My little poll experiment

nancy324

nancy324

Cathlete
The reason for my poll:

As you can tell by the number of posts I have, I've been reading the Cathe boards for many years, more than I can even remember. Most people who post here seem to exercise at least 5 hours per week and most people complain about their weight. Even in my best years on these boards, I don't think I ever exercised more than 4 hours per week, and I noticed that the more I exercised (as opposed to just being active), the more I weighed, the bigger my waist was, and the tighter my clothes were. So, it finally hit me that maybe there was a connection between exercising a lot (as opposed to moderately) and weighing a lot. Just testing to see if there is anything to my theory, although obviously there are MANY factors I can't control for in this little experiment.

Also, although there are quite a few of us here who know we have to exercise even though we have no weight to lose, we seem to be in the minority. The written responses to the poll indicate that exercise and weight are so closely linked as to be almost inseparable in people's minds. Only a few people mentioned different reasons for exercising, and even some of those assumed they needed a reason other than to stay healthy.

(Another thing I've noticed is that most people who work out to what I would consider to be an extreme have trouble sleeping. But that's another experiment).

Keep voting! This is interesting.

ETA: And many thanks to those who voted already!
 
nancy,

it is VERY interesting. i think there are some possible correlations that could be made. first of all, the more "extreme" exercisers might complain about their weight more because they have weight-related issues (such as body dysmorphic disorder, anorexia, exercise bulimia, etc.). also, maybe people who exercise for longer periods of time eat more because they feel like they can (because they burned so many calories) so they could be havier than when they exercise less.

as for the sleeping theory, i know that i have terrible insomnia and you would also consider me an extreme exerciser. although for me, the two are not related. i have a reason for my insomnia and see a doctor. that said, i do know that if i do any type of cardio three hours or less before i want to go to sleep, i can forget about it. i WILL NOT fall asleep. so, i make sure to do my cardio in the morning.

as far as why i exercise, i do so because it is my most peaceful time when i am in tune with my body and what it is doing. it makes me feel strong. it shows me what i am capable of. it clears my mind. it releases stress. it keeps me healthy. it is a part of me. i have never had a weight problem (maybe because i exercise), so that doesn't really factor into my thinking about why i work out. although, if i am sidelined for a long time because of an illness those nasty thoughts about feeling fat do pop into my head.

great findings so far. maybe someone should do a dissertation on it! HA HA! ;-)
 
i have never had a weight
>problem (maybe because i exercise), so that doesn't really
>factor into my thinking about why i work out. although, if i
>am sidelined for a long time because of an illness those nasty
>thoughts about feeling fat do pop into my head.
>
>great findings so far. maybe someone should do a dissertation
>on it! HA HA! ;-)

i am the same way. as long as i am exercising in some way regularly(even if its just yoga for that day) i am feeling pretty good overall. if i don't workout i tend to be grumpy and moody and sometimes that causes some eating issues(big time emotional eater here!!!)and that causes me to feel "fat". although usually the next day i am feeling fine again LOL.

but if i workout too much and too hard i overeat still and that causing my feeling of fat. so i just do what i can when i can in the mornings but try to keep my goal of doing evening yoga just to relieve stress from the day. my eating is more of an issue with my up and down weight then my exercising. exercising keeps me fit(no matter the weight) and strong and keeps me sane LOL.

kassia

http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana

"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1307/4842454/16585805/276676894.jpg
 
>great findings so far. maybe someone should do a dissertation
>on it! HA HA! ;-)

Thanks, Lorie! I have many cockamamie theories I would LOVE to do dissertations on. :+ I'm really rather envious of you working on your dissertation. If you really love your topic, it's got to be so fascinating! Congratulations again on having your topic approved! :D
 
At this point it looks like my little poll is on the way towards proving my theory wrong. There are far more avid exercisers here than I expected who don't have any weight to lose.
 
I think you are onto something. When I scheduled my Feb 2008 rotations I did wonder why Bill Phillips recommended only 30 minutes of cardio every other day. And people who have followed this and similar other plans (Abs Diet, TNT etc) they have all been suceesful.

So I think - the body just stops responding when you do high intensity workouts 6-7 times per week.

I think when the doctor prescribes 7 days of exercise - they don't intend you to do a bootcamp for 1 hour daily or even a rhythmic step daily.

I have a friend who lost over 26 pounds dancing Saturday night only.
Of course it was dancing - so she didn't know how many hours she actually moved but that one night per week - with no other change, gave her incredible results.

Hence my Feb 2008 routine which demands for cardio of 30-40 minutes (some warm ups / cool down take about 10 minutes each so in essence, the actual cardio time is 20-25 minutes per day).

I will report the results March 1/08 on my blog. I don't have any 'real' weight to lose. My body mass is pretty healthy.
 
Thanks, Shaan. Yes, my doc also prescribes exercise "most days", but I think she means about 20-30 mins.

I can tell you about my own experiences. I've been exercising a long time. Back in the days when I used to walk part of the way home from work, approx. a mile or so most days of the week, I was very slim. Then I started to increase my weight training until I was doing Pure Strength 3-4 times per week. Each WO is about 45 mins., plus I was doing a fair amount of cardio. I wasn't overweight during that period, but I did weigh more AND wear a larger size. In the last 1.5-2 years I've been too busy and anxious to exercise much because of career issues, and over this period I've lost about 10 lbs., which is a significant percentage for me because I have such a small frame. None of it has been deliberate, but I've observed the changes and found them to be interesting. I put that together with what I've heard on these boards, and developed an (extremely unscientific :p ) theory.
 
>
>i am the same way. as long as i am exercising in some way
>regularly(even if its just yoga for that day) i am feeling
>pretty good overall. if i don't workout i tend to be grumpy
>and moody and sometimes that causes some eating issues(big
>time emotional eater here!!!)and that causes me to feel "fat".
>although usually the next day i am feeling fine again LOL.
>
>but if i workout too much and too hard i overeat still and
>that causing my feeling of fat. so i just do what i can when i
>can in the mornings but try to keep my goal of doing evening
>yoga just to relieve stress from the day. my eating is more of
>an issue with my up and down weight then my exercising.
>exercising keeps me fit(no matter the weight) and strong and
>keeps me sane LOL.
>

I couldn't have said this any better! this is me to a "T"!!!

~Chris
 
Hi Nancy. Interesting train of thought you have going. :)

I have exercised on and off for years (since highschool so say about 20 years now). I have learned through the years that the only way to truly control my weight is with regular exercise. When I don't exercise I also tend to not watch what I eat. A sedentary lifestyle + bad eating habits has caused trouble for me in the past. Whenever I would exercise, I would also eat right and lose weight. When I got lazy and stopped the work outs, the eating would go astray as well and BAM...the weight would start coming back on.

For the past 5 years I have worked out religiously and watched what I've eat (for the most part) and have had much success in weight loss, fat loss, muscle gain and last but not least, in weight maintenence. If I stopped exercising today I am pretty sure that my eating habits that I have been constantly striving to improve over the years would surely fall apart and I would gain back the 20 pounds I worked so hard to lose 5 years ago...Not to mention the pregnancy weight I had to lose as well!

Perhaps less is more for some people but not for me. (that figures! LOL) I seem to have a mental and emotional "attatchment" to my work outs as well now. If I don't work out (unless it's a scheduled rest day), my mood is off.
 
Nancy,
Interesting. I voted: I excersise 5/6 days a week and have no weight to loose. I have never been over weight, even after I had my second child- I had a really hard time losing the last 10 pounds (2 years!!!) but I was still considered in the normal range for my height. (Just more than I've always weighed). I have never excersised to control my weight, and hate when my DH eats extra because he worked out that day!x( But I think I am in the minority. I don't have issues with food. I am a really picky eater and if I'm not hungry, I don't eat. I also just like healthy food. I'm not a fan of chocolate (I do eat it) I don't like ice cream or cake (my older DS is the same).I work out because I like it. For me its my time-before kids, work, etc.I've been working out since I'm 19. I'm 42 now.

That being said, I am doing the P90X program since Dec. I usually workout 50-60 min.-6 days a week. With the X I am working out longer- more like an 75-80 min. My body has not responded well. I am lifting really heavy also. Again, my body is not responding well. For me I think I do better with one hour six days a week. On my off day I enjoy sleeping late, but I will be more carefull how I eat. My friend is doing the X also, and is having sleep issues. I think you may be on to something.

Deanie
 
I don't know that it has as much to do with how much or how intensely you exercise as much as it does how much and what you eat. Lots of people exercise excessively to make up for eating too much, and it doesn't work. I read the posts of frustration - it's a vicious cycle. I also think we make it too complicated - I like your example of walking a lot - I mean how simple it that? It's really not rocket science - eat less junk, move more, do some pushups,and don't get hung up on complicated "rotations" and the science of this & that. But what do I know!
 
