I happen to be one of those people who actually likes to exercise. When I exercise regularly I feel better, sleep better, look better and eat better (most of the time). I learned a long time ago that exercise doesn’t give you a free pass to eat whatever you want…especially if you’re trying to lose weight. This is often a misconception among dieters that can lead to frustration and disappointment, causing them to “give-up” on exercise because they don’t see the scale moving.
A study published recently in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found only a modest amount of weight loss after a group of 58 sedentary obese men and women completed 12 weeks of aerobic training without changing their current diet. However, there were significant improvements seen in aerobic capacity, blood pressure, resting heart rate and mood. Researchers concluded that aerobic exercise provides meaningful health benefits even in the absence of weight loss.
So what is the take home message here? To exercise or not to exercise? Many people would say if I’m not going to lose weight then what’s the point. I have two things to say in response to that:
- Exercise is one of the single best things you can do for your health. Regular exercise has been proven to increase metabolism, improve heart health, build stronger bones, reduce stress, improve mood, promote healthier skin and a more youthful appearance…just to name a few.
- If you want to lose weight you have to WATCH WHAT YOU EAT and EXERCISE. Just because you walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes doesn’t mean you can go to Diary Queen after dinner tonight. Although exercise (especially heavy cardio) can increase your appetite you have to find strategies to deal with it if you want to see weight loss results. I tend to do activities like yoga or resistance training in the morning before work and cardio in the evening after work. This really helps to keep my appetite under control during the day. Another important step is planning ahead and keeping healthy foods readily available. If you come home from a heavy workout with no idea what you’re going to eat, you’ll be a lot more likely to grab the first thing you see to satisfy your hunger.
Although most people tend to exercise when they’re trying to lose weight, I encourage you to exercise for your overall health and wellbeing. If you want to lose weight keep exercising and pay attention to your diet. Simple as that!
- Lauren
Labels: Exercise, Lauren, Weight Loss
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I absolutely agree with everything you said!!! Health aspects of exercise are so crucial!
PLUS, with resistance training, you can mold your body to look a certain way to a point. If you are a pear shape, you can widen the shoulder/back area to balance the hip area. There are so many things it can do for you! PLUS muscles are cool! :-)