Exercise only small part in weight loss?

Oompa_Loompa

Really? Is this true? I did not know that. So it's basically determined on how your eating?

lemanda

Exercise definitely helps transform your body, but you need to eat good healthy food to fuel your body to burn off the fat and build muscle. You could workout 2 hours or more a day, but eat junk and not lose weight, or workout and eat healthy food within a good calorie range and lose weight and tone.

craek

They say its like 80% what you eat and 10% exercise.

Wightvixen

They say its like 80% what you eat and 10% exercise.

What's the other 10%?

♥Faerie♥

Yep, I mean, if I exercised a little every day, say like an hour, but ate like someone (say a pro athlete) of course I would gain weight.....You really have to be mindful of what goes in♥

brookesready

The other 10% is genetics.

ka_42

The other 10% is genetics.

I agree. I feel it's like 30% exercise, 10% genetics 60% what/ how much you eat.

amberaz

Exercise may be only 10% for weight loss, BUT IMO it is about 60% for having a healthy body. Putting in all of the work to lose weight and cut calories is not as important as actually coming away with a healthier body and a longer life expectancy.

austxdreamin

While I have seen people just reduce calories and lose weight...I wouldn't recommend it. I lost 60 pounds prior to joining MFP thanks to reduced calories and working out. If the health benefits of working out don't spur you to continue, use the workout to help keep that body in check. With weight loss comes loose skin...working out is a great way to help reduce that!!

Oompa_Loompa

The reason I ask is because I might have to take a week or two off from working out and im paranoid that im gonna gain weight

CARNAT22

I lost over 20lbs before before I factored in an exercise routine. It was along process!!

This time round I have factored in my exercise from the start.

8 weeks in and 11lbs shifted so I am happy with my progress...

ka_42

The reason I ask is because I might have to take a week or two off from working out and im paranoid that im gonna gain weight

Maybe you can do mild exercise? Like taking walks? I maintained for a long time with walking 30 mins or less a day as my only exercise.

DancingYogini

While I have seen people just reduce calories and lose weight...I wouldn't recommend it. I lost 60 pounds prior to joining MFP thanks to reduced calories and working out. If the health benefits of working out don't spur you to continue, use the workout to help keep that body in check. With weight loss comes loose skin...working out is a great way to help reduce that!!

I lost around 30lbs about 5 years ago....I started having panic attacks and could not eat, so I lost it in a really unhealthy way. I looked awful! No exercise involved, so it was muscle and fat. I of course put some of it back on over the years following, since I got my mental health under control. I have now lost down to the exact weight I was at that time, and I am 100% healthier. I exercise 5-6 days a week, and look leaner and healthy (not sickly and emaciated like I did before). I feel so much better doing it this way, and I know I will not put it back on again...this is a life long commitment to exercise and eating well.

JennsLosing

i can vouch for this...when i first joined the gym i would workout for a hour and a half or so, 5 days a week, and i wasnt seeing any results. Then i realized DUH i have to change the way i eat too, so with the workout and watchin sizes, ive been averaging about a pound a week.

tdexter

I find 10% hard to believe. I have MFP set to 2lbs a week loss for the deficit. Since the beginning of Jan '11 I have dropped 38 lbs (13 before MFP) that's just over 3lbs a week. I rarely eat back my exercise cals so the extra pound has to be down to exercise or at least the deficit it creates.
I guess it's going to come down to how much exercise you do and how many of those cals you eat back.