Weight loss is 90% food, 10% exercise?
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peaceout_aly wrote: »themetz3838 wrote: »Has anyone else heard the phrase weight loss is 90% what we eat and 10% what we do, ie exercise? If this is true, then I've been placing way too much emphasis on exercise whilst wrongly thinking I could eat more
If you strictly want to lose (including muscle) then this is probably true. But for those who want to lose weight/fat while also maintaining or building muscle for a toned looking physique, then it's definitely much more exercise focused. Sorta like the "abs are made in the kitchen" quote which I disagree with and have disproved. Do I eat like crap? No. But I definitely am not as strict as I used to be with my food, yet if I up my ab circuits at the gym and continue eating as normal then, BAM - abs. Everything is different for each person though.
I also disagree with the opinion that abs are made in the kitchen. While I was eating whatever I wanted but exercising, nothing was happening. It's since I've started watching what I was eating and continued the exercise that I've developed my fantastic abs
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peaceout_aly wrote: »themetz3838 wrote: »Has anyone else heard the phrase weight loss is 90% what we eat and 10% what we do, ie exercise? If this is true, then I've been placing way too much emphasis on exercise whilst wrongly thinking I could eat more
If you strictly want to lose (including muscle) then this is probably true. But for those who want to lose weight/fat while also maintaining or building muscle for a toned looking physique, then it's definitely much more exercise focused. Sorta like the "abs are made in the kitchen" quote which I disagree with and have disproved. Do I eat like crap? No. But I definitely am not as strict as I used to be with my food, yet if I up my ab circuits at the gym and continue eating as normal then, BAM - abs. Everything is different for each person though.
I also disagree with the opinion that abs are made in the kitchen. While I was eating whatever I wanted but exercising, nothing was happening. It's since I've started watching what I was eating and continued the exercise that I've developed my fantastic abs
And you disagree that "abs are made in the kitchen?"
You realize that it's a metaphor?1 -
LiminalAscendance wrote: »peaceout_aly wrote: »themetz3838 wrote: »Has anyone else heard the phrase weight loss is 90% what we eat and 10% what we do, ie exercise? If this is true, then I've been placing way too much emphasis on exercise whilst wrongly thinking I could eat more
If you strictly want to lose (including muscle) then this is probably true. But for those who want to lose weight/fat while also maintaining or building muscle for a toned looking physique, then it's definitely much more exercise focused. Sorta like the "abs are made in the kitchen" quote which I disagree with and have disproved. Do I eat like crap? No. But I definitely am not as strict as I used to be with my food, yet if I up my ab circuits at the gym and continue eating as normal then, BAM - abs. Everything is different for each person though.
I also disagree with the opinion that abs are made in the kitchen. While I was eating whatever I wanted but exercising, nothing was happening. It's since I've started watching what I was eating and continued the exercise that I've developed my fantastic abs
And you disagree that "abs are made in the kitchen?"
You realize that it's a metaphor?
Yes. You can't make the abs in the kitchen. You have to watch what you eat and work out in the gym. This is where my beautiful abs have come from0 -
I eat more when I work out intensely - but not really with the motivation to burn off calories. I fuel my body for my workouts. I eat more, but my body seems to use as energy to power my workouts instead of holding on as fat.
In general, reducing calories, you will lose weight. Your body will essentially become a smaller version of what it was before. If you want to look toned, lower body fat %, tighten up, look more sculpted...then you need to exercise. Strength train.
I always read about people cutting calories and slowing their metabolism. You have to be really careful about preserving muscle mass, particularly women over the age of 30 when it starts decreasing. I did an "inbody analysis" - basically a body composition thing that breaks down your body fat %, skeletal muscle mass, etc, and your BMR - Basal metabolic rate, how many calories you burn just existing.
My BMR is higher NOW than it was a year ago, even though my overall weight is down. Meaning I'm burning about an extra 150 calories a day at a smaller size as a result of lifting heavy and building muscle mass. Body fat % went down, muscle mass went up. A pound of muscle burns more at rest than a pound of fat does - and takes up less space.
