I have more than one client who has had difficulty losing weight. We try new things and sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. They key is to keep changing things up until we find the combination of food and exercise that works for them. One of the things I think it is very important for them and everybody else to understand is that an overweight person is not necessarily an unfit person. I have said this before, but I recently read a study published in 2007 that followed 2087 men and 516 women aged 60 years or older for up to 28 years. The people in this study ranged from normal weight (BMI 18.5- 24.9) to obese Class II (BMI ≥ 35.0).

The results of this study indicated that:

… low fitness predicted higher risk of all-cause mortality after adjustment for potential confounding factors, including adiposity. Fit individuals had greater longevity than unfit individuals, regardless of their body composition or fat distribution. Our data provide further evidence regarding the complex long-term relationship among fitness, body size, and survival. It may be possible to reduce all-cause death rates among older adults, including those who are obese, by promoting regular physical activity, such as brisk walking for 30 minutes or more on most days of the week (about 8 kcal/kg per week), which will keep most individuals out of the low-fitness category. Enhancing functional capacity also should allow older adults to achieve a healthy lifestyle and to enjoy longer life in better health.

These results show that even you are overweight, you will still be healthier if you continue to exercise and eat well. Your risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure and premature death will remain lower than your inactive counterparts as long as you continue to take care of yourself even if you don’t lose a pound ever!

Keep moving and don’t let weight loss be your motivator. Continued good health and a longer life is a better payoff, don’t you think?

The article can be found here: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/298/21/2507