When exercise doesn’t help you lose weight

SINGAPORE — You exercise at least three times a week, and have cut fat and sweets from your diet. Why are you still not losing weight? Let the experts clear the fog on common exercise myths and provide advice on how to lose weight the right way.

Myth: Doing crunches will get rid of belly fat

You build muscle when you work problem spots, but that does not mean you lose fat from those areas, said physiotherapist Su Yunfeng from Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

He said: “Fat is lost from the entire body during exercise, and the area where fat reduction occurs first often depends on genetics and gender.”

Women generally have a tougher time losing weight as they tend to have a higher percentage of body fat than men, said Ms Cindy Ng, SGH’s principal physiotherapist.

Do this instead: Aim for overall fat loss

Revamp your lifestyle to get enough physical activity and eat healthily, said Mr Ray Loh, an exercise physiologist at Sports Medicine and Surgery Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Besides reaping benefits such as better heart health, getting fitter through exercise also helps you to metabolise fat at a higher rate, compared with a less-fit person who has to rely more on metabolising carbohydrates for energy, which, in turn, makes him feel hungry easily.

Persevere if you do not see results after one or two months, said Mr Loh. You will need three to six months of exercise and diet control for weight loss to kick in.

He added: “Depending on the individual and intensity of exercise, you may be building muscle mass while losing fat mass. Thus, there may be no change in weight for one to three months.”

Myth: Any kind of exercise will help you lose weight

Compared with strengthening and stretching exercises, cardio exercises are more effective in burning calories, said Ms Ng Deng Peng, senior physiotherapist from SGH.

The downside is, people who do cardio workouts at a higher level, such as high-intensity interval training, increase their musculoskeletal injury risks, she said.

Do this instead: Exercise moderately throughout the day

Try moderately challenging exercises that can be sustained for at least 20 to 30 minutes per session, said SGH physiotherapist Aaron Yeo.

To lose weight, he said the sessions should add up to 300 minutes every week.

According to Mr Loh, exercising sporadically throughout the day, rather than all at once, helps to burn more calories and keep your metabolic rate high.

To check if you are exercising at an effective weight-losing pace, do the sing test, said SGH’s physiotherapist Kirsten McClements. You should have enough breath to talk in full sentences but not enough to sing.

Myth: Weight that comes off, stays off

Rebound weight gain is possible. Studies have shown that it takes a minimum of 12 weeks to internalise a habit. During this time, it is common for people to fall off the bandwagon. Reverting to their old habits such as frequent snacking may result in rebound weight gain, said Ms Ng.

Do this instead: Lose weight slowly and steadily, and get enough sleep

Aim for a manageable half to 1kg of weight loss per week to prevent burnout, injuries and rebound weight gain, said Mr Loh.

Avoid low-carbohydrate diets as they are not sustainable. You may end up packing on the kilos when you start eating carbs again, said Ms Abbie Sim, dietitian from National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP).

She said: “Generally, weight gain is due to the high intake of calories and the lack of physical activity.

“A person who avoids carbs during a crash diet but does not change his lifestyle will initially lose weight. But if he eats carbs again and remains as sedentary as before, he will regain the weight.”

It is also a good idea to factor in regular sleep as part of your weight-loss programme. According to Ms Sim, studies have shown that sleep deprivation messes up the body’s ability to regulate hormones that regulate satiety and appetite.

Myth: If you exercise, you can eat anything

Exercise alone is not sufficient to battle the bulge. A Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research study published this February testifies to this: Seventy per cent of overweight women who did aerobic exercises without altering their diet ended up piling on fat mass instead of losing weight.

When you consume more calories than what your body’s metabolic and physical activities need, the leftover calories are converted into fat and stored, said Mr Loh.

This is not to say that your workouts are for naught. “Exercise helps you to increase your energy expenditure,” said Mr Loh.

For example, a fitter person who runs 10km in an hour may expend about 800 calories.

A less-fit person of the same weight may burn only about 400 calories as he may only be able to brisk-walk for 5km in the same time.

Now if both individuals consume a small snack with carbohydrate drinks worth 300 to 400 calories after the workout, the less-fit person will find it harder to lose weight, says Mr Loh.

Do this instead: Go for fibre-rich snacks

It doesn’t mean you should starve yourself after exercise either. Post-workout eating is essential to replenish energy and promote muscle growth, especially within half an hour of exercise.

Furthermore, strenuous exercise can sometimes create hormone-induced cravings for sweet and unhealthy food, said physiotherapist Renee Thong from Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

One way to get around these cravings is to reach for high-fibre snacks. Ms Sim suggests a serving of fruit, a handful of baked or roasted raw nuts, or low-salt and non-fried seaweed.

If you are at home, make yourself a peanut-butter sandwich using a slice of wholemeal bread with a thin spread of peanut butter.

“When taken in place of snacks that are high in fat and sugar, fibre-rich snacks can help one control weight,” she said.

Dehydration can also trigger cravings, so be sure to drink enough fluids, said Ms Sim. Stick to plain water to avoid consuming extra calories.