Friday, August 21, 2009

Exercise and Losing Weight


I’m outraged… naaaa just a bit (I won’t give them the pleasure), it’s all because of an article that came out in Time Magazine about a week or two ago. I usually read the magazine, but before I had the chance one of my clients walks into the gym and greets me with “have you read the latest news: we are wasting our time with exercise”…

To my surprise this is a guy that in little over 6 months has lost close to 70 pounds and over 100 in the last year. So obviously I had to go online and read the entire article, which is called “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin”.

You know I love controversy, but the nerve of this guy is off the charts… or is it really? Maybe he is on to something… wait a minute!

I’m a guy who makes 100% of my living making people better. Put bluntly I know how to get you in shape, in a fast, reliable and healthy manner; all through exercise as one of the 3 main components of my training programs; all of which I have accomplished through years of experience, research, trial and error (and I keep trying to be better at it). So pardon me if I get all defensive, when some guy who doesn’t have a PHD in exercise, isn’t a RD, nutritionist, trainer, aka he is nothing in the fitness, health nor wellness industry, comes up with this conclusion and puts it out there, when he knows that millions of people will read it and probably take to heart, as it seems that most people just believe whatever they feel like it rather than go by reason and logic.

He believes that exercise makes us fat. To quote some of his work, he says (and he’s quoting from another researcher): “in general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless”… - Also he said: “pushing people to exercise more is contributing to our obesity problem”.

To his defense and those whom he quotes on his article, he says that the problem lays in the effect that weight training can have in your body… it makes you hungry and so you eat more. Plus there’s a psychological aspect to it that when you exercise you may feel inclined to eat more or bad stuff since you can probably work it off with sweat.

Yes there is an emotional aspect to our behavior; yet I for one can’t agree to this entirely. We’ve become a society that tries to justify everything and then blame it on someone or something else. We are at fault for our actions or lack there of.

Honestly, is a couch potato going to be in better shape, lose more weight and be healthier than hard working folks who squeeze in a workout in the early morning, at lunch time or at night, against all odds? I don’t think so!

Yet I am not blind and have to admit that many people who go to the gym, workout at home or are just plain active all the time, they don’t always lose weight. In fact, and I’m sorry to say it, some people look the same way I’ve seen them in the last 6 months. Others just can’t lose those extra 10 pounds that surrounds their mid-section. Some people are fine with this but for most it can be quite discouraging. So, why can’t you lose that weight? Is this journalist right? Does exercise makes us fat?


To lose weight the equation is quite simple, burn more calories than what you consume. So exercise “DONE PROPERLY & IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY” will help you accomplish this, as it will not only burn calories, but also help jump start your metabolism.

But losing weight is not that simple, if it where everyone would be losing it. It comes down to 3 factors, exercise, nutrition and cardio. Folks... without proper nutrition you won’t lose weight, plain and simple. And if you skip on your cardio program, then sorry you will never lose weight.

Interesting a while ago I wrote two articles about this: Why You Can’t Lose Weight and Weight Loss Guidelines. Neither was focused on exercise!!!... Funny!

If, I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: YOU CAN’T OUT TRAIN A BAD DIET!

The truth: exercise alone, cardio alone, or even nutrition alone won’t make a better you. It will improve your overall physical self though, but if you made it to this part of this article you definitely want more than just average. You want to look good, feel good, you want to be sexy and in the best shape of your life, for whatever reasons you can imagine… I won’t judge!

Exercise will make you better, improve the quality of your life, reduce the possibility of contracting a disease, strengthen your muscles and bones, fight aging, help you reduce stress and improve your sleep patterns, improve your sex life (without pills)… OH! It will also help you lose weight, more importantly body fat.

Now a days anyone can write whatever they want (including me) but with all the information out there, it is our responsibility to communicate this in a manner that will motivate and help people get finally off the couch and do something with their lives. The fact is he slashed his own personal trainer(maybe on purpose) on national media; maybe this journalist should hire me as his trainer; I bet and I put my money on it that it will take me 90 days or less to get him in the best shape of his life.

He is far away and probably doesn’t wants my money, but if you’ve been struggling with your fitness goals or feel you’ve hit a plateau, or worse yet you’ve never done exercise: fear no more I am here to help you. I would love to hear your story and together see how we can improve your life and physique.

Call me, send me an e-mail or visit me at Electra Health Club & Spa.



No comments: