Fit and Fat -- Does it Matter?
It is true that exercise is beneficial even if you don't lose weight. However, being physically fit while remaining overweight leaves you with health risks that you just don't need. If you can lose weight as well as swim a mile or bike regularly, your chances of avoiding a heart attack or stroke improve.
Many people find that exercise alone doesn't lead to weight loss. In fact, working out leads to increases in muscle mass; this may actually increase the reading on the scale. In addition, exercising can make you ravenously hungry, so you eat enough to replace the calories you have burned, and then some. The disappointing surprise for many people who exercise 30 minutes or more every day is that they don't automatically shed the fat around their waistlines. They are both fit and fat.
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