<p>I too have lost significant weight through exercise. But that’s when I was younger. It doesn’t seem to work anymore! Eating less is the only way to go for me. I think that’s true for many women post 50.</p>
<p>Here’s the problem with this study. It may well be that those women who exercised an hour a day, seven days a week, were the women who maintained their weight over the long-haul in the survey. Those were also probably the women who did a lot of things differently (like ran marathons, had compulsive eating disorders, or so forth). I’m not even sure that it is “normal” for women (and men) to not gain some weight between the time they are 20 or 30 and when they hit their 50s or 60s. Our bodies do change over time. There are very few men (or women) who could maintain their college weights at age 50. The so-called guidelines say that I would be overweight if I weighed a pound more than I did in college, when I was a skinny college kid.</p>
<p>The flaw is the implication in the NRP report that it is necessary to exercise an hour a day or more, seven days a week or else you’ll get fat. For one thing, I highly doubt that it is true. And, I think that sort of reporting sets up these unachievable goals that actually get in the way of a common-sense plan. Most people are not going to spend seven hours a week in the gym.</p>
<p>I think the point of the research being discussed in these news stories is a somewhat narrow, focused one: middle aged women who are at their target weight cannot rely on proper eating and a stroll around the park to maintain their weight. Previous recommendations have been for 30 minutes a day, or 2 1/2 hours a week of such exercise as a brisk walk, in order to maintain a steady weight. This research–not theoretical exercise science, but observations of actual people–says that regimen won’t cut it.</p>
<p>Getting in at least an hour of day of the kind of exercise that elevates heart rate and requires heavy breathing is not an easy thing for most people. I think the biggest mistake public health officials make is when they try to make it sound like it is no big deal for the average person to incorporate a proper amount of exercise into their day. It is a big deal, and it requires a change in lifestyle. For most people who are not fit, and that is most of us middle-agers, it requires a change in attitude and a change in the types of leisure time activities we consider enjoyable.</p>
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<p>I don’t find that more than 20 minutes of exercise increases my appetite, so I don’t agree with that trainer’s advice, at all.</p>
<p>interesteddad,</p>
<p>I do not spend any time at all in a gym. I hate gyms. But I do get more than an hour a day of moderate exercise. I know not everyone has the room for treadmills and elliptical machines, but even when I don’t use those, I can run outside and take my dogs for long, brisk walks. Lifting weights does not require a gym, either.</p>
<p>midmo…I hate gyms too! (except for my yoga class which is offered at my club). But with the winter we had, I found it impossible to do anything outside. I don’t ski. And I don’t want to break my “you know what” on the ice. So I’m happy spring is here!</p>
<p>I think the study is VERY limited and that publishing results like this can do more harm than good. We don’t want folks giving up because the goals are too hard. There should have been more communicated around the impact of diet. You can’t eat donuts and burgers, stroll in the park and maintain your weight. Changing eating habits can be even harder than getting on a exercise routine. But it’s more important (at least for weight loss).</p>
<p>Rermember that NPR (and every other media outlet) just reported the results of the study. The actual study was of the records of over 34,000 women, conducted by researchers at Harvard, and was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It’s not like a couple of guys reported on their moms and their friends.</p>
<p>mp…were you read able to read the full study? I saw the reporting on it yesterday and they mentioned that the woman ate “the standard American diet.” Now, if that’s what I think it is, it doesn’t sound good. I just don’t think you can separate the impact of exercise without closely looking at diet. Although I do very much agree that it gets very difficult to lose or even maintain weight as age creeps up on you. Still working on it though!</p>
<p>I guess you can find a study to support whatever you want to support. This is from Time magazine and explains why exercise won’t help you lose weight. Especially if you are going to award yourself with donuts. I’ve run for years trying to lose weight and never been successful. I’ve felt great though and ate well (meaning whatever I wanted) also. Now I realize I have to eat well (meaning low sugar/carbs) ALL the time if I want to lose weight. I will still exercise for health, but will not be an hour a day/7 day a week gal, probably until I retire!
“Exercise makes most people hungry.”
