The fitness industry’s dirty little secret…

EXERCIZING does not equal WEIGHT LOSS.

Don’t let this information deter you from getting off the couch.

EXERCISING does equal BETTER BODY CHEMISTRY.

So I am not saying, don’t do it.

But BE WARNED, the odds that the all those extra pounds melt away as you sweat on the treadmill – is rather slim.

Of course, that leaves the question WHY NOT ?

Powering up an exercise session

We ALL KNOW – fat is where excess calories are stored. Creating a calorie deficit, should mean stored calories get used and whalla……….. thinness.

NEWSFLASH…..

Exercisers EAT MORE !

Flunking calorie maths

The calorie equation is somewhat deceptive, because…

Burning calories is HARD WORK. HARD WORK !

Unfortunately, the amount of exercise you need to do to burn off that coke you just drank, is FRIGHTENING. And, often times when you get yourself to the “FAT BURNING ZONE” – your body begins to panic. It gets all STRESSED OUT. And, it does what a stressed body must do…..

It goes into SURVIVAL MODE.

Since in a world without supermarkets, fast food joints and pantry cupboards – SURVIVAL depended on having fat stores, your hormonal switch flips to FAT STORING MODE.

Step 1 to transition into FAT STORING MODE…..

Eat more….

Your appetite is supercharged. And if you’ve just done a serious exercise session…..

YOU DESERVE IT.

So you do.

You tuck into a chocolate fudge sundae. Mmmmmmm….

Eish !

The brain and body concur, leaving you healthier, but NOT SKINNIER. This is what a group of researchers from Cornell Food & Brand Lab discovered.

A walk in the park

The team invited employees from the university to enjoy a free lunch.   The catch, to get the free lunch, they needed to show up wearing a pair of takkies…   and take a 1 mile walk, around the campus.

Half the ladies were told the walk was FOR FUN. The FUN part was that they were listening to cool music on an mp3 player, whilst being out and about in the fresh air.

The other half, were told the walk was AN EXERCISE session.

Fun times…

At the end of the walk, the ladies completed a questionnaire to assess

• How fun it was
• How taxing it was

No surprises…..

The walkers who listened to music, had FUN and found the walk, untaxing. The dedicated exercises, has a whole lot less FUN, but did not actually feel overtaxed by their exercise session.

Lunch is served

What happened at the all-you-can-eat buffet “REWARD” was eye opening.

Behind the scenes, the walkers plates were weighed and their dessert and beverage choices scrutinized – allowing the researchers to calculate CALORIES IN.

The calorie count….

There was not much in it, when it came to dishing up lunch. Both groups served up and ate, similar amounts of calories.

But there was difference when it came to dessert.

DEDICATED EXERCISERS ate more PERIOD. And they tended to choose the more decadent (calorie laden), chocolate pudding, rather than the “healthier” option, which was an applesauce.

Oops….

You DERSERVE IT….

If you’ve exercised, your sugar gremlin WILL whisper…

“You did a good job – exercising is SO IMPORTANT for good health.  Good deeds should ALWAYS be REWARDED. You deserve/need a REWARD. Go on – INDULGE”

This very logical thought pattern, can end up sabotaging your weight loss effort.

So…………..whatever you do.

Don’t exercise

Instead..

• Go dancing.
• Listen to your favourite music while riding the bicycle.
• Go sightseeing.
• Watch a movie (while on the treadmill, not sitting on the couch).
• Play a game of tennis.
• Play a round of golf.

Think HAVE SOME FUN while moving, rather than DO SOME EXERCISE.

Having FUN means the exercise session IS YOUR REWARD, so you are less likely to seek a high calorie foodie reward afterwards.

It’s fun to outwit a sugar gremlin. Click here if you would like more strategies to help Tame your Sugar Gremlin.

PS. If the idea of exercise being FUN is a foreign concept, then make sure you send a memo to your sugar gremlin, letting it know that you have a policy of not REWARDING exercise with munchies.

Further reading

Is your neighbourhood foiling your attempt to move more ?	You want to be left in the dust by your exercise partner	Don’t run around the block three times just run for the bus

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