With the end of the year just around the corner and all the holidays to come, it doesn't make sense to start exercising to lose weight. You may wonder why not, because exercise is a good idea after all
Exercising to lose weight makes no sense
No point exercising to lose weight for the holidays. That's according to a study by Texas Tech University. Doing some quick exercise, dieting or whatever to lose weight and look good during the holidays keeps many people busy right now. New resolutions to lose weight are made every year. Most, however, do not keep them.
In America, there is a holiday called "Thanksgiving," which is held on the4th Thursday of November. It is celebrated extensively with a big dinner. The scientists followed 48 men and 100 women between the ages of 18 and 65.
Half of the group of men and women considered themselves serious athletes and exercised an average of 5 hours per week. The other half admitted to preferring to sit at home on the couch.
BMI was measured before and during the holidays. The researchers also examined people's fat percentage and blood pressure. Interestingly, between mid-November and early January, the subjects actually gained weight around the holidays. Even though one half of the group exercised an average of 5 hours a week. On average, people gained 0.7 kg.
It turned out that men gained the most weight around the holidays. About 1 pound. Women gained over a pound during the holidays. Among those who were already overweight, weight and fat percentage were found to increase the most.
A good reason is better than exercise for losing weight
Exercise in general is good. The fact that exercise is good for you has really proven itself. Yet there are still people who don't like sports. Fortunately, there are other ways, without sports, to lose weight.
After all, a good reason to lose weight turns out to be much more helpful in practice than just losing weight quickly. It is learning different behaviors. Different eating and exercise behavior. Constantly focusing on how many calories and what you eat to keep you from gaining weight can be counterproductive. What you focus on is what you get.
A good reason is not "Just quickly fit into that dress at Christmas" or "Just be able to put my suit on. A good reason is on another level, the level of what you really care about, and that is different for everyone.
Ask yourself the following questions
- What is your reason for losing weight?
- What is the purpose or benefit of that?
- What does that get you?
- What's important about that?
These are questions that will bring out a good reason in you that will motivate you more than just being able to put on the dress or suit. After Christmas, in fact, that's over and that reason is gone. A really good reason stays all year.
Then eating patterns, or rather the unconscious automatic program that causes you to gain weight and stay fat can also be addressed just fine. You can learn, install other, healthier and better programs that are going to better help you in the weight loss and slimming process.
Although the subjects moved more during the holidays, it did not affect their weight. Exactly how that came about, the researchers weren't sure either. It could be because perhaps too few subjects were studied, so there were no concrete numbers. However, the small differences in weight gain between those who exercised and those who preferred to sit on the couch were nil.
What we see in practice that losing weight happens under three conditions. Moving more, eating less or differently and identifying the cause of why you are so heavy. The first two are logical, the third less so but essential.
You can also tackle the latter when you have a very good reason, and you can use these four questions for that. You can also download the free tips below if you want to get started right now.
