Exercise Fights Middle-Age Spread

More proof that exercise is an idiot's game for weight control. (for more info, see here, here and here)

Staying active helps stave off midlife weight gain during the transition from young adulthood to middle age -- especially for women, according to a major longitudinal study.

The study of more than 3,500 men and women followed for more than 20 years found that high activity levels led to less excess weight over the years -- 5.7 fewer pounds (2.6 kg) gained per year in men and 13.4 fewer pounds (6.1 kg) a year for women -- both significant compared with low activity levels, Arlene L. Hankinson, MD, MS, of Northwestern University in Chicago, and colleagues reported.

Even sticking with the government guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day had a significant -- though more modest -- effect over two decades, Hankinson and co-authors wrote in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

What does this really mean?

For men, all the time spent exercising burned a mere 54.6 Calories per day and for women it was 128 Calories per day.

So spending more than 30 minutes daily in physical activity (excluding changing clothes, showering, traveling, etc.) not only led to "less excess weight," i.e., they still gained some, but burned fewer Calories than simply substituting a sugar-free soda for a sugared one would have saved.

It is better not to think of the mythical age-related weight gain.

Weight gain is Calorie-related.

At any age, weight will come off if fewer Calories are consumed than burned.

At any age, weight will be added if more Calories are consumed than burned.

That is a law that reigns supreme in the entire known universe.

It is even true for fat people.