Why is weight loss and fitness always talked about as if they are interchangeable?
walker1world
Posts: 259 Member
I think we aren't doing our selves any favors talking about these things as if they are joined. The truth is you can loose weight and never exercise. You may not be fit, and totally out of shape. I know a lot of people that aren't fat that can't walk 10 flights of stairs. I also know a lot of people that are over weight that run or walk miles everyday and still have issues with their weight.
I think linking these 2 together is dangerous because if you have to run 5 miles a day to loose weight then your going to need to run 5 miles a day to stay at that weight. Get hurt or sick and watch the weight pile back on. If you decide to exercise to assist in your weight loss make sure it's something you have fun doing so that you can do it the rest of your life. This calories in calories out thought is driving the wrong behaviors we should be asking why do we get fat? Not just the macro view but the micro. What is the mechanism that stores fat?
Find the answer to that question then understand what regulates that mechanism and you will see why weight loss and fitness are cousins not twins.
I have not really started exercising but I will, it will be about getting fit, not loosing weight.
I think linking these 2 together is dangerous because if you have to run 5 miles a day to loose weight then your going to need to run 5 miles a day to stay at that weight. Get hurt or sick and watch the weight pile back on. If you decide to exercise to assist in your weight loss make sure it's something you have fun doing so that you can do it the rest of your life. This calories in calories out thought is driving the wrong behaviors we should be asking why do we get fat? Not just the macro view but the micro. What is the mechanism that stores fat?
Find the answer to that question then understand what regulates that mechanism and you will see why weight loss and fitness are cousins not twins.
I have not really started exercising but I will, it will be about getting fit, not loosing weight.
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Replies
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Always?
Yeah, you read a different site than I do. The prevailing, near-unanimous position I see is that they are separate.9 -
Most folks here believe that weight loss happens from a caloric deficit, period. Add exercise for fitness -- and because it's great -- but it's not a prerequisite for losing weight. That's what I get from these boards, and I agree.9
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If I choose to create a deficit, in part or in whole, by running five miles a day, I won't have to keep that up to maintain my weight loss. I could run five miles a day and then adjust my calories to meet my maintaining (non-running) needs.
If I EAT like I'm still running five miles a day, I'll have problems. But as long as my calorie consumption is based on reality, I'll be fine.12 -
not everyone does that...
Often you hear this phrase "calorie deficit is for weight loss, exercise is for health and fitness".
Most who are NOT new here understand the difference.
For example the first 20lbs I lost was through calorie deficit alone...made it easier to exercise...so I started to do that too...gave me more food to eat, made me feel better and got me fit....but it didn't help me lose weight.7 -
Why is weight loss and fitness always talked about as if they are interchangeable?
It isn't.
Why do people use the word "always" when they mean "sometimes"?13 -
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not everyone does that...
Often you hear this phrase "calorie deficit is for weight loss, exercise is for health and fitness".
Most who are NOT new here understand the difference.
For example the first 20lbs I lost was through calorie deficit alone...made it easier to exercise...so I started to do that too...gave me more food to eat, made me feel better and got me fit....but it didn't help me lose weight.
When I was in the wilderness and had no clue about nutrition and fitness, these cliches and dogmatic saying only led me astray. Did a lot more harm than good.
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For many here, their weight is the single biggest component of their lack of fitness. That said, I think most here realize they are separate. I have weight goals and fitness goals; they are separate but somewhat interrelated.
And exercise is a great help in keeping weight off. Among other things it can help reduce insulin and leptin resistances, which are key problems that can lead to obesity.3 -
I'm not sure that means what you think it does.4
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Why is weight loss and fitness always talked about as if they are interchangeable?
It isn't.
Why do people use the word "always" when they mean "sometimes"?
Maybe OP means that new people coming to here think that? That seems to be a common part of new people threads that ask for help.0 -
Well, he edited so much it's hard to tell what he originally meant.
The post currently reads as if weight loss is getting too much emphasis at the expense of fitness, but that kind of cuts against what he originally wrote.
Perhaps he'll clarify.2 -
I definitely was reminded years ago to choose activities t would enjoy for life.
Made sense to me e!0 -
I calorie count to lose weight.... I exercise to get away from the zombies faster than you. Simple:)14
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clgaram720 wrote: »I calorie count to lose weight.... I exercise to get away from the zombies faster than you. Simple:)
Getting away from zombies is admirable. Me... I aim for world domination and calorie count to make that happen.2 -
BecomingBane wrote: »clgaram720 wrote: »I calorie count to lose weight.... I exercise to get away from the zombies faster than you. Simple:)
Getting away from zombies is admirable. Me... I aim for world domination and calorie count to make that happen.
