Is light exercise just a waste of time?

[Anonymous]

You are 270 pounds and can walk for miles? Maybe you are young, but this weight will catch up to your joints.

[Anonymous]

The biggest gains are when someone goes from nothing to something. Just remember that something can build on itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are 270 pounds and can walk for miles? Maybe you are young, but this weight will catch up to your joints.

I'm 48.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exercise is not for weight loss. Exercise is for a healthy heart, self-esteem, and get-up-and-go energy, which you probably don't have.

Put the fork down. Zero junk food in the house. That's how you lose weight.

I had a very obese client (I'm a personal trainer.) I told her to lose 50 pounds before starting serious exercise. She was in danger of injuring her knees and back.

Because I'm depressed. Which no, exercise doesn't actually fix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you enjoy it? Then not a waste of time.

Even a little exercise is better than no exercise. Yes, do intermittent exercise! on the hour stand up and do 10 jumping jacks or 2 minutes on the rowing machine! Next hour do some push ups or squats. If you are at work, if you do 2 minutes of exercise every hour -- that will add up to 16 minutes of exercise!! That's the minutes I do of body weight exercies in the morning. It's all good, it all adds up!!

Even if OP doesn't enjoy it, it is not a waste of time.

Sounds like it is, actually.

- OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exercise is not for weight loss. Exercise is for a healthy heart, self-esteem, and get-up-and-go energy, which you probably don't have.

Put the fork down. Zero junk food in the house. That's how you lose weight.

I had a very obese client (I'm a personal trainer.) I told her to lose 50 pounds before starting serious exercise. She was in danger of injuring her knees and back.

So condescending. I can't imagine you have good bedside manner as a PT. Everyone has to eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read this article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/well/move/weight-loss-exercise-calories.html

Paywall. Not everyone subscribes to NYT.

I'd gift it but I don't know you. Don't you get a few free articles each month? I kept running out which is why we finally subscribed. Maybe clear your cache and try again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you enjoy it? Then not a waste of time.

Even a little exercise is better than no exercise. Yes, do intermittent exercise! on the hour stand up and do 10 jumping jacks or 2 minutes on the rowing machine! Next hour do some push ups or squats. If you are at work, if you do 2 minutes of exercise every hour -- that will add up to 16 minutes of exercise!! That's the minutes I do of body weight exercies in the morning. It's all good, it all adds up!!

Even if OP doesn't enjoy it, it is not a waste of time.

Sounds like it is, actually.

- OP

Not be sound rude, but why are you asking if you feel and think and are convinced even after 3 pages of responses, that it's a waste of time. Perhaps you need ot consider therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read this article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/well/move/weight-loss-exercise-calories.html

Paywall. Not everyone subscribes to NYT.

You should subscribe. It's a good paper! In sum:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/well/move/weight-loss-exercise-calories.html
Your Workout Burns Fewer Calories Than You Think
Our bodies compensate for at least a quarter of the calories we expend during exercise, undermining our best efforts to lose weight by working out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always find it funny that the same people who quip about calories in/calories out are also the ones who say that exercise doesn’t help you lose weight. Guess it’s not simple thermodynamics after all.

That doesn’t seem controversial at all. It’s CICO, but exercise leads to very, very few calories out, so it’s negligible for weight loss (but still good for you, OP! I’d rather be reading, too, and for me audiobooks help exercise feel more palatable).

That's just not true. When I do an extra hour of walking, I burn an extra 200ish calories a day. That's an extra 10-15%! A 3 mile run will burn 400ish calories for me. That's not negligible. What makes it negligible is if you say "I walked an hour today, I deserve that cookie." Light exercise will not alone make you lose weight, diet is way more important.

I agree! And if a person is being active they're less likely to be sitting and snacking. Anything is better than nothing, but if the OP is comfortable walking I'd try to make the time for one or more long walks in the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dramatically better than nothing!

You're right!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you enjoy it? Then not a waste of time.

Even a little exercise is better than no exercise. Yes, do intermittent exercise! on the hour stand up and do 10 jumping jacks or 2 minutes on the rowing machine! Next hour do some push ups or squats. If you are at work, if you do 2 minutes of exercise every hour -- that will add up to 16 minutes of exercise!! That's the minutes I do of body weight exercies in the morning. It's all good, it all adds up!!

Even if OP doesn't enjoy it, it is not a waste of time.

Sounds like it is, actually.

- OP

Not be sound rude, but why are you asking if you feel and think and are convinced even after 3 pages of responses, that it's a waste of time. Perhaps you need ot consider therapy.

Huh? Consensus was that it won't help you lose weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exercise is not for weight loss. Exercise is for a healthy heart, self-esteem, and get-up-and-go energy, which you probably don't have.

Put the fork down. Zero junk food in the house. That's how you lose weight.

I had a very obese client (I'm a personal trainer.) I told her to lose 50 pounds before starting serious exercise. She was in danger of injuring her knees and back.

So condescending. I can't imagine you have good bedside manner as a PT. Everyone has to eat.

Personal trainers are the worst. "I get paid to work out, so you have no excuse."

[Anonymous]

Brisk walking up and down hills is good for your cardiovascular system. I think it also helps your core muscles, as well as leg muscles not to mention FRESH AIR. I walk 3 1/2 miles 5-6 days each week and am 65 years old. I will walk until I can’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brisk walking up and down hills is good for your cardiovascular system. I think it also helps your core muscles, as well as leg muscles not to mention FRESH AIR. I walk 3 1/2 miles 5-6 days each week and am 65 years old. I will walk until I can’t.

Do you have a job? Young children?

Yeah, didn't think so.