Kind of like to get this one out of the way first, then I’ve got a zillion more to come as I’m sure you might have as well if there is enough interest. I hope so. This is one I just read about and need to find out if it is more than likely true or not. It has to do with calories burned during exercise. At the bottom of this link it claims:
I can certain vouch for how hungry my runs make me feel after I have done my 5 or 10k’s. Just makes me want to eat more. And I’m not disputing you can’t just lose weight by exercise alone which it claims. But I had always assumed on my runs that my gps watch which also estimates calories burned were somewhat accurate. It typically shows for my weight and pace, I’m burning 350 calories for my 25-30 minutes worth of running on my 5k’s. Not sure if the stair stepper is all that much difference in calories burned than my runs, I’d hate to think I’m only actually burning 100-125 calories tops for a half an hour of running. What do you think?
I think that stair stepping must be different from running because I’ve heard that you burn 100 calories per mile, no matter how fast you run them. I just pulled up a spreadsheet and my naive physics calculations also say a 100 kg person would burn at least 50 kilocalories in the raw effort required to just bounce up and down per mile (assuming no efficiencies in bouncing but also assuming no losses in forward velocity from friction.)
The best exercise for losing weight is walking to the supermarket. It’s amazing how resistant you woll be to that snack or second helping, when you reflect that you’ll have to walk to the store and carry home a big bag of groceries to replace it.
That may be, but the exercise alone (for most people) won’t make you lose weight. The number of calories burned by most people in a 45-60 minute exercise cycle can easily be overwhelmed by eating. Diet has much more impact on the calories in vs calories burnt equation.
That’s not to say exercise isn’t important for other reasons, or that exercise doesn’t help people with attitude, will power, and better self-image, all of which can lead to weight loss. But the physical act of burning calories through exercise isn’t usually the major factor in weight loss.
I don’t disagree. But, for me, it seems that I’m kick starting my metabolism or something by vigorous and daily exercise. Plus, reducing the amount I eat. But, honestly, I don’t seem to be eating that much better.
I think there are a lot of myths out there. But even more numerous are gross generalizations. Some people get hungrier after exercising. Some people do not. Everyone needs to figure out what’s good advice for them to follow and stop trying to take cues from what the nefarious “they” say about an average person. An average person has one breast and one testicle. Chances are you are nothing like this person.
Also, stop accepting everything you hear repeatedly as gospel. The whole 1 lb of fat = 3500 calories thing is always trumped out. It’s not exactly true. It’s also not true that a calorie is a calorie. Everything we believe about dieting is subject to change because SCIENCE. Science changes all the time. There is also no “common sense” principles. “Everything in moderation” is not the key to weight loss or healthy weight maintenance and I’m sick of hearing it all the time. What is moderate to me may not be moderate to someone else. Everyone thinks they know what count as “moderation”. Yet way too many people are struggling with weight.
“Everything in moderation” are no doubt a lot of people’s last words.
Yeah, I hear ya, and not trying to lose weight myself, just maintain what I have, and not get anymore. It’s much easier to put on as I’ve gotten older, and seems like I’m eating less. I personally like the way I feel after I run. I’m told it is supposed to help blood pressure and a lot of other things. If the only factor I got out of it is that it makes me feel much better many hours after the run, that works for me. I think I’m probably getting more out of it, but I really don’t know about this stuff, often just parroting the latest supposed expert on whatever is the latest without fully knowing if it is true or not.
I also gave up colas about 16 months ago. Whether or not the health benefit was really there, who knows, I can honestly say, I don’t feel any better because of it. I feel the same. At least I don’t crave for a Coke anymore though, those first few months were hell. I may one day still treat myself to one, I won’t save never.
No links to send anybody too, but we still find a lot of doctors and health gurus claiming “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” You can google that, and come up with a lot weighing in on both sides of the issue, but the best I can tell, it’s another myth.
I’m 66 years old. I go to the gym about 250 times a year, for roughly an hour each session. (And yes, I’m the kind of pathetic individual who tracks this kind of thing.)
My heart’s in great shape because most of that gym time each session is Cardio.
My muscles are in OK shape because a bit of that gym time each session is strength training.
I’m roughly fifteen pounds overweight because I eat too damn much.
As fictive as many calorie counters are that “maximum calories burned in an hour is 200 to 250, tops” bit is just wrong per almost every authoritative source.
Running 5 mph burns 590 in an hour for a 154 pound person, walking 4.5 mph not much less. Heck even light gardening burns that 154 pound person more than that 200 to 250 in an hour.
Also some do eat more after exercise but mostly not. It is extremely variable.
Practical consideration though is that exercise is for health and body composition more than weight. That said for those who have lost significant amounts of fat regular exercise, with some intensity, seems to be key to maintaining the loss.
That’s good to know after all. Was hoping you’d weigh in on this, always like hearing what you have to say. A little annoying when an article is trying to dispel these myths though, but yet looking like they are getting it wrong themselves. I might see if I can locate this Brad Saks by e-mailing him if I can find his address somewhere. It looks like he is affiliated with several outfits. Hoping he’ll share more data on how he determined this. If I get anything, I’ll share it.
I said I would get back if I was able to get through to Dr. Saks concerning his calorie burning estimate. I briefly asked Retrofit if Dr. Brad Saks was quoted correctly on the calorie burn figure, because we have some questioning it. Valerie Sugure took the time to get in touch with Dr. Brad Saks, and here is what he said in quotes:
I imagine most consider running something more than moderate too, so hopefully even more calories burned, and maybe my gps watch is giving me a fairly good estimate at 350 calories burned per half hour.
Au contraire. I have been weighing myself every morning for nearly 4 years. In that time, I have lost 45 lb and kept it off. Actually, I lost that weight in two years and have been maintaining it for two. I do record it, but I keep a weighted moving average, rather than worrying over day-to-day fluctuations. But it is amazing how motivating that morning weigh-in is.
According to this study of indirect calorimetry (which measures CO2 to determine energy usage) in a long distance runner that runner was burning about 105-120 calories per mile. If you assume a 7 mph pace that works out to over 800 calories per hour. And this was in a 75kg person. Far more than the 200-250 calories/hour max mentioned.
As far as health myths, I’m obviously not a doctor but listening to public health messages you’d end up believing that high cholesterol or high LDL = heart risk. But it seems to be more complex than that. The relationship between cholesterol and heart disease has nuances, and statins don’t do much for a lot of people. I believe statins, niacin and fish oil (all of which are used for cholesterol) have a decent amount of inconclusive or negative results for preventing CVD>
It’s much easier to put on as I’ve gotten older, and seems like I’m eating less. I personally like the way I feel after I run. I’m told it is supposed to help blood pressure and a lot of other things. If the only factor I got out of it is that it makes me feel much better many hours after the run, that works for me. I think I’m probably getting more out of it, but I really don’t know about this stuff, often just parroting the latest supposed expert on whatever is the latest without fully knowing if it is true or not.