TIME Gets It Wrong!
OK, Ok…we have all read the Time Article, “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin,” or spoken with someone who has. We felt compelled to add our two cents because it’s the hot topic on the news and with our clients. First of all, we do have to agree with the author when he states that you do eat more when you exercise (but this is the only point we agree on!) Your body uses calories for fuel. So, when you are burning more calories through exercise, your body needs to refuel afterwards, that’s just common sense. Here’s the trick…you must put QUALITY calories in your mouth. If you torch 400 calories during a workout and then reward yourself with a “greasy burrito” as the author does, of course you are going to be on the losing side of the weight loss battle. As we have said many times, “You can NOT out train a bad diet!” Your body composition is approximately 70% of what you put in your mouth. Sorry, but there is no way to get around it!
Exercise is much more than losing weight. It is a commitment you make to yourself and your health. We could talk all day about the many benefits of exercise. Here are just a few: increases bone density and connective tissue, strengthens muscles and increases your metabolism; all things that contribute to calories being burned. In fact, muscle burns 3-5 times more calories at rest than fat. Speaking of muscle and fat, the author comments that fat is converted to muscle with exercise. This is incorrect! When you exercise you burn fat and build muscle. They are two different types of tissue! With comments like this it’s really no wonder our society is confused! This is one of the things that frustrate us in this article. People already struggle to make exercise a part of their life. Many are embarrassed to go to the gym or think they will never lose the weight. This article just gave those people a reason to give up. Don’t EVER give up; it’s never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle!
Time and time again it has been proven that long term weight management succeeds more often with a combination of a healthy diet AND exercise (not just one or the other). So with all this said, if you want to take control of your health, make better nutritional choices and mix it with some good, old fashioned exercise! That’s the funny thing about our bodies…you get out of it what you put into it! By the way, if the author is correct about exercising not making you thin, John and I should be Obese!!
Yours in Health
Colleen and John Riddle
by John on August 19th, 2009 Tags: Fat loss, fitness, healthy lifestyle, obesity, Time Magazine, Weight loss
Posted in nutrition, Weight loss | 1 Comment »
