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How would increasing physical activity not reduce obesity? If I’m understanding that link correctly it is saying “fitness” and weight are two different measures

by soared 5y ago

How would increasing physical activity not reduce obesity? If I’m understanding that link correctly it is saying “fitness” and weight are two different measures so obese people can be fit. I doubt many Americans fall into this category.

MattGaiser 5y ago
Exercise burns far fewer calories than I thought (I was surprised by this too). If you walk a mile, you only burn 100 or so calories and that assumes you are walking briskly. That isn't enough to really change things for many people.
- gmassman 5y ago
  Calories burned is just the start of the benefits of exercise. It also promotes muscle development which will cause fewer aches and pains as one ages. It increases lung capacity through deeper breathing, which promotes the parasympathetic nervous system and helps keep one more relaxed throughout the day. It strengthens the heart, leading to lower blood pressure and a lower resting heart rate. Health and weight are much more complicated than simply calories in minus calories out.
- sasawpg 5y ago
  Not all cardio is built the same and walking/running (for many) is not the most efficient way to burn calories. Most "calories burned" are also an estimate, often based on heart-rate and other body parameters. I burn anywhere from 500-800+ calories per hour when cycling (depending on intensity, based on actual recorded power). I'm fairly light (63-64kgs) so my power (and as a result energy expenditure) will be less than that of someone larger. An endurance run for me will burn much closer to an estimated 300kCal/hr. While I'm no longer a runner, even at peak I would run only 4-5hrs/week (and usually no more than 1:30-1:45hrs/run). I readily cycle 4-5 hours though and burn 3000kCal+. So if goal is to burn as many calories as possible, I would consider cycling and swimming, since both burn a considerable amount and can be done for longer stretches of time without major body impact. The unfortunate drawback of cycling is the lack of impact that makes it easy to cycle for long amounts. Have to balance that with other forms of exercise to stay healthy.
  - notacoward 5y ago
    > An endurance run for me will burn much closer to an estimated 300kCal/hr. Measured how? At what most people would consider a normal running pace the expenditure for your weight should be at least 800kCal/hr according to every source I've seen. On the flip side, 3000kCal over "4-5 hours" is 600-750kCal/hr. I know cyclists tend to underestimate the efficiency gain of wheels vs. legs and thus mistranslate their higher speed to higher effort, but reality is quite different.
brianwawok 5y ago
Weight is lost in the kitchen, not the treadmill. If you go walk 3 miles on a treadmill, you burned 250 calories, great. Now you reward yourself with a gatorade and a health bar, for 500 calories. You just gained 250 calories by exercising. As an active runner, I cannot run away my bad eating. Maybe maybe maybe during peak right before a marathon I can get away with it, but like right this second I am a bit heavy and it is 1000% because of food/drink choices I have made. To fix it, I need to have a better diet.
- kazinator 5y ago
  There is more to endurance exercise than just calories burned; it can be amazingly effective, way out of proportion to the raw calorie picture. Out of a 168 hour week, you might spend 6 or 7 hours exercising and get amazing results. It must have to do with changes that affect what is going on in the body over those remaining 161 hours.
  - throwaway19423 5y ago
    Agreed in principle. Cardio makes me feel good (I am borderline obese). I was in a good place at the start of the pandemic .. lost about 30 pounds by heavy exercise and completely cutting out take out food and junk food. Year 2 of the pandemic has been terrible for me (mainly due to responsibilities related to work and 2 little kids). I gained all my weight back and my eating is terrible again. I am actually scared of working out because it raises my appetite by a disproportionate amount :(

by soared 5y ago

MattGaiser 5y ago

Exercise burns far fewer calories than I thought (I was surprised by this too). If you walk a mile, you only burn 100 or so calories and that assumes you are walking briskly. That isn't enough to really change things for many people.

gmassman 5y ago
Calories burned is just the start of the benefits of exercise. It also promotes muscle development which will cause fewer aches and pains as one ages. It increases lung capacity through deeper breathing, which promotes the parasympathetic nervous system and helps keep one more relaxed throughout the day. It strengthens the heart, leading to lower blood pressure and a lower resting heart rate. Health and weight are much more complicated than simply calories in minus calories out.
sasawpg 5y ago
Not all cardio is built the same and walking/running (for many) is not the most efficient way to burn calories. Most "calories burned" are also an estimate, often based on heart-rate and other body parameters. I burn anywhere from 500-800+ calories per hour when cycling (depending on intensity, based on actual recorded power). I'm fairly light (63-64kgs) so my power (and as a result energy expenditure) will be less than that of someone larger. An endurance run for me will burn much closer to an estimated 300kCal/hr. While I'm no longer a runner, even at peak I would run only 4-5hrs/week (and usually no more than 1:30-1:45hrs/run). I readily cycle 4-5 hours though and burn 3000kCal+. So if goal is to burn as many calories as possible, I would consider cycling and swimming, since both burn a considerable amount and can be done for longer stretches of time without major body impact. The unfortunate drawback of cycling is the lack of impact that makes it easy to cycle for long amounts. Have to balance that with other forms of exercise to stay healthy.
- notacoward 5y ago
  > An endurance run for me will burn much closer to an estimated 300kCal/hr. Measured how? At what most people would consider a normal running pace the expenditure for your weight should be at least 800kCal/hr according to every source I've seen. On the flip side, 3000kCal over "4-5 hours" is 600-750kCal/hr. I know cyclists tend to underestimate the efficiency gain of wheels vs. legs and thus mistranslate their higher speed to higher effort, but reality is quite different.

brianwawok 5y ago

Weight is lost in the kitchen, not the treadmill. If you go walk 3 miles on a treadmill, you burned 250 calories, great. Now you reward yourself with a gatorade and a health bar, for 500 calories. You just gained 250 calories by exercising. As an active runner, I cannot run away my bad eating. Maybe maybe maybe during peak right before a marathon I can get away with it, but like right this second I am a bit heavy and it is 1000% because of food/drink choices I have made. To fix it, I need to have a better diet.

kazinator 5y ago
There is more to endurance exercise than just calories burned; it can be amazingly effective, way out of proportion to the raw calorie picture. Out of a 168 hour week, you might spend 6 or 7 hours exercising and get amazing results. It must have to do with changes that affect what is going on in the body over those remaining 161 hours.
- throwaway19423 5y ago
  Agreed in principle. Cardio makes me feel good (I am borderline obese). I was in a good place at the start of the pandemic .. lost about 30 pounds by heavy exercise and completely cutting out take out food and junk food. Year 2 of the pandemic has been terrible for me (mainly due to responsibilities related to work and 2 little kids). I gained all my weight back and my eating is terrible again. I am actually scared of working out because it raises my appetite by a disproportionate amount :(