Don't Exercise just for Weight Loss
If you are shopping around for a diet plan to lose weight, avoid programs that promise no exercise is needed. Too often exercise is only associated with weight loss, therefore many people only exercise when they are trying to lose weight and stop exercising as quickly as they stop the diet. The human body needs exercise like it needs food, water, sleep, and air. The American College of Sports Medicine has a global initiative called "Exercise is Medicine" focused on encouraging all health providers to including physical activity as part of their assessment and plan for every patient. The initiative goes as far as considering physical activity one of the vital signs physicians should check to indicate the status of the body’s life sustaining functions (1). As a dietitian, I consider exercise an essential nutrient to sustain life, equally important as water and any macro or micro nutrient. If a diet promotes no exercise, what other vital nutrients is it missing?
Our ancestors didn't go the gym to workout because physical activity was built into their work day and commute. Now we use automation to get to work and 80 percent of all jobs are considered sedentary according to research published by the Public Library of Science in 2011(2). Our daily activity level has plummeted along side the quality of our food choices resulting in an epidemic of poor health. Yes, exercise does help with weight management by burning calories and increasing metabolism, but the benefits of exercise go way beyond weight loss. Regardless of weight, exercise can directly benefit every system of your body:
Strengthens your heart and reduces incidence of heart disease and high blood pressure by 40% (1).
Calcium and Vitamin D are only half of story with bone health, exercise is equally important to increase bone density, and increase balance and coordination to reduce falls and fractures (3).
Reduces the risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 58%, and for those who already have Type 2 Diabetes, exercise is twice as effective at treating diabetes than standard diabetes medications (1).
Reduces the risk of cancer, specifically with mortality and recurrence of breast cancer by approximately 50% (1).
The more you move the better your digestive track moves. Exercise not only helps with regularity but lowers the risk of colon cancer by more than 60% (1).
Exercise can help us live longer. Research shows that a low level of physical activity exposes a person to a greater risk of dying than does smoking, obesity, hypertension, or high cholesterol. In addition, adults with better muscle strength have a 20% lower risk of death than adults with lower muscle strength (1).
Exercise protects our brain health both in the future and the present. It lowers the risk of stroke by 27% and reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by approximately 40%. For results you can benefit from now, exercise can improve concentration and mood on a daily basis. Exercise can boost the size of a part of the brain called the hippocampus and it releases a "feel good" hormone called endorphins, both associated with better memory, learning, and management of depression and anxiety (4)(5).
Weight is not the only indicator of health and should not be the only reason to exercise. In fact, there is plenty of research to support that being fit and fat is better for your health than unfit and skinny (6). Our obsession with weight loss and fad diets often sacrifices our health and longevity, just to get results on the scale. If you truly want to feel good everyday and be healthy for a lifetime then stop looking at the scale and instead focus on good food and being physically active everyday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise plus 2 days a week of strength (7). You don't have to become a gym rat or marathon runner to achieve these health promoting goals. Make exercise something you look forward to, below are a few ideas:
Go for a walk with a friend or a family member.
Take a dance class.
Try yoga.
Go for a bike ride outside.
Look for open swim at your local high school or community center pool.
Dust off the old tennis racket and go to your local park or high school to play.
Get up every hour at work and climb the stairs or walk a lap around your building.
Walk on your treadmill or ride a stationary bike while watching your favorite binge show.
While watching TV stretch, plank, or do jumping jacks during commercials.
Wear a step tracker and try to increase your steps every week.
If your evenings are busy taking your kids to extra curricular activities, make the most of the time and walk around the field or building while you wait for them, or find a gym near by you can make the most of the time.
Above are only a few ideas, the most important thing is to find a way to move everyday, but always check with your doctor before starting something new. The more you move the better you will feel and the happier you will be with your body, no matter the size.
References:
(1) http://exerciseismedicine.org/assets/page_documents/EIMFactSheet_2014.pdf
(2) https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0019657
(3) https://www.nof.org/preventing-fractures/
(4) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-works-and-why/201803/how-your-mental-health-reaps-the-benefits-exercise
(5) https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110
(6) https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0117p30.shtml
(7) https://www.cdc.gov