Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Follow up to Exercise won't shed fat

I love this excerpt from the link I put in the other day about how exercise will not help you shed body fat.

You can read the entire article here:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0826/is_n1_v10/ai_14674492/?tag=content;col1

"Misconception 2: Moderate physical activity raises the resting metabolic rate after exercise, helping you lose weight.


Aerobic exercise does not cause the metabolism to stay elevated for a long time after the bout, thus burning a lot of extra calories.

In general, most researchers have found that the calories expended after aerobic exercise is small and short lived unless you've engaged in a great amount of high-intensity exercise. For example, jogging (12 minutes per mile) or cycling at moderate intensities for about 30 minutes causes the metabolism to stay elevated for 20 to 30 minutes, burning 10 to 12 extra calories. When the intensity is increased (e.g., jogging at 8.5 minutes per mile), the metabolism is increased for about 35 to 45 minutes, with 15 to 30 extra calories expended. Obviously this is too little to have any significant effect on weight loss.
Even in runners and other endurance athletes, the best studies show that their metabolism is no different than in nonathletes, and that after a hard exercise bout (e.g., 80 minutes of running), the metabolism rate may stay up for several hours, burning about 125 extra calories. This is hardly enough to urge that overweight people run long distances every day, a task that few of them could accomplish anyway, especially without injury. The same caloric deficit could be achieved by avoiding one tablespoon of oil."
Would you rather run for 80 MINUTES
or just try to cut a tablespoon of oil out of your diet? 

Great example of how diet wins over exercise for me. BUT, I agree that it is important to exercise for HEALTH and WELLNESS. It is much more difficult to do it at a heavier weight but as I get smaller I will slowly incorporate more into my routine. I will do the things I LIKE to do though rather than go to a crowded gym. I love rollerblading, swimming and yoga. And now that I am not all concerned with trying to do mass amounts of exercise to try to lose the weight, it will be a much more enjoyable experience.

1 comment:

  1. This is so true and very eye opening. I'm living proof because I've been exercising consistently for the past 2 months and have only maintained. I maintained because I wasn't following the Fast 5 to a "T" by adding caloric drinks and eating too much during my fed state. Great post!!

    ReplyDelete

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