So are we wasting our time exercising??? - Page 2

SuzanneM · 11-16-04, 02:02 PM

I don't know about others, but really....one of the main reasons I exercise is because I just plain LOVE it.

The 'ol saying, if it feels good...well, maybe that doesn't apply to every workout.

suebella · 11-16-04, 02:07 PM

As usual, I have to fall back on my highly controlled test group of one - namely, me.

Exercise does not generally lead to weight loss for me. MUCH less so now that I've passed forty.

I don't feel as if I waste my time exercising, though. Certainly strength training has made me look better! Improved my posture, shaped my irish flaps of kimono arms and strengthened my entire core. Believe me, I look much different now than I did pre-strength training.

I'd never give up yoga. It helps me in so many ways: mentally, physically, and emotionally.

So it's not pointless.

cmhazlett · 11-16-04, 02:07 PM

I find that exercise (particularly strength training) increases my appetite so if I don't watch what I eat, it is very easy for me to increase my caloric intake far beyond the number of calories burned during a workout. That could explain the findings of exercise leading to fat gain.

Just my $0.02...

Claire

chancyd · 11-16-04, 02:14 PM

ITA with Claire. Exercising increases my appetite,too.

That article is bogus,imho. How else would you account for the millions of people who lose weight every year through exercise(and diet)?

Heck, I've seen studies that showed you can lose weight with ONLY exercise.

The article is right about how not everyone can be a size 2 or even a size 12. But that doesn't mean exercise can't control how much fat that particular body type is carring around.

Alan · 11-16-04, 02:14 PM

Sounds like another one of those "damn lies and statistics" based reports. Actually, a lot of people will agree that exercising alone won't help them lose weight and that it's only when they watch what they eat that the pounds go away.

Lyzza350 · 11-16-04, 02:18 PM

yea...strength training can lead to an increase in appetite if one isn't careful. So if the experimenters weren't carefully monitoring to make sure that the subjects didn’t eat more..then i dont think it was that careful a study. Besides no one here says eat whatever you want if you exercise. I've heard here and in various classes that diet is the number one component. Exercise is almost a supplement to the "d" word. Besides there are so many other physical/psychological benefits ..who cares!

Barb L · 11-16-04, 02:23 PM

Like Mindi, here's the quote that caught my attention:

"If everyone exercised, there would still be a wide range of individual body sizes and shapes," said Steven Blair, PED, President and CEO of the Cooper Institute in Dallas and renowned exercise researcher. "There is a genetic component for weight, just as there is for height."

I've NEVER believed the notion that 3500 (extra) calories burned = one pound of fat lost. It ain't that simple.

This article glossed over the details of the studies cited, and I didn't see whether or not the people in the exercise plans were required to (and actually DID) honestly record the calories they ate as well as the exercise they performed. Any successful and long-term weight maintenance is a combination of the two: consistent exercise and managed eating (for those of us genetically blessed with a tendency to gain weight).

Seems to me that our individual bodies have subtle ways of maintaining the genetic script. If we engage in more exercise, we may very well tend to eat more, whether we notice it or not. That's why journals are one of the more successful techniques for weight loss and maintenance.

I've heard health buffs complain that nobody should "exercise"--we should all get our activity from sports, work, and other regular daily exertion. Unfortunately, that's not the way the modern world works.

I'm convinced that exercise as an anti-aging, health promoting, weight management routine is very well worth the effort. So stop reading this thread, and go hop on a treadmill or something!

Barb · 11-16-04, 02:26 PM

Haven't you ever noticed the difference between someone who diets and doesn't exercise and someone who watches what she/he eats and exercises? The first person tends to look haggard (especially if there's been a dramatic weight loss) and the second looks vibrant and healthy. I've heard it described as "juicy" - you can only get that from weight training and yoga.

Leela · 11-16-04, 02:40 PM

I joined WW and lost 10 pounds.

For me, that is a big part of the equation.

