Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin???

I wrote up a long rebuttal to the recent Time magazine article, "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin," but Tony Gentilcore has a way better and more humorous response.



And if you still want to read my write up from last week, here it is:

A recent article in Time magazine asks this question. I have seen discussion around the internet about this article and when I first read it, my initial reaction seemed to be different from others. I have a few problems with the article which I will get to but first I want to talk about what is good about it.

I think (I hope) the message that they are trying to convey is that exercise alone is not going to help you lose weight. You must pay attention to your food intake and choices. I also agree that yes, sometimes working out can make you hungrier. In some cases, intense workouts can lead to a lot of hunger. Fortunately I don't seem to be one of the cases. My problem is habits and eating out of boredom...but that is another subject altogether. I also like it whenever I find an instance of someone debunking that silly notion that "since I workout, I can eat whatever I want" or the reason a person is thin is solely because of their hours logged on the elliptical. That might help them, but they are simply eating the right amount to stay that way in conjunction with their workout and every day activity.

On to my grumblings....

I think one of my biggest problems is with the title. It could have been worded differently to convey a similar message without the shock value. But, in today's society, media and news relies on reaction and in your face statements to get attention. And it worked in this case based on all the places I have seen and heard this talked about. The notion that people who work out are all of sudden doomed with this insatiable zombie hunger irks me, too. As if to suggest that no one has self control. I am hungry a lot, but it doesn't mean I have to stop what I am doing and run to the convenience store and down some Doritos. I truly beleive that eating the right foods at the right times helps control cravings and excessive hunger.

Another problem with articles like this is giving people (the general public) another reason to write off exercise. You know the jokesters who say stuff like "I have a six pack...of beer!" Or point to female body builders (who are clearly on something) as an argument as to why women shouldn't lift weights. Riiiggght.

The article also talks about spending hours upon hours a week in the gym on the elliptical. That would lead me to eat out of boredom alone! When it comes to working out and exercise, focus on quality, not quantity. Often times losing weight is all about the old adage less is more. As in less food, and less hours spent mindlessly on cardio machines, and more time thinking about the quality of the workout.

And what about the health benefits of exercise? Heart health? What happened to not wanting to die of heart disease? (Full disclosure: I am not an expert in cardio vascular health, but am pretty sure we need activity to keep our tickers working properly.)

I am fully aware that not everyone enjoys working out. And to be honest, you can lose weight without exercise. You won't be able to eat much, but as long as you are eating less then you burn, even sedentary, you will most likely lose some weight. The trick is finding something you enjoy doing that keeps you active but has some health benefits at the same time. As if you couldn't tell, I have a strong dislike for spending more then 30 minutes on a treadmill and you will probably never see me on an elliptical ever. I just don't like them. But the treadmill is necessary in this climate and I am forced to use it. And I hope to have one someday at home to walk on while watching t.v. or possibly surfin' the interwebz. All I am saying is spending 60 minutes on cardio equipment is not required especially if it's a form of torture for you.

There is more to talk about in regards to this article but those are some points that stuck out to me. What do you think?