So while I absolutely think you can lose weight by reducing calories only, or that you cannot train away a poor diet or out exercise eating too many calories, I am a huge proponent of adding strength training to your routine. Otherwise you drop weight, you lose muscle in the process, and risk slowing down your metabolism.
Great points, thank you. For sure i wanna trim down but not at the expense of muscle mass or my BMR. As I progress I will add strength training to my exercise routine whilst maintaining a balanced diet. Im 3 weeks in and realise that I have lots to learn, both in terms of nutrition and exercise programmes but I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead2 -
themetz3838 wrote: »Thx for all the replies! Lots of great info in there. I've been trying to keep a calorie deficit whilst eating much healthier along the way. At the same time I've really upped the activity levels but like many have said here, MFP or my iPhone is clearly overstating my steps/activity. I'll chalk some off this score in my head and overestimate my food intake, this will then be a truer reflection of my day and help me achieve my goals sooner
Don't overestimate your food intake. Keep it as accurate as possible.
If you are not losing to the goal you set eat back 75% of your exercise calories for a couple of weeks and see how the scale is moving. If you are losing too fast up the percentage, to slow; lower it.
This will be a more accurate way for you to track into the future.
Make adjustments with a plan and keep a log.
Food is always going to be constant- the value of 1g of a banana won't change no matter what your body weighs.
Exercise calorie burn changes constantly, effort, weight loss, change of activity, etc. This is the number you can play with to get a more accurate assessment of your caloric needs.
Cheers, h.2 -
LiminalAscendance wrote: »peaceout_aly wrote: »themetz3838 wrote: »Has anyone else heard the phrase weight loss is 90% what we eat and 10% what we do, ie exercise? If this is true, then I've been placing way too much emphasis on exercise whilst wrongly thinking I could eat more
If you strictly want to lose (including muscle) then this is probably true. But for those who want to lose weight/fat while also maintaining or building muscle for a toned looking physique, then it's definitely much more exercise focused. Sorta like the "abs are made in the kitchen" quote which I disagree with and have disproved. Do I eat like crap? No. But I definitely am not as strict as I used to be with my food, yet if I up my ab circuits at the gym and continue eating as normal then, BAM - abs. Everything is different for each person though.
I also disagree with the opinion that abs are made in the kitchen. While I was eating whatever I wanted but exercising, nothing was happening. It's since I've started watching what I was eating and continued the exercise that I've developed my fantastic abs
And you disagree that "abs are made in the kitchen?"
You realize that it's a metaphor?
Yes. You can't make the abs in the kitchen. You have to watch what you eat and work out in the gym. This is where my beautiful abs have come from
this is where the phrase comes from there sparky...you have to be lean to have visible abs...you can do all the ab work you want, but if you're a big fat *kitten* it doesn't matter...you won't have visible abs...dang people are...well...dense.9 -
middlehaitch wrote: »themetz3838 wrote: »Thx for all the replies! Lots of great info in there. I've been trying to keep a calorie deficit whilst eating much healthier along the way. At the same time I've really upped the activity levels but like many have said here, MFP or my iPhone is clearly overstating my steps/activity. I'll chalk some off this score in my head and overestimate my food intake, this will then be a truer reflection of my day and help me achieve my goals sooner
Don't overestimate your food intake. Keep it as accurate as possible.
If you are not losing to the goal you set eat back 75% of your exercise calories for a couple of weeks and see how the scale is moving. If you are losing too fast up the percentage, to slow; lower it.
This will be a more accurate way for you to track into the future.
Make adjustments with a plan and keep a log.
Food is always going to be constant- the value of 1g of a banana won't change no matter what your body weighs.
Exercise calorie burn changes constantly, effort, weight loss, change of activity, etc. This is the number you can play with to get a more accurate assessment of your caloric needs.
Cheers, h.