But exercise makes me strong, makes my body firm, makes the smaller-sized me look *better*. I did lose a ton of weight once because I was very unhappy about a failing relationship (this was a long time ago - 16 yrs ago) and I got down to a size 2, but I didn't look or feel all that great.

But once, when I was really giving my workouts my all, I was a size 6, and looked good (abs I could see, musclle definition, etc).

Now, I have trouble achieving even the latter - my body holds more fat, etc - since having kids, yadda - but I love that I could run up the stairs at the boston opera house all the way to the very top (after going down for a bathroom break) and not be huffing and puffing . I loved that!

So if i'm working out solely to get leaner, it only works for me with eating changes... if I am working out to augment watching what I eat, then I lose MORE weight than if I just did the food thting (because yes, it is a calorie burn). If I look for other benefits to working out - and those are appearance related for me as well - as well as just feeling good (clearer skin, tighter muscles, etc), then I am very pleased. I'm almost 39 and NO tricep hang. Some of my peers of the same age have that already (and they didn't in their 20s)

gettinripped · 11-16-04, 02:44 PM

IMO. In January of this year I decided that I needed to lose some fat. So for the first 4 months of the year I did aerobic workouts 5-6 times per week, and I lost 3 inches off of my waist alone. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have to worry about what I put in my mouth, because I did not change my eating habits at all.
I'll admit I slacked off for a while (meaning I only worked out 4 times a week) between April and this last month. Then I upped the workouts againg to 5 - 6 times per week and lost another 1/4" of my waist in 3 weeks. Still no change in eating habits. So although exercise might not be the only solution to losing weight for everyone - it definitely does work.
Just think about when you were a kid and how much more active you were then. Did you have to worry about what you ate? Or did you burn everything off because of your level of activity?

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11-16-04, 02:02 PM
SuzanneM VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: St. Paul, MN	Another thing... I don't know about others, but really....one of the main reasons I exercise is because I just plain LOVE it. The 'ol saying, if it feels good...well, maybe that doesn't apply to every workout. __________________ "The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." DISCLOSURE: I have a professional relationship with a seller or producer of fitness videos or products. For details, please see my profile.

11-16-04, 02:07 PM
suebella VF Supporter Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Paris of the Midwest	Mmmmm.... As usual, I have to fall back on my highly controlled test group of one - namely, me. Exercise does not generally lead to weight loss for me. MUCH less so now that I've passed forty. I don't feel as if I waste my time exercising, though. Certainly strength training has made me look better! Improved my posture, shaped my irish flaps of kimono arms and strengthened my entire core. Believe me, I look much different now than I did pre-strength training. I'd never give up yoga. It helps me in so many ways: mentally, physically, and emotionally. So it's not pointless. __________________ Suze How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” - Author Unknown, but definitely not me.

11-16-04, 02:07 PM
cmhazlett Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: S.F. Bay Area	I find that exercise (particularly strength training) increases my appetite so if I don't watch what I eat, it is very easy for me to increase my caloric intake far beyond the number of calories burned during a workout. That could explain the findings of exercise leading to fat gain. Just my $0.02... Claire

11-16-04, 02:14 PM
chancyd Join Date: Jul 2004	ITA with Claire. Exercising increases my appetite,too. That article is bogus,imho. How else would you account for the millions of people who lose weight every year through exercise(and diet)? Heck, I've seen studies that showed you can lose weight with ONLY exercise. The article is right about how not everyone can be a size 2 or even a size 12. But that doesn't mean exercise can't control how much fat that particular body type is carring around. Last edited by chancyd; 11-16-04 at 02:15 PM. Reason: Forgot something

11-16-04, 02:14 PM
Alan Join Date: Nov 2003	Sounds like another one of those "damn lies and statistics" based reports. Actually, a lot of people will agree that exercising alone won't help them lose weight and that it's only when they watch what they eat that the pounds go away.

