Congratulations! You’ve finally decided to start working out. Your goal is overall health and weight loss. You’ve been at it for a while and you feel great, but the scale just isn’t moving enough. You either aren’t disciplined enough to cut back on your caloric intake and eat better, more wholesome and less fatty foods, or, your lifestyle is such that you just don’t have the time to deal with the problem. Perhaps you just have a very slow metabolism or a thyroid problem. Are you any better off than if you weren’t exercising? Well, the answer is a resounding YES. There is more and more evidence showing that people can be healthy without losing weight. This doesn’t mean that thin isn’t better, but, some of the latest studies have shown some surprising results

For many years, people have become obsessed with weight loss in relation to good health and for good reason. There is an obesity epidemic in the western world, particularly the United States, and that certainly makes us focus on weight loss. Many studies have shown beyond a doubt that there is great health benefit in keeping your weight at an ideal level. Unfortunately, when people fail in the weight reduction program, they stop exercising as well. Overweight doesn’t have to mean unfit. Even if you don’t lose weight, the latest research shows there are many benefits from by continuing to exercise.

A study, under the direction of Dr. Steven Blair of the University of South Carolina (formerly of the Cooper Clinic) shows that people who are overweight or obese but fit, have a lower mortality risk than those of normal weight but low fitness levels. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

According to this study, those in the lowest fifth in terms of fitness had a death rate four times higher than participants ranked in the top fifth for fitness. Dr. Blair states, “Being fit provides protection against mortality in these men and women 60 and older, whether they’re normal weight, overweight, or obese.” In another study by Lee, Blair, and Jackson several years ago, 21,925 men of all shapes and sizes were assessed and monitored for eight years. The study concluded that men, who were fit and fat, actually had a lower mortality rate than men who were normal weight but unfit and sedentary. One of the authors of this study is clinically obese. However, he runs 35 miles per week. So the key here is “fit”, and not necessarily thin.

Many times, people who are overweight decide not to exercise because weight loss is too great a challenge for them. Their mistake is that they don’t realize that exercise in and of itself, is beneficial for both physical and mental health. The health benefits from a daily 30-minute walk (even if broken up into 2 or 3 segments); let alone a more balanced and intense exercise, range from lowering blood pressure and cholesterol to reducing stress levels. Even a moderate effort makes a big difference. We know that people with knee arthritis have reduced their pain and disability by about 47% if they exercise. Exercise reduces the progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s by about 50%. It reduces the progression of type 2 diabetes by 58% and in post menopausal women; there is a 41% reduction in the risk of hip fractures. It reduces anxiety and depression by 48% or even more with intense exercise. It is the number one treatment for fatigue and naturally, when you put all of this together, there is a tremendous increase in quality of life. In Dr. Blair’s study, the bottom fifth in fitness was twice as likely to die as the fifth right above them.

Is time a problem for you? Well, think of it this way: you have 23.5 hours every day to sleep, eat, work, learn, and tend to your family needs and for being social. So if you can just put aside 30 minutes—one half hour—everyday, your life will improve in every single aspect tremendously.

Be sure you are including all aspects of exercise—aerobic, resistance training and flexibility in your routine. And remember, most of the great results from walking and other exercise occur from just a 30-35 minutes daily moderate walk. YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO A TRIATHALON TO GET THE BENEFITS. Including fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet is essential for good health together with your fitness regimen. Maintaining a normal weight is important, but even if that is difficult for you, exercise should be part of your daily life. It improves your quality of life and possibly extends your longevity because exercise will “add hours to your day, days to your year, and years to your life.”

Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH with over 16 years of professional experience. He is the co-director of the Jerusalem-based weight loss and stress reduction center Lose It! along with Linda Holtz M.Sc. and is available for private consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at 02-651-8502 or 050-555-7175, or by email at [email protected]

Check out the Lose It! web site – www.loseit.co.il