In light of the current threads about "prejudice" or assumptions on the forum about thin(ner) people, I have been examining some of my own feelings about exercise. I've been an on-and-off exerciser since the 70s. I remember when jogging and jazzercise were among the dominant forms of popular physical activity, and I participated in them. I also went to an exercise class in the early 80s that met once a week--and people felt like they were getting some benefit. In more recent years I've learned to do some weight lifting and become acquainted with the various cardio machines. So I've had lots of opportunity to observe people exercising.

There are always some who are very thin and fit looking, who seem to be at the gym whenever I go, who are there first and stay longer than I do. Sometimes they clearly have a social life at the gym and are not working out every second. But I have to fight back an urge to think that they are devoting too much of their time to exercise. I'm not sure what is behind this prejudice, if it is a prejudice. Does it go back to not being good at sports as a kid, and so convincing myself that being smart and intellectual is superior? Do I think these people should be reading a book? Do I feel anxious because my exercise doesn't seem to get the same results as theirs?

Connected to that last point, I've wondered if there are some people for whom exercise is very effective in acheiving weight loss and or fitness, whereas it is not for others. Someone above mentioned that by running 5 miles a day he stays thin. I have spent prodigious effort at the gym and found that it affected my weight loss very little (I do realize there are other reasons to exercise). As a result I don't revere and depend on exercise the way some people do--as perhaps may be right for them.

Does anyone else share my feelings of ambivalence about exercise as a tool for weight loss? Does anyone ever feel guilty about the time they devote to exercise? (I know plenty of people feel guilt about not exercising!) Has anyone felt the need (or been advised) to cut back on exercise?

I'm one of those thin people you always see at the gym spending a lot of time at the gym exercising and socializing. I am an instructor, so I know many of the employees and members, and part of the reason I socialize is for good customer relations. I also socialize at the gym rather than go out to lunch, go shopping, talk extensively on the phone, etc. I enjoy the gym setting and I like talking to other fitness-minded people. I am definitely a "gym rat", and I do have watch overdoing it at the gym, both to avoid injury and to avoid spending all my time there instead of doing other things (like cleaning the house). At one point I was spending so much time at the gym I didn't have time to cook healthy meals - talk about self-defeating! I was spending so much time at the gym that I felt guilty about it, but now I am reasonably happy with my workout plan. I am exercising in the morning before work now so I spend less time away from my family.

Diet makes more of a difference in my weight than exercise does. Exercise primarily changes the composition and shape of my body. I automatically eat less if I am not exercising because I am not as hungry. One thing I do notice at the gym however, is that a lot of people (perhaps even most) do not exercise effectively. I have not worked out with you, Diane, so I am not saying this necessarily applies to you. I just see a lot of people exercising at an intensity too low to burn significant calories, and a lot people wandering aimlessly from weight machine to weight machine doing 1 or 2 sets at weights that are too low to stimulate muscle growth. If you are not seeing results from exercise, change what you are doing. Hire a personal trainer if you can afford it. I used to have a trainer just set up a program for me every 6-8 weeks, then I would exercise on my own (that much I could afford). Right now I am doing a Body for Life challenge.

Cav,
I agree with you that many people at the gym seem to be wandering around or not exercising with enough intensity, and I think that has been true of me at times. At the moment I am taking a strength training class 2-3 times a week that I find quite intense, and I do think it is making a difference in my shape.

At one point, when my husband was away for seven months, and I was without a job, this was my schedule:

Help my daughter deliver newspapers
Walk my son to the bus stop (he was in Primary/Kindergarten)
Head from the bus stop to the gym facilities (this was a military community, and the gym facilities were available for us to use for free)
Spend a good part of the morning there doing rowing, biking, stepping machine, weights, crunches, etc.
Two or three times a week, go from there to the pool for laps/recreational swim
Go home to lunch (possibly very little)
Afternoons were spent a variety of ways, but sometimes another lady and I went on fairly long bike rides during the afternoon
Other times, I went on fairly long walks, or had to do errands

Picked my son up from the bus stop.
Got ready, two or three times a week to go to swimming lessons (I took some, too, because I was already there anyway).
Supper
Two or three times a week (sometimes more) went to recreational swims with my children and often did laps or practiced whatever techniques I had been learning in the lessons
Sometimes I was crazy enough to go to lunch hour lap swimming, if I hadn't already done it that morning

Lost about 50 pounds in those seven months
Too bad I gained most of it back before beginning LC this past September

I have, at times, been absolutely obsessed with going to the gym. I think it's part of my nature, that I dump myself wholeheartedly into whatever I choose to do. Thankfully, this time, it's taking care of my health, and not something detremental.

So, I can understand the attraction of the "gym crowd". For me, it was practically the only adult social activity I had (and the adreneline rush wasn't such a bad thing - kept me from wanting to overeat, anyway).

