Meanwhile ...
I'm feeling pretty cynical today, so excuse me if I sound pretty negative. I read another couple of sections of the Weight Loss book this morning. He explains how to savour food and eat it mindfully. I really like this idea. I think paying attention to the little things more would be good in general (if I had time, ha!). The theory is - if we are fully enjoying the food we eat, then there won't be the need to eat as much to get the same pleasurable effect. Also if we take longer to eat it, our fullness signal will kick in before we've had the chance to eat as much, and we'll eat less overall. In combination with the mindfulness practice, of asking ourselves, "how hungry am I really?" then we should eat less, every day. It's a very good theory. I'd like to try it myself one day soon. I was thinking though - what about those people who, due to psychological issues, have a compulsion to eat until they're full (and know it) and then go on and eat more? As a psychologist, surely he would have realised this? Maybe he'll address it later in the book.
Now I'm up to the chapter where he's explaining why we shouldn't bother exercising. His arguments seem a bit weak to me. Unless I read it wrong, he says we only burn of 30% of calories through exercise, and 70% from running our bodies just normally. So if you exercise, you'll only be burning off 30% more calories than if you were lying on the couch. I'll have to look up the source for that, because it doesn't seem right to me.
And so, following on from that, his argument is that, since exercising doesn't really have that much benefit, then health-care professionals shouldn't ask people on a weight-loss plan to exercise at all, only diet. Because A) when people exercise (usually going to the gym), they tend to mis-calculate the number of calories they need, overcompensate, eat too much, and end up putting on weight instead of losing it; and B) being on a diet is hard enough as it is, and people are inherently lazy, and they'll just give up if they're asked to do too much.
Well, I was disturbed and insulted by these arguments! Firstly, it's a bit of an assumption to make that people eat too many calories after going to the gym. The woman he talks about in his example is just one person, and there are many other people who've lost weight successfully after going to the gym. There's plenty of information out there about what/how much to eat before/after an exercise session. Secondly, surely it's just as important to be fit and healthy as well as slim. There are so many people out there who are thin as rakes, and they're out of breath after one flight of stairs. What about all the other health benefits? The increased heart/lung capacity, flexibility, feel-good hormones, self-esteem, etc. etc.? So, surely it's inadvisable to tell people that exercise isn't necessary. I can just imagine readers' eyes lighting up... - Wow, I don't have to exercise! It's like a get-out-of-jail-free card! Plus I can eat whatever I want, every single day! This is a great book! And more copies of the book get sold.
Thirdly, he assumes that everyone is lazy and no-one likes to exercise; that it's a chore which de-motivates people and leads to them giving up altogether. Well, that's just plain not true. I love to walk (fast, too!). I look forward to Monday nights after work when I go for my extra-long walk. One of my workmates loves going for an hour-long walk as well. A lady I did a workshop with once loves her hockey team and hates missing a session. Fourthly, surely every little bit helps? Even if you're only burning off 30%, then isn't it better than nothing? Doesn't that mean you'll reach your weight goal just that little bit faster? And don't we keep being told that you shouldn't be doing it just to lose weight but to be fitter and live longer and all that stuff??
Personally, regardless of whether I'm fat or thin, I'd rather be able to run for the tram, climb that flight of stairs, perhaps even run a km or two, than the alternative. So I'm going to keep on exercising, thankyouverymuch.
And now I read in The Age online that in order to prevent bowel cancer, not only should I eat healthy, exercise, drink more water and lose weight - I should stop eating processed meats! But they're my favourite food!! So Unfair!
Okay, rant over now. Back to your normal programming.