[Why</a> Exercise Won’t Make You Thin - TIME](<a href=“http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html]Why”>http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html)</p>
<p>I definitely feel that exercise is key to me not gaining, and, when coupled with food reduction, actually losing.</p>
<p>I don’t go to a gym, but I walk at least an hour a day (just to work and back twice each day adds up to 40 minutes) and often supplement with other exercise–biking, kayaking in good weather, lite weights regime. This controls my weight. When it got really cold this january, and outside exercise became tougher, I put on 4-5 pounds which i am slowly whittling back off.</p>
<p>Without regular exercise, I’d have to eat pretty much nothing to keep from gaining. So for me, this study made sense.</p>
<p>Edit: and the above article makes me nuts. It assumes everyone’s an idiot who will “reward” exercise with donuts. Lots of folks have more awareness than that. Donuts are not part of my world anymore.</p>
<p>Like I said, a study for everyone & I’m one of the ones that does not lose with exercise…I maintain.</p>
<p>Melsmom–I understood the article about exercising an hour a day to be about maintaining, not losing.</p>
<p>I agree with you–exercise helps me maintain. Constant eating vigilance is necessary for me to lose, and then only very, very slowly.</p>
<p>The problem may have been with NPR’s scolding reporting. Here’s a little more balanced report on the JAMA study from the Wall Street Journal:</p>
<p>[JAMA</a> Study: Women Need 60 Minutes of Exercise a Day to Stave Off Middle-Age Weight Gain - WSJ.com](<a href=“http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704896104575140011148266470.html]JAMA”>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704896104575140011148266470.html)</p>
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<p>The article goes on to explain some of the details of the study. The starting median age was 54, with the youngest in the survey at 45 years old. The study looked at weight gain over 15 years (i.e. from 54 to 69 years old), which was an average of 5+ pounds for all women in the study. That actually strikes me as a rather low figure from age 54 on.</p>
<p>The “normal” women who maintained their weight exercising an hour a day were the group who started the study (average age of 54) within the government’s definition of “normal” weight – a BMI of 25% or less. Remember, this is the same “standard” that has Barack Obama being on verge of overweight. He’s right at the upper limit of the standard despite being obviously a very thin man.</p>
<p>So, if we were to reword these articles out of “newspeak”, the message would be that, if you are a very thin person and wish to remain very thin, without gaining any weight from age 54 to 69 without cutting your calorie intake, then you need to exercise an hour a day. OK, where’s the revelation there? I think most of us would intuitively know that to remain thin while eating the same amount as we age would require heavy daily exercise. I, personally, have accepted that I will never be that thin again at my age. I feel pretty safe in getting rid of the jeans I wore right after college! Ya’ll may be different, I don’t know!</p>
<p>Well, no one will ever mistake me for a very thin person :). Or a thin person at all. I’m just trying to hold the line at just-a-little-overweight, and move downward from there.</p>
<p>I didn’t read the NPR version, so I guess luckily I missed the scolding.</p>
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<p>Hey if I can get to age 69 having gained only 5 pounds, I’ll feel terrific!</p>
<p>“scolding” being my term for a mindset that suggests we are “bad” if we are “fatter” than Barack Obama.</p>
<p>I view most of these breathless “guidelines” as “scolding” in nature, along the lines of “eat your peas…”</p>
<p>Whether or not exercise helps you lose weight or maintain, I would just observe that I feel appreciably better on the days I exercise. I have more energy during the day and sleep better at night. Definitely some of the more positive aspects of exercising. </p>
<p>I was thin in college but it was through a combination of a brutal exercise regime and some very strange dieting habits, none of which I care to repeat. Don’t think I’ll ever be back to that weight again, nor do I want to. I told myself initially when I started this almost three months ago that I wanted to lose 50 pounds, I think. Right now I am more than halfway to that goal. I have found that exercising is easier and more enjoyable now that I am not carrying so much extra weight. </p>
<p>Certainly a lot of interesting discussion on this thread.</p>
<p>sabaray, I could have written your post, except I wanted to part with just 10-15 pounds. I’m down a bit more than my goal; I attribute that to running (just 20-30 min/day), weights (20 min 3 times a week), and almost complete elimination of white breads and sweets from my diet. The most amazing thing is that I do not crave sugary desserts anymore, and I eat less despite being more active.</p>
<p>I really want a donut now. I mean three donuts.</p>
<p>OK, I went to my personal trainer today…just before dinner. Wow. I am SORE. She was great though…very enthusiastic. I felt like I was on that Biggest Loser show, although I don’t have all that much to lose. It’s quite obvious though, that I have quite a bit more strengthening to do. I haven’t done a weight routine in over a year. The leg press was KILLING me. </p>
<p>She wants me to bring a journal of what I eat to my appt next week. I’ve NEVER done that - but I will now that it’s “homework.” She also said I should use a small plate at dinner…and I DID. I will continue with that - although H said to leave his plate alone (lol). </p>
<p>Off to a long hot shower. And some advil.</p>
<p>Man the iPod nazi kicked my butt today. This one particular workout just kills me. It’s three back to back to back circuits that include lunges (with dumbells, the plank, pushups, step-ups with dumbells, stability ball crunches, and ball squats to a seating position against the ball and a wall with dumbell presses). I got through the first full set without a break, but sets 2 and 3 send my heartrate above 90% and leave me panting like a dog. </p>
<p>I got it done and then did the hard intervals on the bike at the end – a total of about 55 minutes of pretty intense exercise. The alternate days workouts of this week are easier for me, for sure. I can see the progress, but I’m whipped by these exercises.</p>