Exercising for weight loss
How this mindset can backfire, some science backed facts & a better approach towards your weight loss goals
In my experience as a Fitness Instructor, I have noticed that a majority of clients enroll for classes seeking 'weight loss'.
Nothing wrong with that. Except that, it isn't that simplistic. If someone out there is advertising their classes with the 'lose weight with my exercise program' proposition, then they are not telling you the whole truth.
You can begin an exercise program with the intention of losing weight or getting stronger but let's face it, if you are not supplementing that positive behavior change with other lifestyle changes such as "eating to nourish the body", "getting good rest" & “managing your stress”, you are not going to see the results you seek.
In this post I will discuss the pitfalls of 'exercising for weight loss' mindset, science backed facts, a roadmap to approach your weight loss goal, and a successful client story on how sustainable lifestyle habits can help create positive change.
Pitfalls of “exercising for weight loss" mentality:
A. When we look to exercise for weight loss, we begin viewing exercise as a means of burning calories 'alone'. This mindset may make us gravitate to high impact, high intensity sort of movement ( cardio dominant ) that makes us feel like we sweated it out in every workout session and "burnt calories".
We are also likely to feel guilty about eating our favourite foods ( if they are high calorie foods ) and will try to compensate for eating them with exercise.
Exercise then, is no longer a pleasurable activity, but a punishment for what we ate.
B. Banking on exercise for weight loss can result in disappointment if results ( in the form of visible drop in the scale ) don't occur as soon as one may expect. And this can discourage individuals from sticking to the path.
Science backed facts, that will hopefully help you see things differently:
1. Problem with too frequent high impact / High intensity / HIIT kind of workouts :
Everything that we do from a movement standpoint has a physiological, biomechanical and a neurological component to it.
While the practice of frequent high intensity workouts may give results initially and make one feel great physiologically, it is not something that is good from a biomechanical point of view when overdone.
When we subject our body to heavy volumes, without preparing it properly for it, we end up causing harm. So if you are a novice, just starting out on your fitness journey, then it is better not to overdo HIIT style workouts.
ACSM exercise guidelines, better known as physical activity guidelines, state that all healthy adults aged 18–65 yr should participate in moderate intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 30 min, five days per week, or vigorous intensity aerobic activity for a minimum of 20 min, three days per week. Further, every adult should perform activities that maintain or increase muscular strength ( resistance training ) for a minimum of two days per week. Stick to this guideline when you start out.
2. The Interesting concept of set point :
Set point is the 'thermostat' setting for your weight. The body sets this for you .
What is important to note, is that it is not fixed. It can go up or down depending on your lifestyle habits - how you eat, sleep, manage stress etc.
When you try to restrict calories, you attain short term weight loss, but the set point remains unchanged.
So the body now fights to maintain the set point. It will do this by increasing the release of hunger hormones such as Ghrelin, and decrease satiety hormones ( i.e leptin and insulin ) which will make you feel less satiated but experience more pleasure and reward from food. It will also slow your metabolism. Overtime your powerful physiology will drive you to regain the weight.
This could be the reason why you find yourself perpetually on a "lose weight gain weight" cycle.
The way out : Work with lowering the set point by adopting healthy lifestyle habits ( more whole foods, better stress management & sleep hygiene ). More on this in a different post. For now, just know that you need to work on lowering the set point and not just "restricting calories".
3. Reasons to exercise / workout :
There are innumerable benefits of being part of a regular exercise program that go beyond weight loss. I am listing a few here:
1. Keeps internal organs active & functioning : Your body is meant for movement. Moving our body in different ways - twisting, turning, forward bending, backward bending, inverting, jumping helps to keep all of our internal organs activated and functioning without sluggishness that is characteristic of being sedentary.
2. Good Immunity : Moving in different ways aids in good circulation keeping your lymphatic system healthy that contributes to good immunity ( good lymph circulation aids in identifying and getting rid of unwanted pathogens, also production of B and T cells )
3. Sharper brain & quicker reflexes : Exercise is a great contributor to brain health.
4. Increased energy level : Exercising regularly helps increase mitochondrial density. Mitochondria are the power house of a cell and helps generate energy for you. So more the mitochondria, more the energy .
5. Promotes muscle growth, improves bone mineral density & overall bone health
6. More efficient movement : When you train regularly, you begin to move better , in ways that prevent injury ( automatic hinging from the hip while bending, appropriate knee bending while picking objects from floor , applying core engagement principles while lifting heavy objects )
7. Reduced risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diebetes, & heart diseases, thereby enhancing the quality of life
8. Builds confidence, elevates mood : Building endurance and strength through consistent training can help build confidence and give you a sense of accomplishment that has a spillover effect on other areas of life.
Aren't these strong enough reasons for you to pursue regular exercise / fitness regime ? Broaden your horizons and begin thinking beyond weight loss. Focus on making exercise a part of your lifestyle by finding movement styles that bring you joy.
