Perhaps just as important, bear in mind that exercise has benefits beyond weight reduction. In the study of obese people who took up exercise, most became notably healthier, increasing their aerobic capacity, decreasing their blood pressure and resting heart rates, and, the authors write, achieving “an acute exercise-induced increase in positive mood,” leading the authors to conclude that, “significant and meaningful health benefits can be achieved even in the presence of lower than expected exercise-induced weight loss.”
via Phys Ed: Why Doesn’t Exercise Lead to Weight Loss? – Well Blog – NYTimes.com.
I’ve noticed this admission over and over in mainstream sources–the same sources that otherwise make one think that weight loss is the only way to get these health benefits.