Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Exercise Alone Won't Make Us Thin

According to Time, exercise won't make us thin. If you read the article, it makes sense. Essentially, the point the author is trying to make is that most people eat more after exercising or do less other activity - we compensate. I know I have definitely felt as though I earned a treat after an especially difficult session at the gym. But, let's be realistic. If I weren't going to the gym, would I turn down that second beer or that order of fries? Unlikely. In fact, regular exercise makes me crave healthier snacks and better foods.

The real problem with this article is the coverage of it by other media. It's all about the headline, and currently there are hundreds of headlines telling people exercise is worthless. The nuances of the reporting are lost, and people are left to think they don't need to exercise if they are overweight - it won't help anyway. What Time should be telling people - in the headline and all - is that exercise ALONE won't make us thin.

2 comments:

  1. I totally agree -- that article bugged me, mainly for the way it was spun. I'm sick of people looking for any possible excuse not to actually move. Bottom line: if you exercise, even if you don't immediately lose 700 pounds, you're going to be way healthier than if you don't. But people are sooooo eager to embrace anything to avoid actual activity.

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  2. Exactly! It's just so frustrating when a well-respected outlet like Time enables people (directly or indirectly) to stop exercising.

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