Thinking TIME magazine's recent article, "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin," is giving you a good excuse to skip your workout in favor of a beer or 3? Think again. We've always known that exercise is critical to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight, especially when paired with healthy eating habits. But just to be sure, we double-checked with six experts around the country — here's what they said.
Countless studies, numerous experts who study exercise, and the millions of people who have lost weight all attest to the fact that working out works. "Exercise is absolutely essential for dropping weight and maintaining weight loss," says FITNESS advisory board member Michele S. Olson, PhD, professor of exercise science at Auburn University Montgomery. Here's what exercise does — and how it does it — to keep you healthy, happy, and slim.
1. Exercise zaps belly fat.