Lol, but what will you dominate when the zombies come???! You can be my Abraham. I'm building a zombie apocalypse team! #TWD3 -
clgaram720 wrote: »BecomingBane wrote: »clgaram720 wrote: »I calorie count to lose weight.... I exercise to get away from the zombies faster than you. Simple:)
Getting away from zombies is admirable. Me... I aim for world domination and calorie count to make that happen.
Lol, but what will you dominate when the zombies come???! You can be my Abraham. I'm building a zombie apocalypse team! #TWD
My mustache is cooler.1 -
clgaram720 wrote: »I calorie count to lose weight.... I exercise to get away from the zombies faster than you. Simple:)
We must follow the same regimen.. Let's see who gets eaten first
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I'm more likely to see people on mfp talk about exercise and fitness as completely optional to weight loss.
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walker1world wrote: »I think we aren't doing our selves any favors talking about these things as if they are joined. The truth is you can loose weight and never exercise. You may not be fit, and totally out of shape. I know a lot of people that aren't fat that can't walk 10 flights of stairs. I also know a lot of people that are over weight that run or walk miles everyday and still have issues with their weight.
I think linking these 2 together is dangerous because if you have to run 5 miles a day to loose weight then your going to need to run 5 miles a day to stay at that weight. Get hurt or sick and watch the weight pile back on. If you decide to exercise to assist in your weight loss make sure it's something you have fun doing so that you can do it the rest of your life. This calories in calories out thought is driving the wrong behaviors we should be asking why do we get fat? Not just the macro view but the micro. What is the mechanism that stores fat?
Find the answer to that question then understand what regulates that mechanism and you will see why weight loss and fitness are cousins not twins.
I have not really started exercising but I will, it will be about getting fit, not loosing weight.
I'm sorry but it sounds like you think how you approach weight loss changes how you loose weight. Why would you need to exercise to create a deficit when you are maintaining? Your physics/biology doesn't make any sense.
And we know how fat is stored. Basic biochemistry. It's not a mystery.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/fat-cell.htm
I agree with your basic thesis, it's about CICO, and you can get there with or without exercise, but I think you could use a biology brush-up1 -
BecomingBane wrote: »clgaram720 wrote: »BecomingBane wrote: »clgaram720 wrote: »I calorie count to lose weight.... I exercise to get away from the zombies faster than you. Simple:)
Getting away from zombies is admirable. Me... I aim for world domination and calorie count to make that happen.
Lol, but what will you dominate when the zombies come???! You can be my Abraham. I'm building a zombie apocalypse team! #TWD
My mustache is cooler.
I believe you!mrsnazario1219 wrote: »clgaram720 wrote: »I calorie count to lose weight.... I exercise to get away from the zombies faster than you. Simple:)
We must follow the same regimen.. Let's see who gets eaten first
And you can be my Carol!2 -
I do now, and will always exercise so that I can eat more of the things I love! I chose exercises that I know I will continue to do for that trade off. I don’t now, never have, and never will exercise because I think it is fun. For me, exercise is a necessary ingredient for sustainable weight and long term health. I also consider weight loss necessary for fitness. So, weight loss and fitness may not be interchangeable, but weight loss was the first step for me.0
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There would be no point me losing weight if fitness wasn't going to be a part of it.
Sure, I could lose weight with no exercise. I have done that. Lots of people do.
But the main reason I'm losing weight is so that I can exercise more. So my current weight loss is the result of a combination of eating slightly less and exercising more.0 -
There would be no point me losing weight if fitness wasn't going to be a part of it.
Sure, I could lose weight with no exercise. I have done that. Lots of people do.
But the main reason I'm losing weight is so that I can exercise more. So my current weight loss is the result of a combination of eating slightly less and exercising more.
I read this a long time ago and it just hit me what you said. I was having a discussion with someone else and they said something similar and It took me awhile to figure out where I had heard this before.
If your whole point of loosing weight is to exercise more then what happens if you can't exercise? Don't get me wrong I think fitness is a great thing but healthy and fitness is totally independent of each other. There are alot of fit people who aren't healthy. You hear about them all the time you know the marathon runner who has heart disease. Case in point Wilt Chamberlain died of a heart attack only a few days after completing a marathon. He was one of our premier athletes most of his life and always strived to be fit or in shape.
