| Countless numbers of people are struggling with | | | | But look at it from an evolutionary perspective: If |
| their efforts to lose weight. One adjunct to any | | | | our ancestor cavemen were working hard hunting |
| good weight loss program, in addition to eating | | | | food (read: chasing wild animals) for a few hours |
| fewer calories, is to burn more calories by | | | | each day, we wouldn't have survived if it meant |
| increasing activity. Yet many people find that, | | | | losing a pound every other day! |
| although they continue to exercise, the pounds | | | | Then, what can we expect from exercise? It |
| are not melting away. How can this be? | | | | definitely helps keep the pounds off, as well as |
| It's mathematics: It takes 3500 calories to make | | | | getting you in good cardiovascular shape, reducing |
| up a pound. If you eat 3500 calories more than | | | | stress, increasing muscle tone and flexibility, and in |
| you burn you gain a pound. If you burn 3500 | | | | the long run your muscles will be burning more |
| calories more than you eat, you will lose a pound. | | | | calories 24/7 than before you worked out |
| This happens over time: it's nearly impossible to | | | | routinely. Exercise really works more by keeping |
| eat 3500 extra calories in one day and also nearly | | | | weight off and preventing weight re-gain after |
| impossible to burn 3500 extra in one day working | | | | you lose, than it does to get the weight off |
| out. | | | | initially. Consequently, that makes it's a very |
| So weight loss happens gradually: When you skip | | | | important habit to establish even if you're not |
| 500 extra calories each day (such as a large | | | | getting what you want from it right now. |
| caramel latte made with whole milk and topped | | | | Don't despair, the benefits are definitely there: For |
| with whipped cream, or a king sized snickers bar, | | | | each mile you run (or walk--it just takes longer to |
| or an ice cream sundae--you get the picture) you | | | | walk it) you burn about 100 calories. If you've |
| drop a pound by the end of the week. If you're | | | | started to walk 2 miles a day on five days each |
| exercising to get the weight off quicker, what | | | | week this will add up to 1000 calories burned |
| results can you expect? | | | | weekly. You won't notice a change on the scale |
| For strenuous activities--like jogging, aerobic | | | | right away, but at a third of a pound each week |
| dance, bike riding at 16-18 mph, or cross country | | | | you'll have melted off 10 pounds by mid-summer! |
| skiing--you might burn 500-700 calories an hour. | | | | And if you keep it up you'll be 17 pounds lighter |
| Do the math: This means you need to exercise | | | | every year for walking less than 45 minutes a |
| strenuously for five to seven hours to lose one | | | | day. |
| pound. One hour each day, every day, of running, | | | | Bottom line: Keep physically active for the many |
| jumping, and hard breathing to lose one pound a | | | | benefits to your health; eat less of the foods that |
| week. Somehow, that just doesn't seem fair! So | | | | aren't contributing nutrition to your diet; and turn |
| many of you have started such great exercise | | | | these behaviors into good habits that will last a life |
| programs--walking, weight lifting, cardio | | | | time, so you won't end up with the same old |
| classes--and have not seen the results you want. | | | | resolution next year! |