The Myth About Exercise May be That it Doesn't Work

I've learned that on the internet, even supposedly "science" driven and informative articles are written strictly for attention value and tend to be just as skewed, distorted, and lacking of essential information as the so called fluff pieces. Body Weight is not only fat but water and muscle. So if someone is exercising and gaining muscle they may not lose "weight" on the scale, but are getting fitter, looking slimmer, and losing body fat which is essential to losing excess weight (in addition to modifying one's eating habits and increasing cardiovascular activity which is essential to maintaining a healthy metabolism). This is a bootleg article. If you want to lose weight, eat better and move your ass more. Period and end of story...

Very well written.. though, exercise works for me I still believe that it depends on the person's persistence on doing the right thing that works for her/him..

Here's my experience with exercise/weight loss - I used to run 5 miles a day, ate a healthy low-fat diet and couldn't lose any weight. I tried to reduce my calories to around 1500 a day (I'm a 5ft 5 middle-aged woman) but couldn't keep it up because I was always starving. But I continued eating healthy and low fat. As a result of chronic back pain I had to give up the running. But I walked instead, between 1 and 2 hours a day. I also switched to a healthy low carb diet (lean protein & vegetables, small servings of brown rice, beans or oatmeal, a little fruit) and started taking vitamin and mineral supplements. I've lost 20 pounds without hunger. I think some people need to limit their carbs for health and for weight loss. And sometimes intense exercise increases hunger far more than the same caloric expenditure with more moderate exercise. I believe in exercise, but am not sure it must be as intense as running, particularly if your major goal is weight loss.

I had the exact opposite experience as Tracy. I did not change my diet significantly - I am not someone who is ever going to be disciplined about food. But I do work out every day. And used some moderate portion control while still eating whatever I was hungry for. I went from 204lbs to 125lbs. I now wear a loose 6/snug 4. And have the muscle tone to look nice in a bathing suit= ripped abs and no 'grandma arms' (at 45 years of age, having birthed 2 kids).
This article is going to end up causing people health problems as there is NO "one way that will work for everyone". Fitness is highly individual. To discourage people from exercising when we have an obesity epidemic in the US is just irresponsible.
My 2 cents.
/rant

Yeah that's why I can barely change my diet while ramping up my exercise I loose weight as opposed to totally tweaking my diet... makes perfect sense... I guess I am an exception to the rule then... :/

It has been known for some time that caloric restriction is vital to longevity, but quality of life is an issue also. Those I train at our crossfit box often have to redifine what they want from just lose weight to being active in life.

Allowing muscle atrophy to lose weight vs. accepting and redefining the body passed to you is our goal.. and once adopted seems to lead to more mentally healthy people as well!

A. Hutt

I'm really shocked that Time published this article. Super dumb, fat lazy people are going to love it though. Now they have yet another excuse to justify their sitting on the couch with the remote rather than go for a walk after their Big Mac meal. Shocking. When I exercise, I get toner, happier, more fit, my clothes fit better and I sleep better. My confidence goes up and combined with just cutting 500 or 300 calories per day, some pounds begins to drop. I cannot lose weight by diet alone. Sure, put your body into starvation mode and no exercise, you will lose weight. But that weight will come right back on if you don't exercise along with a good diet. I am shocked that this article is out. As much as I believe diet is over 50% of losing/meaintaining weight, what America needs more than anything is people to exercise more. I wonder if that woman running on the cover of this Time issue works out?

Losing weight is not the only purpose of exercise. Besides, if you eat right after exercising, that pretty much negates whatever you just did. If you must, grab a healthy snack like a fruit and some water.

1. why do we continue to over analyze what it takes to live healthy.
2. a pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle - we learned that with feathers in first grade.
3. Moderation - we take in more calories then we need to sustain. Calories are fuel.
4. Exercise, eat the calories your body needs to sustain, take in the right calories, don't get your panties in a knot when you have a treat and stop the insanity.
5. Excercise for your heart and the other things that get a healthier because you move your bod.
6. If you like hitting the tred mill every morning because it starts your day on the right foot - do it.
7. If you like breaking your excercise up into 4 10 minute increments - do it.
8. If you like going to the gym to excercise - do it.
9. Don't judge others because they sure as heck can judge you.