I have learned that using terms like fitness, healthy and weight loss interchangeablly leeds people think they are doing one when they are doing the other.
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There would be no point me losing weight if fitness wasn't going to be a part of it.
Sure, I could lose weight with no exercise. I have done that. Lots of people do.
But the main reason I'm losing weight is so that I can exercise more. So my current weight loss is the result of a combination of eating slightly less and exercising more.
You can be fit and still be unhealthy. How many times have you heard of the man that runs marathons that has the heart attack.
When wilt chamberlain died he has ran a marathon the day before.
If you are obese and you lose weight there are a lot of medications doctors usually take you off.
So I try not to link the 2 activities.0 -
CoffeeNCardio wrote: »I calorie count to lose weight.... I exercise to get away from the zombies faster than you. Simple:)
You, madam, are awesome.0 -
vivmom2014 wrote: »Most folks here believe that weight loss happens from a caloric deficit, period. Add exercise for fitness -- and because it's great -- but it's not a prerequisite for losing weight. That's what I get from these boards, and I agree.
Have you ever asked your self what are the mechanics of fat storage in the human body?
Is it that when you eat something it goes into a little furnace and gets burned if there is to much food it gets stored as fat?
Our body is a lot more complicated then that. Our body is manged by hormones. We do what our hormomes tell us to do. We my try to fight it but we give in to our hormomes eventually.
Calories in calories out leaves the question what body organ uses calories for fuel?0 -
There would be no point me losing weight if fitness wasn't going to be a part of it.
Sure, I could lose weight with no exercise. I have done that. Lots of people do.
But the main reason I'm losing weight is so that I can exercise more. So my current weight loss is the result of a combination of eating slightly less and exercising more.
Thank you0 -
walker1world wrote: »Case in point Wilt Chamberlain died of a heart attack only a few days after completing a marathon. He was one of our premier athletes most of his life and always strived to be fit or in shape.
Wilt Chamberlain? I don't think he was in any kind of shape to be running a marathon a few days before his death, having been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, losing over 50 pounds, and being in very poor health in the months leading up to his death.
Are you thinking of Jim Fixx, perhaps? He popularized "jogging" and died while running, although not during nor immediately following a marathon. Fixx had a genetic predisposition toward heart disease (his father died young of a heart attack) and was a heavy smoker.
In any case, there are rare sudden deaths associated with long distance running in people who seem to be perfectly healthy. There can be significant changes to the heart that may not cause any symptoms.4 -
walker1world wrote: »vivmom2014 wrote: »Most folks here believe that weight loss happens from a caloric deficit, period. Add exercise for fitness -- and because it's great -- but it's not a prerequisite for losing weight. That's what I get from these boards, and I agree.
Have you ever asked your self what are the mechanics of fat storage in the human body?
Is it that when you eat something it goes into a little furnace and gets burned if there is to much food it gets stored as fat?
Our body is a lot more complicated then that. Our body is manged by hormones. We do what our hormomes tell us to do. We my try to fight it but we give in to our hormomes eventually.
Calories in calories out leaves the question what body organ uses calories for fuel?
While insulin is elevated after eating, whatever you have eaten is used as energy source right then, and after awhile if not needed and glucose stores are topped off (muscle & liver), then the unneeded is stored/converted as fat since fat release was stopped too and storage mode was on, then blood sugar lowers along with insulin and you are back to mainly fat burn as energy source during your low intensity day.
Nothing uses calories for fuel - because calories is a measurement of potential energy.
That would be like asking - what parts of your car use gallons for fuel? None in literal sense. Question really doesn't make sense - can't answer it.
But your whole body uses energy from carbs and/or fat and/or protein and/or lactic acid and/or ketones.
What you got available and your level of intensity determines what is used.
But you are right in the 2 should be viewed as separate.
Though exercise could help you to adhere to a diet.
Would you rather burn 2500 and eat 2000 with exercise - and have body improve?
Or burn 2000 and eat 1500 no exercise - and have smaller version of existing body?
And to your comment you have mentioned a few times - if you get sick and have to stop running - then you need to eat less during that time.
Life lesson many have a hard time with regarding weight changes.
You do more you can eat more.
Do less you need to eat less.
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Wilt Chamberlain is dead? How did I miss that?0
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