I hear you, Deanie and Cakebaker. My DH thinks he can eat brownies because he exercised. This does not compute with me. He's got at least 20 lbs. to lose and brownies are totally empty calories, but he does not get it. x(
 
>At this point it looks like my little poll is on the way
>towards proving my theory wrong. There are far more avid
>exercisers here than I expected who don't have any weight to
>lose.

May I throw another kink into your theory? What happens to me is that I lose weight if I don't exercise. I attribute it somewhat to eating less because I am less active. It might have to do with muscle loss also. I've never actually quit exercising long enough to lose a lot of muscle, but if I'm unable to work out for about a week, I'll drop about 4 to 5 lbs.

Dropping weight is not something I want to do, so I exercise a lot.

Your theory is very interesting though... probably some validity to it, although there are so many variables that can factor in! :)
 
Consistency and Moderation

Nancy:

Daily exercise is mental health maintenance for me! Working out has so many more benefits than calorie burning and weight loss. Cardio is fun, makes me happy, helps me release stress, and keeps me free from depression without taking drugs. I am an emotional/stress eater. I need my happy workouts to keep me from overeating for comfort, stress relief, or other emotional reasons. I am a hedonist too. If I do not find pleasure in exercise every morning, I will find it in food. I learned this lesson the hard way. This is why Cathe’s workouts are such a blessing. I am sure I could find other workouts that burn just as many calories. Cathe creates workouts that are fun for me, and working out with her is something I enjoy and want to do instead of something I dread and have to do if that makes sense. Exercise for me is a reward, not a punishment for getting fat. I totally agree with you about avoiding extremes, but an hour a day is my definition of moderate exercise. Extreme exercise for me is 2-3 hours a day, and I have been there.

Moderation applies to clean eating too. I learned this lesson last year and welcomed 2008 with a new game plan. After years of riding the roller coaster with my weight, I am rediscovering the joy of my fitness journey and settling into a healthy lifestyle that is something I can maintain for the rest of my life.

Obesity is a complex issue, and there are no easy answers. I have discovered a few keys for my personal success. Consistency and moderation are better than perfection. I enjoyed Cathe’s November rotation and was delighted with my results. I read the reviews that the 4-Day Split is a more intermediate series. It is just right for me whatever level it is. The step choreography is dancy and fun, the kickboxing cardio energizes me and makes me smile, and the boot camp cardio is playful and intense. The weight work is effective and enjoyable. The overall rotation has a good balance of cardio and weights as well as a good variety of cardio styles. I am currently enjoying extra cardio with this series for fun (because I love cardio and the way it makes me feel) as well as a segment of Stretch Max every Sunday morning. I am also mixing in my favorite lower body workouts like the Butts and Guts leg blast premix.

I started this year with a new nutrition game plan. I am eating 80 percent clean and enjoying treats in moderation consistently instead of striving to eat perfectly clean for faster weight loss only to rebel and regain it and start over again. This approach is doable and enjoyable. Consistency is rewarding me with results. I lost 12 pounds in January and inches everywhere. My waist is 2 inches smaller, my abdomen is 2 inches smaller, my hips are 2 inches smaller, and my thighs are each an inch smaller. My weight loss has always been sporadic and unpredictable, but I am consistently losing 2 pounds every week. I am satisfied with this way of eating and believe I can maintain it for the rest of my life. In the past, my game plan was to push myself and eat super clean to get to goal faster so I could relax and hopefully not have to work so hard and be so perfect with my eating. My personal trainer is more interested in transformed lives than winning a challenge, so she is a positive influence in my life. I need someone to calm me down when I get crazy and remind me that 2 pounds a week is good! In theory, I should be able to lose weight faster by eating cleaner and exercising harder or more often, but it does not work in reality because I crash and burn after a few weeks. With this lifestyle, I do not feel deprived or have any cravings. I am not tired, and my knees are not crying.

Less intense workouts can be more effective than more intense workouts, moderation is better for me than perfection, and enjoying the journey is a better game plan for me than planning the perfect rotation. While I do need a daily dose of activity, every workout does not need to be super intense. It is possible that doing more intense workouts or “marathon” workouts all the time leads to overeating and overtraining. I found this to be true for me.

I did get more inspiring results with more intense workouts. I was not able to maintain it, so what good was it?

P.S. I voted the first option in your poll.

