Doctor urges an end to fitness myth

BOCA RATON, Fla., Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Constantly linking exercise with weight loss may cause more people to fail at reaching their goals, a bariatric physician suggests.

Dr. Sasson Moulavi says exercise is ideal for maintaining weight once goals are met but is usually counterproductive in trying to lose weight.

"I've seen far better results from patients that strictly follow a lifestyle program than those that work to incorporate exercise into their weight loss regime," Sass says in a statement. "When you exercise, your body certainly burns calories, but it also creates hunger and compensates with food, which is counterproductive."

When people exercise, they burn calories and feel justified in eating a little more here and there, which can sabotage their efforts because many eat more calories than they burned, Moulavi says.

For example, a study published last year in the International Journal of Obesity, found during the 18-month study of 538 students "when the kids start to exercise, they end up eating more -- an average of 100 calories more than they had just burned," Moulavi says.

Moulavi recommends eating healthy, nutritious foods, getting the weight off and then focusing on an exercise routine to keep it off.