An alternative approach to your weight loss journey :
Step 1 : Gain Knowledge : Get a good understanding of the process of weight loss. Hopefully after reading about the concept of 'set point', you have realised that you need to work on lowering the set point by adopting healthy lifestyle habits. While it may seem like a long drawn process, it is what will give you sustainable results.
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”
Johann wolfgang von Goethe
Step 2: Identity roadblocks : Be aware of your unique lifestyle challenges that come in the way of achieving your goals. You know your challenges best. Become aware of them. List them down.
I like to use a weekly tracker, with few parameters listed such as hydration, sleep, activity, meditation. And see how I am doing in these. A review at the end of the week clearly brings out where I need to focus.
“The process of behaviour change always start with awareness. You need to be aware of your habits before you can change them.” - James clear, Atomic habits
Step 3 : Seek solutions to the problems you identified in Step 2 : Creative solutions like having more visual prompts or keeping an accountability partner or seeking inspiration from someone ( a coach or a support group ) are some things you can look at to overcome the roadblock.
“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Step 4 : Don't be overwhelmed by the changes you need to make for better health. Know that you are in this for the long haul and you can always start small. I encourage my clients to focus on incorporating one small healthy lifestyle habit each month.
It could be 1.5-2l water per day or 10 minute meditation or 7 hours sleep. Take action steps to make it a daily habit.
Habit stacking like this will help you build long term sustainable good health.
“If you want to master a habit, the key is to start with repetition, not perfection.” - James clear, Atomic habits
Step 5 : Question your "why" often. Ask yourself why you do what you do and how that is improving your life. I like to call it "lifestyle mapping".
We can train for many things. For example, training to do 100 push ups. But would doing 100 push ups improve your life in anyway? It's important to question this so we spend our precious time training for what really matters to us.
Get into the habit of asking yourself, “does this support the life I am trying to create?”
Client Story :
Priya joined me for classes about 4 months back. She has lost close to 12 kgs and feels energetic and strong . She has not done anything drastic or crazy to achieve this. She has been very consistent with her daily workouts with me. I have this reward system of celebrating every person that gets a 100 percent attendance and her name figures on the list every month. Here's her journey in her own words :
"I was quite an active person during my younger days and never had any weight issues. But after marriage and kids I didn't give much importance to physical activity and at that time thought my metabolic rate would remain the same forever and that I would never put on weight. Gradually the weight started increasing and I developed BP (have been on medication for last 27 years) and thyroid issues. During lockdown period, my physical activities came to a standstill and the uric acid level also increased which caused frequent gout flare ups and leg pain. All this was affecting the quality of my life. I got the shock of my life when I stood on the weighing scale and knew I would hit a century if I didn't do something about it. That is when my sister introduced me to Purnima's classes. Initially I was a bit apprehensive about joining. But she told me that Purnima gives options for people of different levels and that I will be able to do it. After joining the class for four months, I have noticed marked loss of weight and improvement in strength, stamina and general health. Some of the guidelines that I followed diligently are:
1. Do things which are sustainable for you, for weight loss. The changes I made to my life style are:
A. Show up for class everyday
B. Cutting down sweets. The habit of having sweets after lunch and dinner was replaced by fruits. I do indulge over the weekend but limited quantity. Also, I bought a small cup for coffee and tea, so that I am not cutting them completely but having smaller quantity which means smaller amount of sugar.
C. Try to have a balanced meal and include more greens for dinner. Looked up recipes and incorporated various dressings for the salads to break the monotony.
D. Eat dinner by 7.30 p.m. and have breakfast by 10.30 a.m. with just coffee before work out. So I was having a modified intermittent fasting. Also, having early dinner helped me to avoid evening tea time snacking.
E. Walk for 45 minutes on the treadmill in evening.
F. Check my weight once in a while. I think I put on a lot of weight due to the fact that I never checked it. Had I checked it regularly, I would have noticed the change earlier and it would have been easier for me to bring it under control.
2. Eat Mindfully : I have been incorporating the mindfulness practice mostly while having food and eating desserts during weekends. The multiple heaped helpings have been replaced by a single small portion which is enough to satisfy my sweet cravings.
The loss in weight and increase in strength has helped me move about more freely, climb the stairs with ease without leg pain and allowed me to indulge in my hobby of gardening. It has also increased my confidence and my long term goal is to be able to do atleast one of the Bharatnatyam dances which I used to do in my school days" - Priya Mohan
There are many more client stories of weight loss achieved through making healthy lifestyle changes that are sustainable. While it has taken some of my clients longer to achieve their goal weight, they have not regained the lost weight. Which is what your focus should be too. To achieve “sustainable weight loss” and long term good health.
I hope this post inspired you to look at your weight loss journey realistically. Let me know what you think in comments or drop me a mail. I would love to hear about your journey and guide you on your path if possible 💕
Awesome! Poornima!! With facts!! Priya darling I am eagerly waiting to see ur barathanatyam
Awesome! Poornima!! With facts!! Priya darling I am eagerly waiting to see ur barathanatyam