For me, I think that if I don't exercise I will put the weight back on. I really think that is what made the difference for me. It also gave me incentive. My first 15 to 20 pounds of loss was from exercise (water aerobics) before I started low carbing. I saw this loss, researched further, and found low carb. I read everything. Tried a few plans. Settled on The Zone. It helped keep my weight down during my pregnancy (had a bad financial time and had to quit water aerobics). After baby I lost the rest of the weight to make goal, but was flabby. I joined Curves, and I am much more toned and have lost another 10 pounds and 3.3% body fat which is my real goal in the first place. I think if I didn't exercise I would still have lost the weight, but not the body fat, and I really do look better.

Exercise was my mainstay when I was eating low fat. I liked the way it make my body look and the way I felt, but I just don't have the time (1-2 hours a day!) anymore. I lost weight on Atkins without formal exercise, though I do live on the third floor, no elevators. That has to count for something.
I think it did lay a good foundation and helped my metabolism. If you aren't getting results, consulting someone is a good idea.
It definitely burns up carbs!

In my view, excercise isn't all that time consuming, especially running. I favor running simply for it's efficiency in being the activity which burns the most calories in the least amount of time. For instance, anyone who runs 5 miles ~ 8 mph will burn about 620+ calories--considerably more if one is heavier. That's only about 38 minutes of running--a little more than half an hour! Who can't spare that, right? I've read where people can tolerate walking for hours and burn significantly less than a mere 30 minute run; not to mention the added benefits associated with high intensity cardio.

"Does it go back to not being good at sports as a kid, and so convincing myself that being smart and intellectual is superior?" - quote by Quest

A question, why can't a person be intellectually inclined and be in great physical shape? Wouldn't it be ideal to, say, read Wilde right before going on a long run? I just don't understand the "one or the other" mentality. In my view, people should strive to be smart, fit, good looking, and all of the above--life is far too short to settle for anything less, right? Say, wouldn't in be ideal in college to excel in sports and graduate near the top of the class?

With kindest regards,

Frederick

Actually, exercise can be very time-consuming, though some of that is up to you. On weights days, it takes two hours out of my day -- 15 minutes of clothes-changing and protein-shake-drinking, 20 minutes each way driving to the gym, and about an hour of actual working-out. Cardio isn't so bad, but that's just because the workout's shorter. Sure, it's my choice to live way out from the nearest gym, and to work out primarily at the gym instead of at home, although I do have good reasons for both of those choices. So it does wind up taking a massive amount of time from already-overly-busy days, and yes, I have felt guilty and/or resentful about spending all that time at the gym, and have taken breaks during periods of really extreme work.

A quick point on the running: it isn't the best choice of exercise for many people, especially those who are carrying around extra weight. Plus, you generally have to be in pretty good shape to start with to make 5 miles ~ 8mph. I thought I was in good shape from months of the elliptical, but I've started on a run/walk program lately, and 30 minutes of that is a pretty tough workout. Unfortunately, it apparently only burns about 120 calories, according to both the machine and Fitday; that's fine with me, since my primary goal is to build up stamina for actual running, but it doesn't do much for weight loss.

Exercise is a wonderful thing, but Diane, you're right that it's of limited use in weight loss. True, it makes a huge difference once you get close to goal and start focusing on toning your shape, but if you're trying to remove 50 lbs or more, moderate exercise alone will not do it in the time frame most of us are looking for. Simple math tells you that to lose a pound a week from exercise alone, you've got to burn 500 calories a day, 7 days a week. That's an hour of biking (outdoor or stationary) or fast lap-swimming, an hour and a half of jogging ~ 5mph, two hours of low-impact aerobics or Stairmaster, or a whopping *three* hours of fast walking or water aerobics (the best choices for beginning exercisers and people with more weight to lose). If you're doing a half hour or an hour of any one of these three or four times a week, it works out to roughly 1/4 lb per week, which is almost imperceptible. To be sure, it's much better than gaining 1/4 lb per week, but I know I wouldn't have had the patience to lose my own weight over a period of more than 4 years!

Sure, they can, if they allot the time required for each activity. I could MAKE the time to work out, anyone CAN.

Right now I've got a job that sometimes requires coming in extra, I'm writing a book, I've launched a part time business, and I really would like to pick my husband out of a lineup if required.

Quest, I really understand what you're talking about.

When I was growing up (I'm in my mid 50's), there were two kinds of girls: those who studied and did well in school, and those who played field hockey and made out with the football team, lol. I was one of the former and was "taught" to look down on the latter.

So I never really got any pleasure out of physical activity until I was in my mid 30's and learned that dancing could be a fun kind of exercise.

Now I'm one of those gym rats you're describing. I love lifting weights and especially runnning, doing the EFX, using the rowing machine, etc. I don't really socialize at the gym, although I do work with a personal trainer once a week. The exercise is a pleasure in its own right.

I just wish I hadn't waited this long to discover how much I love it.

My advice to you and anyone else who's ambivalent about exercise is to find something you enjoy. There's got to be something for everyone, whether it's weights or running or calisthenics or aerobics or Pilates.

But I just want to add--I don't think I've ever lost a single pound through exercise alone. Diet is key, at least for me. The exercise adds many other benefits, but for me, weight loss isn't one of them.