11-16-04, 02:18 PM
Lyzza350 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island	nothing is ever right! yea...strength training can lead to an increase in appetite if one isn't careful. So if the experimenters weren't carefully monitoring to make sure that the subjects didn’t eat more..then i dont think it was that careful a study. Besides no one here says eat whatever you want if you exercise. I've heard here and in various classes that diet is the number one component. Exercise is almost a supplement to the "d" word. Besides there are so many other physical/psychological benefits ..who cares! __________________ Nothing taste as good as skinny feels - Kate Moss

11-16-04, 02:23 PM
Barb L VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Kansas City, MO	My Two Cents Like Mindi, here's the quote that caught my attention: "If everyone exercised, there would still be a wide range of individual body sizes and shapes," said Steven Blair, PED, President and CEO of the Cooper Institute in Dallas and renowned exercise researcher. "There is a genetic component for weight, just as there is for height." I've NEVER believed the notion that 3500 (extra) calories burned = one pound of fat lost. It ain't that simple. This article glossed over the details of the studies cited, and I didn't see whether or not the people in the exercise plans were required to (and actually DID) honestly record the calories they ate as well as the exercise they performed. Any successful and long-term weight maintenance is a combination of the two: consistent exercise and managed eating (for those of us genetically blessed with a tendency to gain weight). Seems to me that our individual bodies have subtle ways of maintaining the genetic script. If we engage in more exercise, we may very well tend to eat more, whether we notice it or not. That's why journals are one of the more successful techniques for weight loss and maintenance. I've heard health buffs complain that nobody should "exercise"--we should all get our activity from sports, work, and other regular daily exertion. Unfortunately, that's not the way the modern world works. I'm convinced that exercise as an anti-aging, health promoting, weight management routine is very well worth the effort. So stop reading this thread, and go hop on a treadmill or something! __________________ BARB L Jumpin' for Joy

11-16-04, 02:26 PM
Barb VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Connecticut	Haven't you ever noticed the difference between someone who diets and doesn't exercise and someone who watches what she/he eats and exercises? The first person tends to look haggard (especially if there's been a dramatic weight loss) and the second looks vibrant and healthy. I've heard it described as "juicy" - you can only get that from weight training and yoga.

11-16-04, 02:40 PM
Leela VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001	I actually lost a bunch of weight by doing the dreaded food intake thing I joined WW and lost 10 pounds. For me, that is a big part of the equation. But exercise makes me strong, makes my body firm, makes the smaller-sized me look better. I did lose a ton of weight once because I was very unhappy about a failing relationship (this was a long time ago - 16 yrs ago) and I got down to a size 2, but I didn't look or feel all that great. But once, when I was really giving my workouts my all, I was a size 6, and looked good (abs I could see, musclle definition, etc). Now, I have trouble achieving even the latter - my body holds more fat, etc - since having kids, yadda - but I love that I could run up the stairs at the boston opera house all the way to the very top (after going down for a bathroom break) and not be huffing and puffing . I loved that! So if i'm working out solely to get leaner, it only works for me with eating changes... if I am working out to augment watching what I eat, then I lose MORE weight than if I just did the food thting (because yes, it is a calorie burn). If I look for other benefits to working out - and those are appearance related for me as well - as well as just feeling good (clearer skin, tighter muscles, etc), then I am very pleased. I'm almost 39 and NO tricep hang. Some of my peers of the same age have that already (and they didn't in their 20s)

11-16-04, 02:44 PM
gettinripped Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Mississauga	What a bogus study IMO. In January of this year I decided that I needed to lose some fat. So for the first 4 months of the year I did aerobic workouts 5-6 times per week, and I lost 3 inches off of my waist alone. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have to worry about what I put in my mouth, because I did not change my eating habits at all. I'll admit I slacked off for a while (meaning I only worked out 4 times a week) between April and this last month. Then I upped the workouts againg to 5 - 6 times per week and lost another 1/4" of my waist in 3 weeks. Still no change in eating habits. So although exercise might not be the only solution to losing weight for everyone - it definitely does work. Just think about when you were a kid and how much more active you were then. Did you have to worry about what you ate? Or did you burn everything off because of your level of activity?