Shaping Up with Vickey Macintosh of Tauranga Healthy Inspirations

Does exercise really help you lose weight? We see slim fit people exercising and we draw the conclusion they got slim by exercising.

Health authorities have been telling us that if we're overweight we need to get active. We're told that weight loss is a calorie in-calorie out equation and that exercise burns calories.
We follow the belief that walking, running, cycling and working out will help us lose weight, but exercise rarely makes any difference on the scales.

If we're carrying some weight, we are made to feel guilty if we don't exercise. Then, if we exercise and don't lose weight, we feel that something's wrong with us. The same false messages are given to overweight children.

Science is now providing some clarity. There is little evidence to support the notion that exercise actually helps overweight people lose weight. A study of 34,000 middle-aged women by researchers at Harvard Medical School found it was only the normal-weight women who maintain their weight with exercise, but heavier-weight women got even heavier with a regime of exercise alone.

When people exercise, it can lead to dietary overcompensation. The calories from just one bottle of a sports drink would require 30 minutes of extra exercise just to compensate.

There's no dispute that sticking to a well formulated diet leads to weight loss. When people do manage to lose weight, they are more inclined to exercise. Weight loss is not an outcome of exercise. Exercise can be an outcome of weight loss.

Exercise has undisputed benefits to your health and wellness. It just can't be relied upon for weight loss. That requires dietary change. Most people say that they know what they should be eating, but unless they are actually losing weight, having the knowledge isn't enough. Lasting weight loss generally needs a structured programme, with ongoing regular support.

Remember, exercise won't do much for weight loss, it's vital for your health and losing weight can help you become a lifelong exerciser.