Wendy Ogilvie Exercise does not help with weight loss?
For those of us who work in the fitness industry, the idea that exercise does not contribute to weight loss is absurd!
We advocate the virtues of any type of exercise as part of a weight loss programme. Perhaps that’s it. Exercise helps you lose the pounds but only if it is part of a programme, which would include some form of calorie restriction.
Surely the main reason for exercising when trying to lose weight is that it uses up lots of calories. As we all know, it’s all about calories in versus calories out. This is not rocket science……but is it the whole story?
According to an article by Christina J. Paez and Len Kravitz, Ph.D
EXERCISE VS. CALORIC RESTRICTION A twelve-week study by, Hagan, Wong, and Whittam (1986) compared the amount of weight lost through diet only against weight lost through an exercise program.
The diet only group who reduced their caloric intake lost 5.5 kg(women) and 8.4 kg (Men). To achieve this degree of weight loss, women decreased their average caloric intake by 945 kilocalories a day while the men decreased their average intake by 1705 kilocalories a day.
The exercise only group, performed a 30-minute walk/jog program 5 days/week. On average, the women expended 190 kilocalories per session while the men expended an average of 255 kilocalories per session, which resulted in a total weight loss of .6 kg (women) and .3 kg (Men).
BODY FAT%
The women in the diet only program decreased their body fat from 35% to 29%, where as the women doing exercise only went from 35% to 33% body fat.
The men in the diet only group decreased body fat from 26% to 21% where as the exercise only group experienced no change in their body fat.
This study clearly illustrates that weight loss through diet only was not equated to energy expenditure through exercise only. Therefore, equal amounts of weight loss should not be expected.
In other words, eating the same and increasing your activity level will not be nearly as effective in losing you those extra pounds than if you reduce your calories.
So if weight loss is your goal, get your wobbly butt moving and DO NOT think this gives you license to stuff your face with doughnuts afterwards!
Wendy Ogilvie 