Eating less MUCH more important than exercise for weight control

[Jingthing]

OK, we knew this already, but here it is again, in case you missed it.

...

But one of the most frustrating parts of the show, at least for me, is its overwhelming emphasis on exercise. Because when it comes to reaching a healthy weight, what you don’t eat is much, much more important.

...

But that huge upside doesn’t seem to necessarily apply to weight loss. The data just don’t support it. Unfortunately, exercise seems to excite us much more than eating less does. After all, as a friend said to me recently, “The Biggest Loser” would be really boring if it were shot after shot of contestants just not overeating.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/upshot/to-lose-weight-eating-less-is-far-more-important-than-exercising-more.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0

[robblok]

I agree partly, because the one thing that is wrong here is that they only look at body-weight and not fat mass. In many of the studies they look at body-weight. However there are studies that show exercise combined with diet to be superior because they include fat loss not weight loss. With exercise you hold onto muscle and thus loose more fat. Too bad the studies did not all record that too.

Also it depends on the individual, can give many examples where it helped and where it did not. It really depends if the person is weak willed or not. Dad did nothing about his food just went from 8.000 biking kms a year to 10.000 and lost extra weight this year. He will be 5 kg lighter as before. With me the same i lost more when i combined it with exercise. But sure if your one of those guys that needs to reward himself with foods after exercise then you loose out. If you have set meals like me then you win. So it all depends on who.

But the easiest way to get rid of 500 cals, is not to eat it (H90 will come to debate that). Personally I don't exercise for weight loss (helps a bit in my case but diet is 90%). I exercise for the other benefits as no flabby body and more energy.

[h90]

I agree partly, because the one thing that is wrong here is that they only look at body-weight and not fat mass. In many of the studies they look at body-weight. However there are studies that show exercise combined with diet to be superior because they include fat loss not weight loss. With exercise you hold onto muscle and thus loose more fat. Too bad the studies did not all record that too.

Also it depends on the individual, can give many examples where it helped and where it did not. It really depends if the person is weak willed or not. Dad did nothing about his food just went from 8.000 biking kms a year to 10.000 and lost extra weight this year. He will be 5 kg lighter as before. With me the same i lost more when i combined it with exercise. But sure if your one of those guys that needs to reward himself with foods after exercise then you loose out. If you have set meals like me then you win. So it all depends on who.

But the easiest way to get rid of 500 cals, is not to eat it (H90 will come to debate that). Personally I don't exercise for weight loss (helps a bit in my case but diet is 90%). I exercise for the other benefits as no flabby body and more energy.

No I don't debate that! One thing is, without exercise if you a small person and your body optimize on efficiency, the amounts you can eat per day get really very small if you want to have a very slim body.

Some would prefer to blow out a 1000 kcal (+what you burn more because you are more muscular) on the bicycle and have a few beers and a BBQ.

But it works perfect without: Don't eat and you get slim, no exercise needed....

[Jingthing]

I think this message is important because the mass media tends to focus on exercise in an unbalanced way. As the article points out, exercise is very beneficial (personally I know I would be a wreck without doing some) but people need to know the truth about the relative power of reducing food intake.

[robblok]

Seems we are all in agreements, its a miracle.

JT your not the only one who would be a wreck without exercise. My mom, total opposite of my dad 67 has almost never exercised (or should i say did any sports). It shows in her energy levels and how her body looks (not huge but all jelly). The moment she has to do too much she looses her breath, has all sorts of ailments.

Sure can't all blame it on not exercising, but i think some exercise is needed in life.

Dad there, recently went up a ladder 2 stories painted the roof and stuff like that, things a young man should do. He can still do it because of exercise (probably genetics too). This has taught me to keep doing something to stay into a bit of shape.

I think exercise will help the quality of life (unless you overdo it), but doing nothing is real bad (in my opinion)

[fang37]

Moderate exercise combined with diligence in dieting produced good results for me.

This combination is achievable.

[h90]

I think this message is important because the mass media tends to focus on exercise in an unbalanced way. As the article points out, exercise is very beneficial (personally I know I would be a wreck without doing some) but people need to know the truth about the relative power of reducing food intake.

I think it is OK that the mass media focus on exercise, because everyone knows that you get slim if you don't eat and you get fat if you eat too much. No one need to have that told, or am I wrong?

[mommysboy]

It's about balance. I can speak from painful recent experience on the exercise end.

Whatever the science is, nearly all of us want the cake. And it does no good unduly cutting back on food in my opinion.

On the other hand, hard exercise can be arduous and boring.

A little less food, a bit more movement is probably the answer and seemingly the most difficult balance to achieve. personally I fin moderation hell.

[h90]

I now eat once a day but drink beer. Been doing that for around 5 years.

works....but it is difficult when wife is cooking something very delicious at lunch time, but I eat only at evening.....

Found it easier to eat something during the day as well but keep everything smaller in size.

dropped the beer: Anyways the beer in Thailand is way overpriced (tax) and extreme low in quality, so it isn't hard for me to stop it.