Hey, thx for the reply. Ive set MFP for a 1llb a week weight loss goal. Today is day 24 and I'm 8llbs down so I'm ahead of schedule. I wanted a decent start but I couldn't know how fast or slow the weight would come off. Should I continue as I am? My daily calorie target is 1900, I'm reluctant to increase this if I'm honest. I'm guessing the weight loss will slow as I progress, I'm keen to form new habits in my diet and activity levels so feel it's best to carry on as I am? This sound right?0 -
*Correction my calorie goal is 21000
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cwolfman13 wrote: »LiminalAscendance wrote: »peaceout_aly wrote: »themetz3838 wrote: »Has anyone else heard the phrase weight loss is 90% what we eat and 10% what we do, ie exercise? If this is true, then I've been placing way too much emphasis on exercise whilst wrongly thinking I could eat more
If you strictly want to lose (including muscle) then this is probably true. But for those who want to lose weight/fat while also maintaining or building muscle for a toned looking physique, then it's definitely much more exercise focused. Sorta like the "abs are made in the kitchen" quote which I disagree with and have disproved. Do I eat like crap? No. But I definitely am not as strict as I used to be with my food, yet if I up my ab circuits at the gym and continue eating as normal then, BAM - abs. Everything is different for each person though.
I also disagree with the opinion that abs are made in the kitchen. While I was eating whatever I wanted but exercising, nothing was happening. It's since I've started watching what I was eating and continued the exercise that I've developed my fantastic abs
And you disagree that "abs are made in the kitchen?"
You realize that it's a metaphor?
Yes. You can't make the abs in the kitchen. You have to watch what you eat and work out in the gym. This is where my beautiful abs have come from
this is where the phrase comes from there sparky...you have to be lean to have visible abs...you can do all the ab work you want, but if you're a big fat *kitten* it doesn't matter...you won't have visible abs...dang people are...well...dense.
Hey dude. No need to be so rude. What I'm saying is, if you don't put in the work in the gym you'll never have fantastic abs like me. Try it boy, you surprise yourself x1 -
You can make your calorie deficit either way, but if you're doing it by exercise alone it's going to take you a hell of a lot longer. I don't agree about the 10% though. I am 100% committed to my fitness which helps me stay about 90% on track with my macros. I know how much freaking effort I put in 7 days a week in the gym and I'm not about to ruin that by over eating3
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themetz3838 wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »themetz3838 wrote: »Thx for all the replies! Lots of great info in there. I've been trying to keep a calorie deficit whilst eating much healthier along the way. At the same time I've really upped the activity levels but like many have said here, MFP or my iPhone is clearly overstating my steps/activity. I'll chalk some off this score in my head and overestimate my food intake, this will then be a truer reflection of my day and help me achieve my goals sooner
Don't overestimate your food intake. Keep it as accurate as possible.
If you are not losing to the goal you set eat back 75% of your exercise calories for a couple of weeks and see how the scale is moving. If you are losing too fast up the percentage, to slow; lower it.
This will be a more accurate way for you to track into the future.
Make adjustments with a plan and keep a log.
Food is always going to be constant- the value of 1g of a banana won't change no matter what your body weighs.
Exercise calorie burn changes constantly, effort, weight loss, change of activity, etc. This is the number you can play with to get a more accurate assessment of your caloric needs.
Cheers, h.
Hey, thx for the reply. Ive set MFP for a 1llb a week weight loss goal. Today is day 24 and I'm 8llbs down so I'm ahead of schedule. I wanted a decent start but I couldn't know how fast or slow the weight would come off. Should I continue as I am? My daily calorie target is 1900, I'm reluctant to increase this if I'm honest. I'm guessing the weight loss will slow as I progress, I'm keen to form new habits in my diet and activity levels so feel it's best to carry on as I am? This sound right?
Continue eating at your 1lbs a week deficit and eat 50% of your exercise calories back. Adjust the exercise calories as needed after a couple of weeks so your deficit stays at 1lbs a week.
As you lose weight remember to reassess your calorie needs every 5-10 lbs. we need less calories the lighter we are.
Cheers, h.2 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Also, the saying "you can't out train a *kitten* diet" exists for a reason. Just ask every powerlifter walking around with a pack of hotdogs on the back of his neck, and a wheeze when he walks.
I'm a powerlifter and can run 10 miles in under 90 mins so you can't just stereotype everyone based on the super heavy division. Most underclass powerlifters I know could easily be mistaken for body builders.
