One of the most widely accepted, commonly repeated assumptions in our culture is that if you exercise, you will lose weight. But I exercise all the time, and since I ended that relationship and cut most of those desserts, my weight has returned to the same 170 lb. it has been most of my adult life. I still have fat that hangs over my belt when I sit. Why isn't all the exercise wiping it out?
Most people are more aware of being health and weight conscious, but many more are still putting weight on and running an even greater risk of medical issues due to the increased weight, why is this happening?
One of the problems, despite our increased understanding of health, diet and exercise, is that we often feel hungry after we have had a work out. Exercise is essential for us keeping a balanced weight and is also very necessary for keeping all manner of medical conditions at bay, with even the oldest members of society encouraged to exercise.
The issue however is that while exercise is important for many things, including burning calories, it does stimulate hunger and encourage us to eat more. What also happens following exercise is that you reward yourself for doing the exercise and may have an alcoholic drink or even a chocolate bar, it sounds mad to you reading this maybe, but it is common. How often have you heard of someone who has spent time at the gym and then gone straight to a bar to have a drink, often I guess, and this is people giving themselves a reward.
An interesting piece of research states that you only need an extra 40 calories a day to put weight on, just 40 calories, which is half of an average chocolate bar extra a day. After we exercise we often crave sugary treats and thus makes the exercise little value to our weight loss regime. Exercise does help the body, and fend of illness, but it will not necessarily help you lose weight in the long run.
It is not the exercise that will eventually help you to lose weight, but the act of moving more. I have written two articles which explains this and will help get the most out of moving and losing weight. My own experience tell me when I went on an exercise programme I did lose weight in the short term, but was unable to keep the regime up and ended up going back to my old habits and putting the weight back on. Whereas when I have altered my lifestyle and become naturally more active, walking to places that I otherwise would use the car, I have found my weight has fallen back. What research has also found is that people who are active, I mean, people who run up the stairs quickly, walk quickly to catch a bus, and so on, are just as active as those people who have regular exercise. What the study shows is that people who pay a gym for exercise often get home and vegetate, they don’t move, perhaps because they are worn out, whereas people who move casually in their everyday life get just as much exercise, because they are doing it throughout the whole day.
What does this all mean? You should be active, do more exercise, which is essential for your overall health, but if you want to lose weight don’t count on that exercise being the most important factor for your weight loss. You need to change your lifestyle, become more active and stop rewarding yourself with sugary foods, find another way to treat yourself and if you can make it active. It’s what you eat that ultimately will determine what your weight is, and not rigorous exercise.