My 2 rather depressing realisations about exercise

My current bedtime reading, confronting yet obvious

 

One: Exercise won't help you lose weight. 
This is a chapter in the confronting book I am reading by David Gillespie. Gillespie has a wad of evidence to back this up.  Over the past thirty years the health equipment, gym and weight loss industries have boomed and been sustained like nothing in our economic history.  The boom in the physical movement industry came about the same time we were told to "eat low fat and eat more healthy whole grains".  Look around you, look down at you, it didn't work.  We, as a nation have got sicker and fatter yet we are moving more than ever.  If we are overweight it all boils down to it being your fault, you were too lazy or you didn't have enough will power to avoid the fattening foods.  Its all your fault. You fat lazy fecker. 

But what if that isn't true....I am currently feeling a bit depressed that my firm beliefs of the past 25 years are being throttled but I am also washed with massive flowing relief and an inner knowing that OF COURSE it doesn't make any sense to flog ourselves into a crippling sore wreck of a mess in the name of health and weight loss.  Right?  I can certainly feel my poor old knackered adrenals breathe a sigh of relief. I'm so sorry adrenal glands!

We as humans are very efficient at using our calories.  Exercise just doesn't burn many off those calories unfortunately.  An example Gillespie gives is,

"The 150 calories in a glass of apple juice would let us ride a bicycle 8 kilometres, but the same energy (in petrol) would push a car just 250metres."

Two: Exercise classes are such a waste of my time. 
I am a regular gym goer of 25 years (side note:  have I ever achieved my goddess like bodwah from this...answer: no)...I used to be an Aerobics teacher for godsake and Personal Trainer and Gym Instructor....I BELIEVED THIS SHIT WORKED!  And yet I used to always feel a bit inadequate about my less than ripped Instructor body.  But like I say I believed it would help me lose weight, one day and I was terrified to stop in case I suddenly ballooned. So I continue to go to the classes, it's always a mad scramble to get there on time, it takes about an hour of prep and driving to get to my gym.  The class is an hour, then there is the showering...all up it takes me 2.5hours to workout.  Usually after all that faffing about I'm knackered and a bit moody and over it for the rest of the day.

This book is bleak and negative (the first chapter is "Why diets don't work') in that it goes against everything we are told to believe about what it takes to be healthy.  But I like it.

On the upside of gym classes now guys....

At the beginning of the year when I was super sick, I was feeling so nauseous and anxious that I couldn't handle going to the gym.  But I wanted to move my body, it's what it's used to (and god what if  I balloon?) but in my debilitated and exhausted state all I could manage was some yoga which I did mainly outside on the grass, gentle and sometimes harder bike rides, walking in the forest and on the beach. I had to keep going as a mother, house wife and gardener so I was still moving around at a moderate pace for most of the day and lifting heavy things such as my 16 kilo kid! 

What happened was rather lovely.  I didn't balloon, I stayed about the same, even dropped a couple of kilos.  I felt more centred, less rushed, I was on my own time frame.  I developed an intuition for what would work best for me on that day, not Chronic Cardio because today is Step Class but more I feel tired today some yoga would be yummy or I am bounding with energy lets do some sprints.  This way of moving is inclusive too as my kids can come along or bounce on the tramp and watch me zip up and down the drive way a few times or punch out a few press ups or squats. It also is great on time as I can walk with my friends and chat at the same time.  Also being outside in nature has numerous benefits. 

• The white light on my eyes first thing on a morning helped me to sleep better at night because it regulates my circadian rhythm
• Being in the sunshine helps me produce much needed Vitamin D, a very important factor in proper digestion and gut health
• Being in nature makes you feel relaxed and happy
• It's fun seeing all of the animals out in nature and that makes you feel good too

Now I am not knocking gyms and classes at all.  In the past when I was working ten hour days ducking to the gym (secretly so the boss didn't see me having a break gah) was the most efficient and convenient way to de stress midway through the day.  When my kids were pre school going to the gym was awesome because of the crèche facility, often providing the only sixty minute kid free time in my day.  And I still love the gym now, I love Helen Powley the teacher cos she is like a Mother Hen loving all of her gym going girls and that's nurturing.  I love seeing my pals there and the coffee and chats afterwards.  It's a great place to feel part of the community and to connect and socialise with other women you may not otherwise encounter during the day. 

There are many benefits to exercise, but I do believe that weight loss is not one of them.  As Mark Sisson states in THE PRIMAL BLUEPRINT (I'm a big fan)

80% of body composition success is determined by diet

 

Mark Sisson's advocates the following three primal blueprint laws with regard to exercise that will optimize gene expression and promote fitness

 

Move frequently at a slow pace

Lift Heavy things

Sprint once in a while

 

Sisson suggests

• avoiding chronic cardio (frequent medium to high intensity sustained workouts)
• avoiding chronic strength training (frequent and/or prolonged sub maximal lifting sessions ending in exhaustion)
• Avoiding Regimented Schedules (instead allow for spontaneous, intuitive variation in type, difficulty and frequency of workouts)

  

So that's what I am going to do and doing all of this knowing it's for the myriad of health benefits gained from exercise and not to lose weight.  I will still go to the gym but that will mainly be to see my pals. 

 

So what do you think of the above?  Relief? Disbelief?  Let me know. 

I recommend a read of Gillespie's book, you can click on the above link to order a copy, I am an affiliate of Fishpond and receive small commissions for any books purchased via links I provide.  Otherwise, head down to your library and see if they have a copy...can't be arsed to read it? No worries I'll bring all the main points home for you.

  

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