Exercise and Weight Loss

If it is not clear by now, I'm not really going to limit my posts to only "nutrition". If I find things that are about being healthy I'll post about them.

This one is about Exercise and weight loss and specifically focusing on the question: Can you exercise your way to weight loss?  The short answer is NO.

Here is some info:
One 20 oz coke will take 75 minutes of biking to burn off;
One cookie takes 20 minutes of jogging; and
One Medium French Fries takes 82 minutes of swimming.

Clearly we can't exercise enough for significant weight loss, not to mention that if we don't alter eating patterns we'll lose ground.

That doesn't mean "don't exercise!".

There other good reasons for exercise:
1) Movement helps our sewer system keep moving (think the Lymph system - more fluid than the blood system but no pump!);
2) Overall digestion is better;
3) Exercise plays a major role in the health and high functioning of the brain; Check out Spark by John Ratey. Measurable improvements in academics and better behavior in schools; check out some of the chapter headings:  Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Attention Deficit, Menopause, Aging... all affected positively by exercise.

AND, in case you think this means you have to become an athlete - you don't.  Moderate exercise provides plenty of benefit - think "Walk like you are late".  20 - 40 minutes for five times per week is well within the range of what makes a difference.  And you can start where you are and work your way up. "A" to "B" and then maintain that is better than "A" to "D" and you hurt yourself or quit because it was too much.