Blessings,
Heather B.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
 
>(Another thing I've noticed is that most people who work out
>to what I would consider to be an extreme have trouble
>sleeping. But that's another experiment).
>


Funny...when I'm not able to exercise regularly, I have terrible insomnia. Too much nervous energy. This swimming class I'm taking has me sleeping like log!

There are way too many variables at work to draw any real conclusions, but it is interesting to see what people vote.
 
I am happiest when I exercise because it feels good and makes me feel energetic.I eat what I want within reason, enjoy wine and the occasional treat and that is that, but no....I got it in my head it was time to push myself out of the comfort zone and really bite down on the bodyfat.

Right now I am on a program that is super strict, exercise is wiping me out right now-that or my diet of chicken breast, broccoli and rice cakes.;)

I wonder what would happen if I just stopped working out, or limited it to three days a week? I have always worked out, the past 15 years nonstop....until my hip surgery of course and then I promptly lost 10 pounds which my trainer states was only water and muscle which you lose during the healing process.

Hum I am having trouble staying asleep and am waking up super early, not normal for me. My exercise intensity has increased quite a bit the past two weeks....hum....
 
THEY say (Who is they? those health "experts" say) that you should eat in moderation and exercise (moderatly) cardio between 20 - 30 mins 2-3 times per week. All the Jenny Craigs, Weight Watches etc support this theory. I am currently trialing cardio for 2 -3 times per week betweeen 20 -30 mins per session. Then I am doing weights as well, exercising 6 times per week.

I've just completed my first week : I have my waist back at the end of this week, without really changing my eating. I have yet to weigh and measure myself, but I can see a change. Prior to this week, it was cardio 4-5 times per week minimum of 30 mins, usually between 40-50 mins, along with some weights. The result? NOTHING!! No change. But, to change the cardio was HARD! It is an addiction?? I don't know if addiction is the right word but it has been a struggle to stick with the minimum cardio, I want to do more.

Now, then, take into consideration my age as well, I'll be 43 in March. So maybe, Nancy, your theory also should consider age too?
I will keep going on my little training "rotation" and see if the results continue.

Andrea
 
Obviously I have weight to lose - look at my siggie. But, I don't exercise to lose weight. I change my diet to lose weight. I did START exercising as a way to lose weight (and lost 70 pounds), but then discovered I love the way it makes me feel. I like doing 60-90 minutes 6 days a week (most days are closer to 60) of high intensity workouts. I also exercise because I truly believe that there is nothing better you can do for your body, especially as we age. My 78 year old Aunt goes skiing with people in their 90's. I want that to be me.

As for sleeping issues - if I'm eating mostly clean and decent portions and I'm exercising like normal, then I rarely have sleeping issues. I tend to get them when I kick my workouts down a notch, or I eat too much. I've always known what I had to do to lose weight, but my doctor tells me that I'm very healthy for my age and to keep up what I'm doing. I'm losing weight now, not for health reasons, but because I want to be able to run the distances I want to run without all the extra weight.
 
>May I throw another kink into your theory? What happens to me
>is that I lose weight if I don't exercise. I attribute it
>somewhat to eating less because I am less active. It might
>have to do with muscle loss also. I've never actually quit
>exercising long enough to lose a lot of muscle, but if I'm
>unable to work out for about a week, I'll drop about 4 to 5
>lbs.
>
>Dropping weight is not something I want to do, so I exercise a
>lot.
>
>Your theory is very interesting though... probably some
>validity to it, although there are so many variables that can
>factor in! :)

Nope, JeanneMarie, your experience bears out my little theory precisely.
 
I think we need to keep in mind here -- we are all very different, exercise for different reasons, eat clean for different reasons, and understandable, we all get different results.

I agree with Fit Mom above -- for me, my eating is ON POINT when I am working out (mainly lifting) hard. Heavy lifting is about the only way to get me to eat clean. For some reason, I will NOT eat healthy for *weight loss* reasons, but I WILL eat clean to support muscle growth and recovery. I guess it's whatever works...

Like someone else mentioned, I started working out for weight loss reasons, but stayed with it, even when the weight loss slowed/stopped, because I love it. Like Heather said, if I wasn't making myself feel good with exercise, then I would probably use food instead. Exercise makes me feel fit, strong, sexy, and good about myself.

PS I voted that I work out 6.5ish hours per week, and have no weight to lose. I do, however, want to lose body fat, build muscle, and be able to beat my fiance in a push up challenge, but that's another poll....;)
 
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