Of course, I may be misreading your post and you are only talking about the tanks of our sport.
Yeap, you read in a little further than I intended. There are the Dan Greenes, the Jesse Norrises, (and even further up, the Efferdings and Konstantinovs), but nah I was solely referring to the Jeff Lewises and Mark Henrys...though Henry was a beast in his 20s.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Also, the saying "you can't out train a *kitten* diet" exists for a reason. Just ask every powerlifter walking around with a pack of hotdogs on the back of his neck, and a wheeze when he walks.
I'm a powerlifter and can run 10 miles in under 90 mins so you can't just stereotype everyone based on the super heavy division. Most underclass powerlifters I know could easily be mistaken for body builders.
Of course, I may be misreading your post and you are only talking about the tanks of our sport.
Yeap, you read in a little further than I intended. There are the Dan Greenes, the Jesse Norrises, (and even further up, the Efferdings and Konstantinovs), but nah I was solely referring to the Jeff Lewises and Mark Henrys...though Henry was a beast in his 20s.
But I'm fully confident that those guys could do the 100m in 10...minutes!
I remember when they called Mark Henry the Teen Mastodon that was just before he became an Olympic lifter and he was huge even at 16!1 -
I think the more you start seeing results in the gym, the more motivating it gets to eat well. When you start seeing how you are investing your time, effort, money into improving and strengthening your body, it gets motivating to protect your investment those other 23 hours of the day.
Also, your body is really good at adapting and becoming quite efficient at exercise. If you have been sedentary for a long time, just getting up and taking some brisk walks will probably be enough to get your heart rate up and burn a bunch of calories. Or running on the treadmill. Or whatever. So you can burn a lot quickly in the beginning. But it doesn't take long for your body to adapt and suddenly it takes a lot more time and work to burn as much as you used to, especially as your weight starts dropping. That's why I think HIIT is so good, strength training lifting progressively heavier, and mixing up your routines here and there. Always setting a little goal. And keeps you always working toward something. And not getting bored.1 -
I like your thinking leaninsc, our bodies and subsequently our health are the best investments we can ever make2
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Just remember guys this is not a competition. We are all here to support each other. Being fit isn't a destination it's a way of life. I am always hearing people say that they are going to "get fit for summer" which fair play but then what... being fit should be a way of life. I said earlier how abs are made in the kitchen and I do believe that, I believe that you should eat clean and train dirty, and definitely feel that you are what you eat.2
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I believe it should be 100% deficit. Whether you achieve that through diet or exercise doesnt matter as long as you are burning more than you consume.1
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cwolfman13 wrote: »LiminalAscendance wrote: »peaceout_aly wrote: »themetz3838 wrote: »Has anyone else heard the phrase weight loss is 90% what we eat and 10% what we do, ie exercise? If this is true, then I've been placing way too much emphasis on exercise whilst wrongly thinking I could eat more
If you strictly want to lose (including muscle) then this is probably true. But for those who want to lose weight/fat while also maintaining or building muscle for a toned looking physique, then it's definitely much more exercise focused. Sorta like the "abs are made in the kitchen" quote which I disagree with and have disproved. Do I eat like crap? No. But I definitely am not as strict as I used to be with my food, yet if I up my ab circuits at the gym and continue eating as normal then, BAM - abs. Everything is different for each person though.
I also disagree with the opinion that abs are made in the kitchen. While I was eating whatever I wanted but exercising, nothing was happening. It's since I've started watching what I was eating and continued the exercise that I've developed my fantastic abs
And you disagree that "abs are made in the kitchen?"
You realize that it's a metaphor?
Yes. You can't make the abs in the kitchen. You have to watch what you eat and work out in the gym. This is where my beautiful abs have come from
this is where the phrase comes from there sparky...you have to be lean to have visible abs...you can do all the ab work you want, but if you're a big fat *kitten* it doesn't matter...you won't have visible abs...dang people are...well...dense.
