I just wanted to give you some words of encouragement to start your strength training program! I have had many clients come into the gym wanting to lose weight. When I start them on a weight-bearing machine, they always complain and say they’d rather run on the treadmill. I have to then explain in order to lose the excess weight; they need to incorporate aerobic exercise with strength training. The muscle they gain will increase their metabolism and begin to tone their body. When you lose weight without strength training, you can lose fat and muscle. You would just become a smaller version of your heavier self, without the tone.

Mark Halperin
Editor at Large
Time Magazine
1271 Avenue Of The Americas
New York, NY 10020

Dear Mr. Halperin:

Recently, questions have arisen as to the efficacy of exercise as a means for weight loss – and,
beyond that, whether exercise is a needed lifestyle practice at all.

As a collective of organizations and individuals that strongly support the benefits of physical activity, we wish to underscore the importance of exercise not only to weight loss, but to overall health.

Exercise is, indeed, a crucial part of the weight-loss equation. Activity and proper nutrition are both necessary keys to both positively altering body composition and maintaining a healthy weight. As reported at the recent “Weight of the Nation” conference, held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity accounts for some $147 billion in annual U.S. health
care costs. At such a crucial economic time, we should be encouraging behaviors that reduce these costs, not further increasing them by promoting sedentary lifestyles.

Perhaps even more important, exercise is a powerful preventive tool that can yield benefits far
beyond weight loss. Indeed, exercise has been consistently shown to:

· Help prevent and treat numerous chronic conditions, including heart disease, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and more

· Boost mood and prevent depression

· Enhance quality of life during the aging process, helping to maintain functionality and increase life expectancy

These – not just fitting into a favorite pair of jeans – are the most important benefits of exercise.

We encourage Time to highlight these benefits in future stories, in order to give your readers a balanced and accurate understanding of the factors that lead to optimum health.

Sincerely,
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine
American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation
American College of Preventive Medicine
American College of Sports Medicine
American Council on Exercise
American Kinesiotherapy Association
American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine
American Physical Therapy Association
Association for Applied Sport Psychology
Avamere Health & Fitness Club
Be Active New York State
Diane Sabba, Motivational Coach
Fitness Together
Healing Moves Foundation
Ian Fagala, Personal Trainer
IDEA Health & Fitness Association
International Council on Active Aging
International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association
Iuka Hospital Wellness Center
Kelly Kidd, Personal Trainer
Lighten the Load
MAKE IT FIT
Medical Fitness Association
National Academy of Sports Medicine
National Association for Sport and Physical Education
National Athletic Trainers’ Association
National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity
Nia International
Plus One
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Shaping America’s Youth
Sleep Consultants, Inc.
Società Italiana di Medicina dello Sport e dell’Esercizio
Stephen Taylor, Endurance Coach & Fitness Trainer
Summit Cancer Solutions
Survivors’ Training®
Tara Raisig, RN
United States Professional Tennis Association
USA Table Tennis
USA Taekwondo
Youth Fitness Coalition/Project ACES

This is why choosing nutrient dense foods (chicken, fruit, veggies, etc.) rather than foods with numerous unnecessary calories (donuts, fast food, simple carbs, and excess fats)
allow the intake of good nutrients without taking in excessive calories. To maintain a consistent diet like this, it takes discipline which, unfortunately, is more difficult for some. When advertisements are mainly for boxed, processed food and fast food establishments it is very hard to make healthy choices. If you can be this disciplined, you will have better luck staying under the caloric intake for your body to efficiently improve body composition (increased lean body mass and decreased body fat).

To help motivate themselves many people use resources such as personal trainers, calorie counters and even a cheat meal once a week where they can enjoy their favorite food. Once people stop “dieting” and make a transition to a healthy lifestyle they are less likely to eat high calorie, less nutrient dense foods and are more aware of the calories and fat in their meals.

It would take me days to touch on all the aspects of what is wrong with this article but hopefully I’ve hit on most of the important issues. The most important thing to remember is CHOOSING FOOD THAT IS NUTRIENT DENSE TO ALLOW THE DEMANDS OF THE BODY AND MAINTAIN THAT CALORIC DEFICIT. Please note this is for the general population. People with medical and hormonal problems might fall into a totally different category.