What is the value of exercise if you lead a healthy lifestyle

Question
Phil
I am a bit down on execise,maybe you can help.
For the past couple years I have been exercising feverishly,running thrree or more times a week and lifting weights,all in an effort to lose the belly.
I have no health issues (I have had several physicals) except for a slow metabolism-I eat like a bird and eat healthy on top of that.
Two weeks ago I started what was basically a starvation diet,under 1000 calories a day. I also stopped exercising beacause I was just too busy.
Now that weight coming off fast. I have to go buy smaller pants for the first time in years.
I feel Like all the exercis I did was a total waste.
I dont smoke or eat a lot of fat so my heart and lungs were probably OK to begin with.
Any thoughts appreciated!

Answer
Sure I can answer that.

What the benefit?? Lean tissue, which is your metabolism. Sure you got he scale to move by feeding yourself less then enough to survive but Id LOVE to know how much of that loss was lean tissue (muscle) as opposed to fat. Did you ever think of that?? The lean tissue you carry is in a sense your metabolism and you can really screw your hormones up including your metabolic ones by doing starvation diets ( i know from experience and live with a slightly depressed thyroid now but have also been able to make my way up to a pretty darn good amount of lean mass and strength just takes time.

There are a of course a plethora of other life and health benefits to exercise, mental hormonal and chemistry. Bone mass, Ease of life, and activity, a general feeling of well being and confidence. etc

I think you need to get on a smart well designed resistance training program and learn how to stop starving ones self. As well as quite judging your progress by scale weight only when what really matter most is health, performance and then lean tissue. Scale weight being last and least important and really only mattes if your a weight classed athlete. Other then that who really cares if your 100 lbs or 30 if you perform, feel, and look how you want those numbers mean nothing.

Hope that helps.
Phil
www.teamstaley.com
www.staleytraining.com  

1. Prev:Refined Sugar intake
2. Next:calories before bedtime