The British Journal of Sports Medicine recently published an article arguing the effectiveness of exercise when it comes to overall health and weight loss. While exercise is obviously important for a healthy and fit body, experts argue that no amount of exercise can completely erase the negative effects of a diet that is high in sugar and/or carbs. Even those who are at a normal weight and exercise regularly can actually be unhealthy if their diet is poor.
The most important piece of information that came from the article is that exercise alone will not lead to weight loss. Exercise certainly has a number of health benefits, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and various cancers – but it will not cause weight loss in and of itself.
Rather than promoting calorie counting and pushing exercise as a cure all, we must encourage people to be mindful of their sugar and carbohydrate intake. Consuming whole, natural foods and keeping your calories low, especially when it comes to sugar, is the best way to maintain a healthy weight.