Hey dude. No need to be so rude. What I'm saying is, if you don't put in the work in the gym you'll never have fantastic abs like me. Try it boy, you surprise yourself x
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I believe it should be 100% deficit. Whether you achieve that through diet or exercise doesnt matter as long as you are burning more than you consume.I believe it should be 100% deficit. Whether you achieve that through diet or exercise doesnt matter as long as you are burning more than you consume.
I disagreed with you man I believe the you need to eat clean as you can run off a bad diet.0 -
Juice plus all the way, lose weight and keep it off0
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If your sole aim is weight loss then technically you don't need to exercise at all. Whilst exercise will definitely help with weight loss, (be careful how much extra you eat - mfp tends to way overestimate calories burned during exercise!), I'd suggest doing it for all the other benefits it brings which I'm sure I don't need to list out.
If you like your phrases here's another one for you: "skinny people look good in clothes. fit people look good naked!"
I find it interesting how the general thought that MFP tends to over estimate exercise calories has over time become MFP tends to way overestimate exercise calories. There are some exercise calorie burns that are overestimated, other that are underestimated, and others that are right on. I am not sure if way overestimation is true as I do know people who have used this site as designed, ate all their exercise calories as given by MFP, and lost their weight just fine.
To the OP, yes, weight loss is all about calorie control. A deficit can be established either by eating less or exercising more, or some combination of the two. Either way, it is necessary to make sure you are eating less calories than you burn.3 -
What is juice plus? Will that speed up my weight loss program? @kinsella0
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I'm agreeing with the consensus here. Losing weight is 100% 'diet' (restricting calories, though technically you can eat anything you want..just in small amounts. At least, that's what I'm starting with until I've lost more weight. I have 130 lb to lose, and I plan to wean myself into a healthier diet. Just recently I incorporated Brocolli with macaroni and cheese (as a side, not a main) when I never ate such a recipe before). If you want to eat more while dieting, or if you want to lose faster (for, example, if you reach a plateau and need a push to over come it), then yes, you should do cardio. Don't trust the MFP formula. The machines tend to have a good estimate of what you really burn. Use that, but only eat back a small portion of it.
I personally feel that, for me, it is 60% diet and 40% exercise. I feel less accomplished if I don't exercise. I do skip the gym every once in a while, but I always return. Besides, I'm sure the cardio and strength training will help me look the way I want to look once I lose all the fat.1 -
I used to believe it was all about CICO and it didn't matter about exercise and if all you're interested in is seeing the scales go down then yes maybe that's true, but 2 weeks ago I tried on a pair of jeans and they were too tight to sit in, I tried them again today and they fit and are almost too big. The scales say I've only lost 1lb in the last 2 weeks, so I know that is down to the exercising I've been doing to slim down my waist and not any weight I've lost.4
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Yes themetz3838 it's great! It's full of all the daily goodness your body needs!!! No need to worry about all the "this eat and eat that crap"-7
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Just remember guys this is not a competition. We are all here to support each other. Being fit isn't a destination it's a way of life. I am always hearing people say that they are going to "get fit for summer" which fair play but then what... being fit should be a way of life. I said earlier how abs are made in the kitchen and I do believe that, I believe that you should eat clean and train dirty, and definitely feel that you are what you eat.
"Get fit for summer" only applies when one puts on their winter coat for the first part of the year for bulking weeks.
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I used to believe it was all about CICO and it didn't matter about exercise and if all you're interested in is seeing the scales go down then yes maybe that's true, but 2 weeks ago I tried on a pair of jeans and they were too tight to sit in, I tried them again today and they fit and are almost too big. The scales say I've only lost 1lb in the last 2 weeks, so I know that is down to the exercising I've been doing to slim down my waist and not any weight I've lost.
Something not sounding right here. You didn't slim down your waist that much in 2 weeks by exercise.
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Losing inches is a good indication of weight loss. As much as it's mentally rewarding to see the number on the scale go down, body fat % changes and inches can show more of the picture.3
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I've heard 80/20, but there's value to exercise beyond weight loss. Exercise strengthens your heart, lowers your cholesterol, and exercise can increase mobility for older people. Like, start exercising before you get old, increase your strength, and you will be more mobile when you're old. Exercise is huge for your health even if it alone is unlikely to solve weight problems.0
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