Share Email Print RSS

Exercise Is An Important Part Of Weight Control, Management

One of my clients brought to my attention an article that was in Time Magazine on Aug. 9, 2009. I hope you read the article. No, I hope you did not read the article because it was full of misconceptions and inaccurate claims regarding the value of exercise.

I firmly believe the article was way too generalized and misleading.

Of course, I did take the article personally because I have been in the health field for 30 years. I take my job very seriously, and I am passionate about physical activity.

The title of the article was "Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin" by John Cloud. The title itself made me nervous, but then when I read the article, my blood pressure shot up, my mouth dropped open and I was speechless.

Well, that did not last too long. My speech has come back.

Cloud must have been under the impression that if you exercise you can eat anything you want and lose weight. In other words, eat your doughnuts, drink your lattes and finish all of your dessert, and you will not gain weight, if you exercise.

Any exercise professional will tell you that it takes a combination of exercise and diet to lose weight, and an added measure of discipline to keep it off.

Weight loss and weight maintenance are a matter of simple accounting that is dependent upon energy balance.

Of course, exercise and eating go hand in hand to help us lose weight or maintain weight loss. They compliment each other.

In order for weight loss to occur, individuals must burn more calories than they consume.

One healthy way to burn calories is to be physically active. Not only does it burn calories, but exercise benefits every aspect of our physical body.

At least the author did note that exercise is good for your health, but he sure did not concur with the proven fact that exercise is a key player in helping individual’s lose weight and maintain their weight loss.
The American Council on Exercise responded to the Time article with the following statements by Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., F.A.C.S.M., Chief Science Officer, ACE:
"An overwhelming body of scientific evidence exist that confirms the positive role that exercise plays in weight loss and maintenance (Hill and Wyatt, 2005: Jakicic and Gallagher, 2003). These findings refute the notion that exercise impairs weight-loss efforts by substantially and uncontrollably increasing appetite. Recent research suggests that appetite may be suppressed for 60-90 minutes following vigorous exercise by affecting the release of certain appetite hormones. The bottom-line is that exercise and diet go hand-in-hand with successful weight management.

"Surprisingly and disappointingly the author failed to mention the tremendously important role that exercise plays in the maintenance of weight loss. According to data from the renowned National Weight Control Registry, consistent exercise participation is the single best predictor of long term weight maintenance. In other words, if individuals want to be successful in getting off the weight-loss roller coaster they need to regularly engage in physical activity.

"Beyond its weight-control benefits, regular exercise provides a plethora of health benefits, including the treatment and prevention of a wide variety of chronic illnesses (heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, certain types of cancer, to name a few), an enhancement of psychological health and well-being and an improvement in the overall quality of life."

Yes, I agree that individuals should not depend on exercise alone to enhance weight loss. But to say that it is useless in weight loss or makes you gain weight (some weight gain may come from added muscle, but most will come from added calories) is far from the truth.

The proof is in the pudding (no pun intended). Take a look around at your friends and colleagues who exercise and practice discipline in their diet and let me know what you think. See you in the gym.
LINDA STOLLINGS is a personal fitness trainer in Bristol, Tenn. E-mail her at info@fitprescriptions.com or visit www.fitprescriptions.com.