Q&A: exercise for weight loss; Ozempic envy; urinary urgency; & defining perimenopause
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Disclaimer: The views expressed here are entirely my own. They do not reflect those of my employer, nor are they a substitute for advice from your personal physician.
QUESTION #1: EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Is it true that exercise doesnāt help with weight loss? I just read this article that made me question why I drag myself to the gym in the AM!! I am frustrated that ppl can take Ozempic and I am doing the hardest part and not losing- what am I missing??
- DSĀ
Dear DS,
I hear your frustration, and I will answer your question in two parts. The first is about exercise and whether it promotes weight loss. The short answer is: it depends. Numerous studies show that exercise alone generally doesnāt promote weight loss.
It makes sense. Brisk walking for 30 minutes burns, on average, around 140 calories, approximately the same number of calories in a 12-ounce latte with 2% milk. Yet, we might assume itās more. How we and our bodies āinterpretā exercise is partly why there is so much variability between patients in terms of the effectiveness of exercise for weight loss.
Many of my patients exercise religiously but still have difficulty losing weight. Part of this is normal human physiology. For some of my patients, exercise and not losing weight reflects a common pattern of daytime restrictive eating paired with nighttime compensatory over-eating (as I describe here). And sometimes the extra weight is even due to exercise itself.
To be clear: Iām not saying that increased exercise cannot and will not help some people lose weight in a sustainable, healthy way. It will, and it can. Iām also not saying we shouldnāt take responsibility for our everyday habits in the areas where we actually have choice. We should.
When it comes to exercise, the problem I commonly see isnāt the absence of adequate activity; itās about why, how, and when we move our bodies.Ā For more of my thoughts on this, click here.Ā
The upshot: exercise is good for every aspect of healthāmental and physical. Itās important to appreciate the benefits beyond simply the number on the scale, as difficult as that can be!
I will answer your second question belowā¦
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QUESTION #2: OZEMPIC ENVY
āI am frustrated that ppl can take Ozempic and I am doing the hardest part [exercising] and not losing- what am I missing??ā
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