I don't really care what "they" say. I know my life is ALWAYS significantly better when I exercise whether I do it at the gym or just take a long walk. I know they did say some type of moderate exercise every day is good, so I'm thankful for that. I just wish all these stupid studies would give us a break. It's always something. If it's something you really enjoy, they will eventually tell you THAT it will give you cancer or isn't as good as it should be, or blah, blah, blah.....whew.......

This is the dumbest article I have ever read, the reason those women did not loose "significant" amount of fat compared to the women who weren't exercising is because they can't say stop to their bellies. They are obese because they choose to eat more than the normal amount.

Don't tell me exercising isn't the healthiest & best way of loosing fat weight. If the person has the will power to run "a few miles on the treadmill" what makes you think that the person doesn't have the will power to control what he/she eats after a work out?

Please be my guest and proceed to lay on your couch and munch on popcorn and chips all day long. Don't exercise, I will see you in a few years reading an article named "Loosing weight by exercising and eating right"

Can't beleive there is an article like this that is giving such conflicting info. Yes I do feel hungry after my workouts but that would be expected. Its what I choose to eat to fill that hunger that is important. Better to educate people on proper foods to eat than say "dont exercise because you will be hungry". Exercise is good for toning, good bony density, good skin elasticity etc etc. The list goes on.

I beleive someone already mentioned that if you take two people of the same height/weight with one who exercises and weight trains, the other doing nothing....the one who is active will not only look better, they will have a much lower body fat percentage which is a much better predictor of health than weight alone!!!

I guess my ten mile jog yesterday was useless and a waste of my time. Should have had a peanut buster parfait from Dairy Queen after.....oh well!

I believe we should all learn to agree or disagree in friendly manners. No one is releasing an article to hurt you, so don't BE hurt.
~hm hmnnn~
To the publisher and those who have commented with understanding, a lovely Hi.

A little over a year ago I had an injury that I ended up in a wheelchair for about three months. I could not stand because I had fractured my knee. I was 40 overweight, also.
I went to physical therapy for my knee and a torn rotator cuff. When I first was able to stand up, it was for just a few minutes. My muscles in my legs had not been used and I lost muscle.
Slowly I did different exercises for my arm and leg. Guess what? Because I started exercising, I started to lose weight.
I cut out the sweets, and drank a lot of water. I drank water everytime after therapy. By the time I came home, I wasn't hungry! Just tired.
I am now walking with a cane, doing 20 minutes or more on the treadmill, eating smaller portions.
I feel better, more confident, and happier!!
I lost 30 pounds. Maybe it has taken a longer time to do this, but it took me two years to gain the weight.
I have Cerebral Palsy on my left side, but that side is getting STRONGER, as well.
I am 55 yrs old and feel great!!

Just remind yourself that this an article for leisure reading not an article in a scholarly journal.

simple fact: burn more calories than you take in - you will loose wieght (and of course the opposite is true). Put any twist you like on it, but its a biological fact of the human body.

this article is very skewed and doesn't look at the benefit of exercise as improving cardiovascular activity, fighting depression, and assisting the body with a normal circadian sleeping rhythm. losing weight is not the only goal of exercise. why do people always look shortcuts in everything? balance your life with healthy eating, exercise to maintain your body, and improve your mental health. furthermore, our bodies work differently and general studies are exactly that, general studies. everyone's genes are different and react differently to different types of food, exercise, etc.

seems to me the article is put out there to shock and awe and sell magazines rather than tell us the truth on anything.

diet and exercise must go together

Everything in moderation, exept moderation itself.. use it excessivly!!!

:)

Control your mouth, exercise a bit and you will see the change. stop always looking for little tidbits of studies to justify why you're too lazy to get up and do something. Yes you can watch what you eat and lose weight, but what does it matter if you can't walk up a flight of stairs without gasping for air.