'Exercise doesn't matter for weight loss'

kieran9810

I see a lot of people saying that diet is more important than exercise for weight loss, but why? If I'm on a stationary bike for 30 minutes I burn between 250-300 calories, so over 7 days that's between 1750-2100 calories burned by exercise, which combined with a calorie controlled diet, wouldn't that mean I would be losing an extra 1/2lb a week? (Theoretically)

TavistockToad

correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.

maasha81

Yes, just need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight which can be done by diet alone. Exercise does have numerous benefits - mood improves, better defined body and great for overall health.

DR2501

correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Agreed. But some people on MFP do say a lot that exercise is nothing to do with weight loss, which is taking it a step further.

paulawatkins1974

You're right! Calorie deficit it is. Exercising can help you be in a deficit.

TavistockToad

correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Agreed. But some people on MFP do say a lot that exercise is nothing to do with weight loss, which is taking it a step further.

people say a lot of things on here! :laugh:

CipherZero

And the 250-300 calories burned in thirty minutes can be undone in a matter of SECONDS depending on food choices. The meme is, "You can't out-exercise a bad diet", and it's true.

Burger King Whopper meal with medium soda and fries takes all of ten minutes to eat and over two HOURS of riding at your numbers to burn off.

delicious_cocktail

correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Agreed. But some people on MFP do say a lot that exercise is nothing to do with weight loss, which is taking it a step further.

I've never seen this claim.

castadiva

I'm very poor at strictly controlling my diet - I'm a foodie, love to cook, have a busy social life, and frankly feel that life is too short to eat things I don't actively enjoy or relish, simply because they're lower in calories than the foods I enjoy - I eat lots of red meat, full-fat dairy, fruit & vegetables, ice-cream, the occasional cookie or cake, and beautiful freshly-baked bread, when I want it. Thus, for me, exercise is critical to weight loss, because it creates that essential deficit. Exercise also tones up the jiggly bits, and helps my metabolism, so it handles food better - double win!

Everyone finds their own way in this - what works for one may not work for another - if it's easy for you to create a deficit through food, go for it. If not, find another way of making it work.

musicalmotivation

Technically no, but exercising is what makes you less jiggly!
Plus, you get to eat more.
Can't beat that!

kieran9810

Yeah I mean, I'm at a deficit and I'm good at sticking to it, but I wanna aim for 2lbs a week so I'm doing 30 minutes of cardio a day and hoping this will help? I eat good food, I have cut a lot of sweets and chocolate out my diet and now eat a lot of fruit and most meals are either meat or fish (or something along those lines)

alexuh

True. S'alllll about the deficit. Me, I just exercise so I can eat more. :bigsmile:

pkw58

Exercise matters to be "fit" and I have found exercise to be very beneficial to my overall wellness. But I do believe that it starts with the right type and amount of calories I eat daily. I have lost weight on WW and reached goal twice, but never followed thru with enough activity ... this last go around I started in December 2012 I have kept the weight off and I believe it is because I have made sure I get my steps in and added more yoga and barre3.

It is true, people who are inactive do lose weight by monitoring what they eat to lose weight. But being healthy is different from losing weight.

EvgeniZyntx

correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Agreed. But some people on MFP do say a lot that exercise is nothing to do with weight loss, which is taking it a step further.

I've never seen this claim.

...but it's so much easier to set up a strawman and claim all those people say "exercise is useless for weight loss". :huh:

Railr0aderTony

Yeah I mean, I'm at a deficit and I'm good at sticking to it, but I wanna aim for 2lbs a week so I'm doing 30 minutes of cardio a day and hoping this will help? I eat good food, I have cut a lot of sweets and chocolate out my diet and now eat a lot of fruit and most meals are either meat or fish (or something along those lines)

You only have just over 30 lbs to lose, 2 lbs a week is a bit aggressive. Why the hurry? Take your time losing and you're more likely to keep it off.

DR2501

correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Agreed. But some people on MFP do say a lot that exercise is nothing to do with weight loss, which is taking it a step further.

I've never seen this claim.

...but it's so much easier to set up a strawman and claim all those people say "exercise is useless for weight loss". :huh:

Funnily enough I don't have a clipboard when I'm on here so that I can note down who says what. I have a life.

Next time I see it I'll be sure to let you know.

CyberEd312

I have always kept the two separate in my approach.... All I need is a deficit to lose the weight through diet alone, I exercise for the fitness and overall health benefits and I fuel my body for those workouts that I demand of my body to do... This has never been a sprint, I knew going into this that changes had to be made that I could sustain for the rest of my life, so slow and steady always wins the race for me.... Best of Luck

Alluminati

correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Agreed. But some people on MFP do say a lot that exercise is nothing to do with weight loss, which is taking it a step further.

I've never seen this claim.

...but it's so much easier to set up a strawman and claim all those people say "exercise is useless for weight loss". :huh:

Funnily enough I don't have a clipboard when I'm on here so that I can note down who says what. I have a life.

Next time I see it I'll be sure to let you know.

Or maybe.....just maybe, you're remembering wrong? Or nah?

DR2501

correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Agreed. But some people on MFP do say a lot that exercise is nothing to do with weight loss, which is taking it a step further.

ETA that's not to say that I don't agree a deficit is all that is required, but I think exercise plays an important part in that deficit.

snowflake930

Losing weight is about eating less calories than you burn. You burn calories just by living. Adding exercise to your daily living burns even more calories and is good for your over all health.
How you do this is a personal choice. Do what works for you and give you results you are happy with.

jbse26

In Britain, the NHS recommends that people who want to lose a kilo a week do it half through food (500 calories a day deficit ) and half through exercise (600 cals a day deficit) because of the additional health benefits that creating a deficit through exercise brings, although you could still lose a kg a week from a deficit of c1100 calories just through diet alone. Cutting through diet and exercise might be easier to comply with for some people, it is for me as it leaves more food !