Fitness and losing weight - Gladys Knight loses weight on DWTS

[Waterlilly]

I just saw this article in US Weekly: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-body/news/dancing-with-the-stars-gladys-knight-ive-lost-60-pounds-2012254

Apparently, Gladys Knight lost 30 pounds in 2 months on DWTS. Kirstie Alley did too. In fact, just 2 years ago, I was pretty active, watching what I ate (triscuits, anyone?) and actually ballroom dancing myself, and I kept my weight at a decent and steady level. I also remember dropping about 10 pounds and SQUEEZING   into size 8 jeans. But I also remember "dieting REALLY HARD" to get there and thinking "wow, this was a LOT of work. I don't know if I can do this again".  Fast forward to a couple of years later. The dancing is gone and I sit on my butt in front of a computer, working on a Masters degree, and I put on about 20 pounds from that great, constantly active ballroom dancing weight. That's because, the activity was NOT the answer.

Here's my point and what I realized for myself, especially with my own experiences and when I hear about these "wonderful" stories of people who move 8 hours a day and just "drop so much weight!"

Are you ready? Here it is....I think this is NUTS!    Sure, I could kill myself with exercise and drop some weight too. BUT...here's the thing..I don't want to.

BUT...here's the REAL issue... The excessive exercise is just a band-aid on the REAL problem, which is my SENSITIVITY to CARBS and SUGARS. So while I can exercise my butt off (literally) I still haven't fixed the REAL problem. Furthermore, with a family history of diabetes (my Dad had a kidney transplant 2 years ago and is insulin dependent) and a hypoglycemic my whole life (including a chubby childhood) I have ABUSED exercise  .

Exercise, for me, is just a coverup. Sure, I LIKE to exercise. I'm currently hot to try a BodyPump   class at the gym because I like it. I also like Zumba. BUT, the REAL issue, at the end of the day, is CARBS an SUGAR  . I could easily end up one of those sort of lean people with that "pooch" that won't go away and STILL develop a disease because I didn't address the REAL problem. Well, here's where I address the REAL problem.

So now, when I see these "I lost 80 pounds working out all the time!" stories, I think "yeah, right. You still haven't fixed the REAL problem".  Fixing that problem is what I'm starting to do now.

Yea!

[Doug Varrieur]

You are exactly correct. Fighting your food in the gym is just that...fighting your food. Re-read "The exercise connection" section of your book for confirmation of your discovery :-)

[Waterlilly]

You are exactly correct. Fighting your food in the gym is just that...fighting your food. Re-read "The exercise connection" section of your book for confirmation of your discovery :-)

I like how you phrase that: "Fighting your food".  I will reread that section of the book. Thanks Doug.

P.S. I think what you wrote and what I saw on the news stands (it practically whacked me in the face with such BOLD headlines!) sort of mixed together and clicked for me. That must be how this idea started for me!

[Andrea]

I've known for a long time that exercise has lots of benefits in terms of my overall fitness but it does NOT aid weight loss.  There is a segment of the fitness community that acknowleges this but it the exercise myth is right up there with the low fat-whole grains brainwashing that is so harmful to so many people.

[umpa]

I exercise,not for weight control but for the cardio and to help with my menopause symptoms.

[mouseissue]

Right on, Waterlilly!

You've got your mind wrapped tightly around the weight loss solution.

Exercise is good for you.
But it's purpose cannot be to lose weight on a permanent basis.

We know that the cause of our excess FAT is due to what we've eaten.
Not the exercise we did or did not do.
By controlling what enters the gateway to our bodies (our mouths), we can control our weight.

[catznflwrz]

Hi WaterLilly, thanks for this reminder. I can not exercises without pain and am laying on a heating pad today because of doing too much for me, yesterday. In my weight loss odyssey I keep feeling like surly I must DO more...like guilty for not moving to get more results, but when I do, I pay for it with pain. This discussion you created by mention of Gladys Knight etc. was greatly needed by me. Another example of help from the FTS family...again! Another thanks to all FTS family, Catznflwrz

[Andrea]

Good to hear from you catznflwrz.  Sorry to hear about the pain.  How are you doing with FTS?

[Waterlilly]

Glad to help! It's nice to have a forum to share my ephiphany. It might be all settled with you, but for me it was like a brand new discovery where I say, "No way! I figured it out!!"  It was a happy moment. 

Ask any bodubuilder or fitness competitor, and they will tell you things like "Great abs are built in the kitchen" or " a great body is 20% exercise and 80% diet" or "watching what you eat is the key to your success".

Sure it is. For US, that's the "low carb" key to success!