I agree that one simply can’t start with running 5 miles any speed, let alone 8 mph; however, in my view, anyone will be able to build up to running 5 miles at 8 mph, which is a moderate speed.

Wouldn’t you agree that anyone would be capable of starting up a running program? Just like what you’re doing incorporating a run/walk regimen until you’re able to run 30 min without walking. Slowly, after that, you’ll naturally begin to run fast, and faster, and then even faster. As Fitzgerald wrote in GG, "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--"

In my view, anyone who wishes to lose some extra girth—obese or otherwise—can both easily and safely implement some sort of running program, which slowly progresses in both distance and speed eventually leading to their running comfortably for 5 miles. Naturally, depending on the person in question, the time necessary to slowly build up to 5 miles varies; but anyone can easily accomplish through a steady running program.

Frederick

Excellent point, RoseTattoo. Frederick obviously enjoys what he does. There is a wonderful feeling from exercise.
Dissolve your prejudices! You don't have to be a jock to find something you enjoy. And you won't suddenly switch categories if you do find something you enjoy.
BTW, I used to do Pilates, and it's wonderful for the midsection especially.
But I didn't enjoy exercise for its own sake. I used to read books on the exercise bike (that's combining intellectual and physical activity for you!) and when I used to have a climber that didn't let me do that, I would tape movies to watch while I did my routine.
A&E was re-running "The Fugitive" at the time, and it was a great workout. Every time I felt myself start to lose impetus, the police would start to close in on Richard Kimble. "Run, Dr. Kimble!" I would say, and speed up my workout.
Fastforwarding through the commercials gives you a 22 minute workout for a half hour show, and a 45 minute workout for an hour show.

*Laughing Hysterically* Ok, this cracked me up.

I can envision it so clearly since I've seen many on the excercise bike reading some sort of magazine like Cosmo, Entertaiment Weekly, or whatever other magazines. However, I'd wager your choice of reading would be something more...er...on the less frivolous side? LOL

Seriously, in my view, however busy you are or happen to be, there is always some time for excercise; which, once again is the reason I favor running. It's not time consuming burning more cals than anything else with more reputed healthy benefits than anything else too.

For instance, instead of reading on the bike, just run for 30 min while thinking about the...I don't know....enduring questions you contemplated way back in Philosophy 101. You'll get a better workout, more calorie burn, and save some time!

Frederick

Actually, for those of us who are older and heavier, running may not be the best choice because it can be very hard on the knees. I'm an avid exerciser -- swimming, brisk walking, and a little jogging -- but I only do my jogging on the padded treadmill. I've had my knees put me out of commission for weeks at a time in the past and I don't want to go through that again. I've known quite a few serious runners in my life who have had to stop by the time they hit their 40s or 50s because their knees simply couldn't tolerate the impact any more. I have found that it is easier on my knees, and just as good an aerobic work-out, to set the treadmill at an incline and walk at a brisk pace (3.5 or 4 mph), as to try to run. If the treadmill reading on calories burned is believable, walking briskly on an incline also burns about as many calories as jogging.

I strongly advocate swimming for anyone who wants an aerobic work-out but is concerned about injury. I swam through two pregnancies and swam when I weighed 360 pounds. No, without changing my diet it didn't lead to weight loss, but it kept me in good shape for someone my size.

Back to the original question -- I think that diet is the key to losing weight, but I think that exercise is a non-negotiable component of maintaining good physical and mental health. When I don't exercise for a couple of days, I feel awful. From the studies I have seen, I also think that regular exercise may be key to maintaining weight loss (almost everyone in the National Weight Loss Registry reports exercising regularly).

That said, I think that some people over-do it. I know people who let their exercise schedule rule their lives and it gets in the way of their family and work obligations. There is a form of bulimia that consists of excessive exercise (rather than purging) to counter binging. I think I may have had a minor case of this myself when I was in high school (I remember jumping rope for hours in the basement at night after eating too much in the evening). For most people, I don't think this is an issue, but it undoubtedly is for some of us.

I was involved a lot in sport in younger grades, and then suddenly it all dropped off in high school when I began feeling terribly self-conscious and klutzy!

After that exercise was never really a priority for me. It's been a struggle as an adult to get moving, especially as I get older. I think it's finally starting to change though. Together my DH and I are making time for exercise and doing fun things like biking together.

I have always hated running. But I have been doing the run/walk thing (slacked off during the holidays - bad me!) and have been really surprised by how well it's doing. Being 50 lbs lighter and having a decent pair of shoes has made all the difference. I am following the couch to 5 k program which aims to get you running 30 min in 8 weeks. You start by running only 1 minute, in a graduated program. It's great to see how quickly you can progress.

I have friends that recently got into running, and like you Frederick, they like it for the great return on time invested. I also like the idea of less than 45 min cardio sessions, considering I also am working weights into my life.

I find when I do stick to exercise, it gets more and more enjoyable. The more I do, the more I want to do. It's getting moving in the first place that's the hard part!