MaryAnn wrote: Ugh. I hate all the threads here that seem to be discouraging exercise. Weight loss isn't everything. You may not be able to outrun a bad diet, but skinny people aren't always healthy. I, too, need exercise for my mental and physical health. If running makes me put on water weight to repair muscles, so be it. [In spite of the temptation, I try not to let exercise be an excuse to eat junk, or to eat more in general.]
Perhaps not completely relevant, but I found this on Krista Varady's Every Other Day Diet Facebook page:"Do our bodies really have a set point weight?"
The "set point theory" suggests that the body strives to maintain a specific preset weight, and as such, when you lose weight, your body will try to gain it back. Although this theory is fairly well known, there is no convincing evidence to show that a "weight set point" actually exists.
The main reason that people gain back the weight they have lost is because their metabolism has decreased. When a person loses weight, 75% of the weight lost is fat, and 25% of the weight lost is muscle. Muscle mass is a key determinant of metabolism, and as you lose muscle, your metabolism decreases (generally by 200-400 calories/day). It is very difficult for people to adjust to the drop in metabolism, and therefore, they tend to gain the weight back.
The only way to prevent this drop in metabolic rate is to exercise 5 times per week for 45 min/session (which increases your muscle mass). Increasing muscle mass will ensure your metabolism stays high, which can help keep the weight off long-term.
Oh, I agree with you 100%. I don't exercise to lose weight. I eat right to do that. I exercise for my mental health as much my physical health!
