magic bullet. Like you all said, there are other benefits to it that I am no doubt reaping.

harpospeaking

Also keep in mind that the lifestyle changes you make now with respect to a healthier diet and healthy exercise routine will influence the way your daughter lives her life as well, and may help her avoid childhood diabetes or obesity. If she sees her mom making healthy eating and regular exercise a priority, she will do the same.