It’s true. Some people lose weight when they exercise and others don’t. In fact, according to this piece by Gretchen Reynolds in the New York Times
, many people gain weight when they exercise, and no, it’s not muscle weight. It’s fat. Reynolds reports on efforts by researchers at Arizona State University in Phoenix to find out why some lose and some gain. The scientists recruited 81 women, all somewhat overweight, and had them walk on treadmills three times per week for 30 minutes at about 80 percent of their maximum endurance. After 12 weeks, all of the women were fitter, but many were fatter. In fact, 70 percent had gained weight, and some had gained as much as ten pounds–in fat. A few women had lost weight, and some, naturally, weighed the same as when they started. So why did some women gain weight and other lose weight? As Reynolds puts it, “the scientists found no connection between any of the original parameters of health and fitness and the women’s responses to the exercise program.” What they did find was that women who lost weight after four weeks continued to lose weight throughout the 12-week program. What’s the takeaway for people who want to lose weight? If you are one of those people for whom exercise works, good for you. If not, think about dieting.
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An interesting dynamic working here. It’s impossible for someone not to lose weight if (a big if) they are taking in the same amount of calories and doing 1 1/2 hours a week on the treadmill.
The exercise must make them want to eat a little more most of the time. Or they throw a little caution to the wind and think that because they excercise it’s o.k. to eat more. They may not do the math and don’t realize that 1 1/2 hours of excercise does not burn all that many calories. It’s easy to make the wrong assumption.
However, it is good that these people are doing some excercise and if they have incorporated it into their lives now, they will soon figure it out and learn the best way for them to lose weight is to excercise and modify their diet. It’s not rocket science, it’s just not all that easy for most people.