[h90]

It's about balance. I can speak from painful recent experience on the exercise end.

Whatever the science is, nearly all of us want the cake. And it does no good unduly cutting back on food in my opinion.

On the other hand, hard exercise can be arduous and boring.

A little less food, a bit more movement is probably the answer and seemingly the most difficult balance to achieve. personally I fin moderation hell.

same.....

For me it is easier to don't eat anything, or just a can tuna per day than always in moderation.

Easier to train like crazy than have a daily healthy routine.

Being excessive works well with 20.......but not in our age

[mommysboy]

There is a 3rd part too and that is rest and relaxation. As I have recently discovered it is very important to health. Whoops!

[meatboy]

having been told i had to lose at least 3 stone,before a new aota valve replacement and a double by-pass,there was only one way,exercise was out,so it was.

a big cut down on food,less butter,chips,pies,and just about everything else,but what i found the most succesfull of all was no eating after 5pm.

[robblok]

having been told i had to lose at least 3 stone,before a new aota valve replacement and a double by-pass,there was only one way,exercise was out,so it was.

a big cut down on food,less butter,chips,pies,and just about everything else,but what i found the most succesfull of all was no eating after 5pm.

In your case exercise is adviseable after your operation too. Dad had heart operation and now does a lot of biking. That helps him reduce all the medicine he has to take.

[h90]

having been told i had to lose at least 3 stone,before a new aota valve replacement and a double by-pass,there was only one way,exercise was out,so it was.

a big cut down on food,less butter,chips,pies,and just about everything else,but what i found the most succesfull of all was no eating after 5pm.

strange...but several people tell that....last time I reduced a lot I didn't eat before 6 PM....it also worked.

[meatboy]

having been told i had to lose at least 3 stone,before a new aota valve replacement and a double by-pass,there was only one way,exercise was out,so it was.

a big cut down on food,less butter,chips,pies,and just about everything else,but what i found the most succesfull of all was no eating after 5pm.

In your case exercise is adviseable after your operation too. Dad had heart operation and now does a lot of biking. That helps him reduce all the medicine he has to take.

the first day i got home and found i could climb the stairs without any dificulty,i had struggled for over 5yrs.as i was and still are overwheight but apart from the odd giddy spell i am quite active,mind you old age is creeping up.its very rare i will eat after 5pm.and try and eat as much fruit as i can,and pies,curry,burgers,chips,battered fish,chocs and the odd can of cider.

i expect i can put it down to ENJOYING MY LIFE.may it last.

[robblok]

having been told i had to lose at least 3 stone,before a new aota valve replacement and a double by-pass,there was only one way,exercise was out,so it was.

a big cut down on food,less butter,chips,pies,and just about everything else,but what i found the most succesfull of all was no eating after 5pm.

In your case exercise is adviseable after your operation too. Dad had heart operation and now does a lot of biking. That helps him reduce all the medicine he has to take.

the first day i got home and found i could climb the stairs without any dificulty,i had struggled for over 5yrs.as i was and still are overwheight but apart from the odd giddy spell i am quite active,mind you old age is creeping up.its very rare i will eat after 5pm.and try and eat as much fruit as i can,and pies,curry,burgers,chips,battered fish,chocs and the odd can of cider.

i expect i can put it down to ENJOYING MY LIFE.may it last.

Your life your choices as long as your happy. But it was probably your lifestyle that gave you your heart problems.

[h90]

having been told i had to lose at least 3 stone,before a new aota valve replacement and a double by-pass,there was only one way,exercise was out,so it was.

a big cut down on food,less butter,chips,pies,and just about everything else,but what i found the most succesfull of all was no eating after 5pm.

In your case exercise is adviseable after your operation too. Dad had heart operation and now does a lot of biking. That helps him reduce all the medicine he has to take.

the first day i got home and found i could climb the stairs without any dificulty,i had struggled for over 5yrs.as i was and still are overwheight but apart from the odd giddy spell i am quite active,mind you old age is creeping up.its very rare i will eat after 5pm.and try and eat as much fruit as i can,and pies,curry,burgers,chips,battered fish,chocs and the odd can of cider.

i expect i can put it down to ENJOYING MY LIFE.may it last.

Your life your choices as long as your happy. But it was probably your lifestyle that gave you your heart problems.

After I eat very healthy I start to enjoy some healthy food more than I did enjoy junk before.

And pies, curries, burgers, pizza can be made in a way that it is healthy and delicious....just you must make it yourself and oddly it wouldn't cost much less than the junk version of it. But it also taste better.

And of course there is nothing at all wrong with cider, if it is dry/not sweet, I make it myself all the time.

[meatboy]

having been told i had to lose at least 3 stone,before a new aota valve replacement and a double by-pass,there was only one way,exercise was out,so it was.

a big cut down on food,less butter,chips,pies,and just about everything else,but what i found the most succesfull of all was no eating after 5pm.

