Contrary to some Recent Beliefs - Exercising DOES Contribute to Weight Loss

I have noticed something recently and I am not too happy about it. About a month ago or so I was told by someone that they had read an article about weight loss, and in the article it stated that walking/exercising did not contribute to weight loss. Then in a recent Readers Digest there was another weight loss article that said it again - that exercise/walking did not contribute to weight loss. I wish I could do better at giving exact info of where this information came from but I have to be honest - once I was told that bit of information about the articles - I had no desire to read the rest of what they had to say. Some would say that is being closed minded - and I am OK with that. But it is hard for me to respect what they have to say when I know differently.

Just this week on a local news station it told of an Grandpa that had weighed over 400 pounds. He decided that he had to do something about it and he started walking. He said at first it was all he could do to make it around the block - but he kept at it. He is now up to walking 8-9 miles a day and has lost - wait for it....200 pounds!!!! Now I understand that is a lot of walking but you can not tell me that his decision to start walking has not changed his life and contributed to his weight loss. Not only did it change his life but it has changed the life of his grandson and people in his neighborhood who have seen him walking. Now some of them are walking and improving their health. And let's not forget about "The Biggest Loser" I can guarantee that those people do not sit around and not exercise all the time and still come up with the amounts of weight that they lose per week..NO we see them working out - and to the extreme- more than the rest of us can do. I don't suggest anyone devote 6-8 hours to exercise, that would not be a balanced life at all. But I would suggest that you try to add some sort of exercising to your schedule. Walking is great but if you can not do that- start with movements with your arms and legs and just move your body. Those efforts will pay off in the long run by better health and the ability to do more. Anyway - I just don't understand what the desire for writing articles that include discouraging information that is totally not true. Exercise is a great thing. And weight loss is only ONE of the benefits to exercising. You can change your life and your health just by getting out and exercising. :o)