The Myth About Exercise

Time Magazine's August 17th, 2009 issue's feature story is entitled: The Myth About Exercise. Of course it's good for you, but it won't make you lose weight. Why it's what you eat that really counts. By John Cloud.

Dear John Cloud,

Your article stirred up many conflicting thoughts in my mind about exercise, eating, dieting, and body image. I love to exercise. My exercise routine is an almost sacred ritual that takes me away from the stresses in life. I disagree with some of the ways you apply research findings in your article. However, I can't stop thinking about all the points you make. It has compelled me to write.

* The gist of the article as I understand it is: The amount of calories exercise burns doesn't compensate for the amount of calories most women consume. Exercise may actually cause weight gain due to increased appetite followed by strenuous exercise. Furthermore, one pound of muscle burns approximately 6 calories a day (in a resting body), compared with the 2 calories a day that one pound of fat burns. (not a great reason to exercise) The article acknowledges that exercise helps heart health, prevents disease, can help ease pain, aids cognitive ability and improves mental health. BUT, "exercise" (defined as sweaty, exhausting, hunger-producing bursts of activity done exclusively to benefit our health) may not be the real reason. John Cloud argues that we need to move more over the course of our typical day. His examples of "moving" include golfing, gardening, walking, etc. He is skeptical of gym rats, accusing them of "exercising with ... Puritan fury". He asserts that if he exercised less, he might feel like walking more. He may even eat healthier foods with his new found energy. It's an interesting article, one well worth reading. Proceed with caution if you love to exercise (especially at a gym) or if you need a good excuse to stop exercising! He quotes (Eric Ravussin), "In general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless."

This is extremely discouraging to me.

I always park my car in a place where I'll have to walk to my final destination. I love going on walks. In fact, I'd love to also take up golfing and/or gardening. However, what if my lifestyle doesn't lend itself to being active all day long? Worse, what if I am quite active all day long and I don't find this extra energy and will power Cloud refers to. Years ago I worked all day with 8-year-olds. I walked up and down stairs over and over in the elementary school where I worked. I practically ran around the classroom attending to specific needs of different children. And I often got up at 5:30am to drive to the Tufts University track where I would run. Some cold mornings I dreaded it. When I finished, I was always thrilled and found that I had more energy throughout the day. Exercise has been a ritual for me ever since I can remember. My older sister is genetically blessed (thin, and a few inches taller than me) and I always thought I was fat in comparison. I've always been conscious of being fit, healthy, and looking thin. I am also a rational person. Strange fad diets haven't ever appealed to me. I have always focused on calories in/calories out. Exercise and diet. The thought of me adjusting my paradigm to exercise = fun (only producing stress on the muscles) and dedicating all my self-control and energy to what I eat is overwhelming and depressing.

The argument of the article reminded me somewhat of the argument we often use in reference to the good ol' days. We used to play outside more often because we all trusted our neighbors. We used to get more exercise because we had to walk everywhere we went. We didn't have video games, computers, cell phones, etc. etc. I go to the gym for several reasons. I couldn't get enough exercise in my typical day as a working professional and I still can't get enough exercise in my typical day as a mom. Once someone said to me, "You must get so much exercise chasing Conor around every day." Actually, I don't. He does run around a lot (still), but chasing him doesn't make me thin! Furthermore, the amount of exercise I get in a typical day does nothing for my psychological well-being. The article doesn't preach that exercise should be banned, but you get my point.

Part of me is angry about this article because it diminishes the tremendous amount of effort I've spent over the years exercising.

I think it gives the wrong message to a society with a pervasive obesity issue. It displays a blueberry muffin in the middle of the page surrounded by 8 different methods of working off the 360 calorie muffin. Quite frankly it's depressing. But, it isn't something I didn't already know. Just because I exercise doesn't mean I can eat anything I want. (Although in my teens and 20's I could.) Today I burned 100 calories in 12 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Then I lifted weights, working my back, chest, and biceps. Afterwards, I ran 3.5 miles and burned another 450 calories. Am I entitled to an extra 550 calorie treat? NO! When I come home from exercising, contrary to what Cloud reports, I don't sit and relax and drink coffee. I feel determined to make today a healthy day. In fact, when I exercise I feel a sense of respect for the hard work I just did. I don't want to waste it on a blueberry muffin! There are a myriad of other issues that "make" me overeat.

Finally, I have mentioned before that I have bi-polar disorder. Exercise is my life line to sanity. I can tell a difference in the way I think, deal with pressures, view the world, and the way I feel about myself. When I exercise everything looks rosier. I really really expect all the exercise I do to help me emotionally and I fully expect it to help me to lose weight too. So, I can't get this sentence out of my head:

In short, it's what you eat, not how hard you try to work it off, that matters more in losing weight.

Bummer. Huge bummer.