Time magazine's intriguing cover piece of a couple weeks ago, ``Why exercise won't make you thin'' by John Cloud, remained one of the top 10 most read stories on Time's website through last week, in part because we're desperate for a magic bullet.

For years, food manufacturers have been telling us not to blame cheap and processed food for the obesity crisis. Instead, we all just need to move more and to get recess back into the schools.

Now here comes Cloud, insisting that it might be better to sit in a chair and knit because exercise can make you hungry. Since most of us burn far fewer calories than we think during a workout, a postexercise treat could negate the whole workout.

Another problem according to Cloud: Exercise is so boring and painful that we reward ourselves with fattening food when we're done.

The basis for much of the article was a recent study published in Public Library of Science in which three groups of obese women exercised at three different intensity levels. The findings showed that the women who exercised did not lose significantly more weight than the control subjects.

But as Mark Grabiner, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago, pointed out, the article failed to mention the study participants were postmenopausal women, not the 20-something pictured on the cover. As we age, changes in the body make it harder to lose weight.

``The key message that exercise is not a pathway to weight loss? Ridiculous,'' said Grabiner, the director of the university's Clinical Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Laboratory.

The article also overlooks that there are two main types of exercisers in the world: Those who have found the type of workouts they love and those who haven't. If you don't like running on a treadmill because it hurts your knees, don't do it. Find something that fits your lifestyle, your body and your temperament. For some, that might mean walking. For others, it might mean group exercise classes or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Once you've discovered your favorite way to move, exercise is a reward, not a punishment. You may feel so good after a yoga class that you don't want to put crappy food back into your body. And you'll soon realize the side effects of exercise include a clear head, a better mood and feelings of strength and confidence.

Yes, running five miles might make you hungry as it revs up your metabolism. So make wise food choices -- it's counterproductive to walk to Starbucks for a caloric muffin or beverage -- and invoke some willpower.

Surprise your body by changing things up. Redefine ``exercise'' as any movement you get during the day -- then seek out new ways to get more of it.

And make fitness -- not weight loss -- your primary goal. The pounds will slip off.

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