Again, lest I come across as anti-exercise, which I know offends a lot of people, let me say my personal belief is moderate exercise is good for you... but it probably won't help your weight loss. By all means, exercise, but not too much because it will slow down your resting metabolic rate if you over-do it. It is good for you.

Not much effect on fat

Good article, Nancy.

Proper eating is so much quicker and more effective, though I too enjoy regular moderate exercise. In fact, I love more vigorous exercise, but don't find it to be any more effective for weight control.

Looking at the same issue from a broader national perspective, a new study
Physical Activity and Obesity: Both Rising
http://www.livescience.com/38067-ac...ity-rising.html

And never failing to put a positive spin on this news: "The findings suggest the rise in physical activity levels will have a positive impact on Americans' health, but will not be enough to curb the obesity epidemic, the researchers said."

Really, why not if exercise helps you lose weight?

I never know what to think about the exercise component. I once lost a nice amount of weight on Atkins while not exercising at all. I looked back at my records for a year ago when I was 10 lbs. lighter than now, and saw no huge difference in my food then and now, but I was exercising more than lately, when I steem to be losing very slowly. I don't much think you can exercise off weight, and a lot of intense exercise simply is not sustainable long term (at least not for me). But combined with my usual Atkins LC diet, I do suspect moderate exercise at least a few times a week helps things along. Starting today, I'm dragging myself to the gym at least 2 or 3x a week and I'll see what happens. I'm keeping things moderate, though, no more long, intense killer workouts.

JEY100, I just saw this study and report on the CBS news tonight and the reporter and host both said IT COMES DOWN TO YOUR DIET! Duh! The reporter said that the exercise can't burn off the amount of calories Americans are eating. What amazes me is that we know this; someone had to do a study to figure this out?

Carole, have you checked how much your metabolism has dropped in the past 10 years? And could you have lost muscle mass?

Most of these studies show a wide variety in the effect exercise has on weight loss and maintenance. For some it may have no effect, for most probably less effect than anticipated, and for a lucky few a significant effect. Exercise does seem to be better correlated with maintenance, though I'm not sure everyone who continues to exercise does well in maintenance (maybe the folks who are able to maintain are those for whom exercise does have a good effect).

When are these researchers going to figure out that we are not machines and all these calculations and studies based on calories in and out are worthless?

I have a weird issue and I'm wondering if exercise is responsible for it.

During the week, I go for a very vigorous walk for 30 minutes, every day. I don't on the weekends, but I'm more active doing stuff around the house. Nothing strenuous.

I always lose weight on the weekends and gain through the week. I swear I'm not eating any differently, except perhaps eating a bit more on the weekends (but not always).

I'm going to change my exercise during the week and just get up and walk around a little every hour instead of the more intensive walking.

Could be, Nancy. Time for a controlled study. I see 2 variables so far: eating more on weekends and intensity of exercise.

And another new study! Here's what a YEAR on a Treadmill Desk gets you...



Big Whoop...and the company spent $126,000 on the desks. So much for their wellness program.

http://www.weightymatters.ca/2013/0...yee-health.html

Guyenet tweeted a link to this study with an approving comment, "Even modest use of a treadmill desk leads to weight loss and health benefits in overweight/obese". Is he joking? Did he even look at the study's results?

Taubes would probably advise him to read studies more carefully.

maybe a treadmill desk doesn't have space for "food rewards"

Geez, I can lose 3 pounds of water weight overnight...does that qualify as a health benefit?

So did you lose without exercising?

Me? Oh yeah. Exercise hasn't ever helped me lose weight. I exercise for health, not weight loss.

Hey I see you are in SD! I uses to live there. Leucadia and Mira Meds. I so miss it!

Their yearly changes are so small it's hard not to question if that is truly significant.

Now, there might be things not measurable such as the employees feeling better and being a little more active in their offwork life and things like that. Moving around more is good if you have a sedentary job.

I can gain or lose 13# in less than 24 hours (which seems physically impossible given I haven't always ingested or released that much, so perhaps we should attribute some to scale error, to avoid cracking brains), although at my size that's probably the equivalent of 3-4# in others. Still I'd hate for a momentarily lighter day to screw up someone's study. I seriously think they'd need to go at least a little over what the average woman can gain merely by thinking the word 'hormone' to call it significant.

PJ