In your case exercise is adviseable after your operation too. Dad had heart operation and now does a lot of biking. That helps him reduce all the medicine he has to take.

the first day i got home and found i could climb the stairs without any dificulty,i had struggled for over 5yrs.as i was and still are overwheight but apart from the odd giddy spell i am quite active,mind you old age is creeping up.its very rare i will eat after 5pm.and try and eat as much fruit as i can,and pies,curry,burgers,chips,battered fish,chocs and the odd can of cider.

i expect i can put it down to ENJOYING MY LIFE.may it last.

Your life your choices as long as your happy. But it was probably your lifestyle that gave you your heart problems.

i can definately put the causes down to my life style 1960-1999,pork dripping,chinese food,indian curries,every pie,pastie,sausages,bacon,fatty meat[lamb]

you name it i ate it.scrumpy cider,every beer that was on offer i drank anything.i still enjoy everything i mention within reason.going back to the 60's working down the coal mines,no one to advise you on what to eat and what not to,weekends out with the boys,this was life,but it opened my eye's when i went in to hospital for heart surgery just how many younger guy's were in there aswell 45-55yr olds.so eating habits had not changed.

advice eat to enjoy within reason.watch the fat thats the killer.

[singa-traz]

I hate exercice, i much prefer the magic beans.

Exercices would make me tired and uncomfortable.

[Jingthing]

More on this topic:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-you-lose-weight-with-exercise-alone1/

Can You Lose Weight with Exercise Alone?

Despite the implications of a new nonprofit funded by Coke, reams of evidence point to an unequivocal answer

In your fall Scientific American MIND feature you write “study after study shows that working out is not terribly effective for weight loss on its own.” Why is that?
Exercise increases appetite, and most people just make up for whatever they exercised off. There’s a lot of wonderful reasons to exercise and I always suggest it to people who are trying to lose weight—some sort of exercise regimen keeps them focused on their health and doing what is good for them, and it’s psychologically healthy. But in and of itself it won’t usually help people lose weight

[h90]

More on this topic:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-you-lose-weight-with-exercise-alone1/

Can You Lose Weight with Exercise Alone?

Despite the implications of a new nonprofit funded by Coke, reams of evidence point to an unequivocal answer

In your fall Scientific American MIND feature you write “study after study shows that working out is not terribly effective for weight loss on its own.” Why is that?

Exercise increases appetite, and most people just make up for whatever they exercised off. There’s a lot of wonderful reasons to exercise and I always suggest it to people who are trying to lose weight—some sort of exercise regimen keeps them focused on their health and doing what is good for them, and it’s psychologically healthy. But in and of itself it won’t usually help people lose weight

that study sponsored from Coke is the proof that you can have every study and result if you pay for it.....

But the topic is getting boring....Everyone knows what to, just everyone prefers to speak about it while eating. It is not eating less or exercise more. It is doing it than only speaking about it.

"Two years ago there was a review study in Frontiers in Psychology that concluded dieting often actually led to weight gain. Why would that happen?

When people try to diet, they try to restrict themselves, which often leads to overeating. They cut out food groups which make those food groups more desirable to them."

Seems humanity is going down to the mindset of a 3 year old.

If I restrict myself than I restrict myself and not eat more of it.

[Amusements]

That coke study was mentioned in "That Sugar Film". Well worth a watch if you are considering losing any weight, as education is just as important as exercise and eating less.

[singa-traz]

Yeah, I have noticed this also ... when I over-exercice, I tend to gain weight ... I build muscle.

[fang37]

In my experience, the best way to lose is "shud uppa ya mouf". Inexpensive also.

[h90]

Yeah, I have noticed this also ... when I over-exercice, I tend to gain weight ... I build muscle.

yes but that doesn't harm....

[rijit]

I now eat once a day but drink beer. Been doing that for around 5 years.

I assume your getting fruit veg ect ect that you need, but the large amounts of sugar in the beer will give u 'energy ' but ultimatly undo any good, your doing and imo there will v probably be some repercussions in your health at some point.

rijit

[h90]

I now eat once a day but drink beer. Been doing that for around 5 years.

I assume your getting fruit veg ect ect that you need, but the large amounts of sugar in the beer will give u 'energy ' but ultimatly undo any good, your doing and imo there will v probably be some repercussions in your health at some point.

rijit

beer doesn't have sugar, or very little.....

[MaeJoMTB]

I exercise a lot and eat as much as I want.

Works for me.

No will power to stop eating.

None of these guys look fat.

(I'm in this video, but not a featured rider)

[Jingthing]

I exercise a lot and eat as much as I want.

Works for me.

No will power to stop eating.

Have you ever been obese in your life?

Have you ever lost a significant amount of weight eating as much of whatever you like as you want?

If so, you'd be VERY RARE.

[MaeJoMTB]

I exercise a lot and eat as much as I want.

Works for me.

No will power to stop eating.

Have you ever been obese in your life?

Have you ever lost a significant amount of weight eating as much of whatever you like as you want?

If so, you'd be VERY RARE.

I lost 17Kg, eating as much as I want, down from 90Kg to 73Kg.