The media constantly bomboards us with the notion that exercise is not only essential for losing weight, but for staying healthy as well. But how much scientific truth is really in said notion? Although its benefits are overexaggerated, it can, in moderation, reduce the risk of diabetes in people that are already at risk, and it may reduce the risk of breast, colon and heart cancer. However, exercise alone will not sustain weight loss, nor will it reduce blood pressure or cholestorol.
As far as heart disease, the evidence is mixed. It proved more effective in those who went from being non active to moderately active more than in those who exercised intensely. But all evidence is subjective, as those who are healthy tend to be different in risks and how their bodies handle disease than those who are not.
It is important to note that active people tend to not smoke, they eat healthier and have a lower percentage of body fat. The article states they also tend to have a better education, which is essential in knowing how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, it is hard to determine if excerise specifically is the main factor in preventing heart dieases and other ailments, or if it is just the overall lifestyle of a healthy person, which goes beyond physical activity. This anomoly also applies to breast, colon and heart cancer as well.
As far as the weight loss and exercise realtionship, lifting weights will build muscle, but will make you burn little to no calories. A study at Texas A&M University found that in men following a rigid weight lifting program, they only ended up bruning 24 more calories a day.
In order to sustain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure, and reduce cholestorol levels, one must diet and eat healthier to make a benefical difference. One's diet is the most essential part in determining whether or not they can maintain a healthy body, as is whether or not they smoke, drink alochol execcsively, or use drugs. Moderate exercise, coupled with not smoking or doing drugs, and drinking alochol at most sparingly, are the foundations for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, not crazy exercise programs.
I agree with this article, as this is not the first article I have read stating that exercise is a lot of hype. However, to say that people who smoke tend to be less educated is an overgeneralization; many college students, myself included, smoke and are educated, although it is certainly unhealthy. Eating right and refraining from substance abuse is the only surefire way to sustain a healthy body.
Here is the article: http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-exercise-ess.html
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I agree with what your saying here. Excerise isn't the only thing that makes you a healthy person. I do think exercise is a little more important because it can lead you to a better lifestyle physically and mentally. Eating right, not smoking and drinking does give you the maximum benefit of living a healthy life, i do not think excercise alone will do it for you. In relation to exercise, I also think eating healthy all the time is to hyped up. Of course if you eat junk food all day and dont get any healhy foods in, something will probably go wrong eventually. I think the key is portions and monitoring how much you eat and of what. There is nothign wrong with eating a piece of cake or ice cream after dinner, or eating candy...just dont make a habit of eating it every night or have more then one serving. Everything in the world has hype now so its hard to believe one thing or another.
ReplyDeleteYou're deffinetly right; it's also about how much you eat and what you eat as well. Moderate exercise is good in the sense that people who do so tend to eat healthier; however, exercising excessively is a scientifically supported way to completely waste your time.
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