When people say 80% diet, 20% exercise...

AlwaysWanderer

What do they exactly mean by that? I gather that diet is more important, but how? Should one eat less and exercise less, so 80% of a calorie deficit comes from the diet? Or eat well 80% of the time? I exercise a lot and eat accordingly, pretty clean and healthy. I woder if its the right way though? Any experts out there?

PBmaria

It means that diet is more important than exercise. That's really all it means! You're waaaay over thinking!

Kirsty_UK

it's nothing as "scientific" as you've tried to make it - it's not 80% of calorie deficit etc, I think it basically just means that on balance, if you are exercising a lot, it doesn't make your internal body health any good if all you're stuffing your face with to put the calories back is deep fried burgers and chocolate.

lisabstrong

Check out the Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno. She's got it all in there and yes diet and nutrition are more important than excercise.

Lisa

Kirsty_UK

It means that diet is more important than exercise. That's really all it means! You're waaaay over thinking!

someone else always writes what I mean more succinctly than me!

AlwaysWanderer

It means that diet is more important than exercise. That's really all it means! You're waaaay over thinking!

I probably am, but I saw a post today saying "whats the point in exercising, its 80% diet anyway" and it bothered me, I thought it was calories in calories out for weight loss... oh well, thanks for your reply. :flowerforyou:

lilchino4af

The 80/20 only means that 80% of your overall effort should be focused on what/how much you eat and the rest on exercise. Because someone can exercise 'til their arms fall off, but if they still eat poorly and too much it won't make much difference. For many people, just changing what and how much they eat can help them lose weight initially, but you'll have to exercise to get the rest of the way and beall-around healthy.

Helloitsdan

Cut 20% from your maintenance calories and dont drop below BMR.
Train 3 times a week!
Easy!

Better bodies are built in the kitchen and while you recover!

Debbe2

Sounds like same kind of saying as " 90% of your efforts as a parent goes into 10% of your kids". Does that mean the other children get not enough attention? Nope. It just means that one needs more attention but all (or in this case both diet and exercise) are equally important just one needs more effort and "finesse"

Kirsty_UK

It means that diet is more important than exercise. That's really all it means! You're waaaay over thinking!

I probably am, but I saw a post today saying "whats the point in exercising, its 80% diet anyway" and it bothered me, I thought it was calories in calories out for weight loss... oh well, thanks for your reply. :flowerforyou:

absolutely, it's a calorie in calorie out balance, but I dont think this 80% 20% is really talking about calorie input necessarily, but just in general the balance of effort, and a comment on the quality of calories

Kirsty_UK

you might find this interesting

http://www.crankyfitness.com/2010/01/diet-or-exercise-which-is-more.html

HMonsterX

It means that diet is more important than exercise. That's really all it means! You're waaaay over thinking!

I probably am, but I saw a post today saying "whats the point in exercising, its 80% diet anyway" and it bothered me, I thought it was calories in calories out for weight loss... oh well, thanks for your reply. :flowerforyou:

Wel, it IS calories in/out. You don't HAVE to exercise to lose weight. But, there are benefits to do so:

1) You will lose less lean muscle mass if you exercise/lift while eating that calorie deficit.
2) It allows you to eat more, therefore makes it more bearable.
3) Improved overall health.
4) Better looks, especially when you have lost the fat.
5) Makes for a more enjoyable experience.

myth4ever

Ha, diet is the big picture working out is a detail within the picture

LilMissFoodie

The 80/20 rule is based on old guidelines for exercise for health (30 mins walking per day). Basically - if you take the average man and give him a 30 min walk (or maybe it was an hour) that would contribute 20% of your overall calories therefore making the energy in vs energy out balance 80/20 diet and exercise. Of course this balance changes if you work out more than that.

The overall point though is really just that you can't out-train a crap diet. Some people are eating well over 4000 calories a day which is pretty much impossible to even out with exercise!

AlwaysWanderer

It means that diet is more important than exercise. That's really all it means! You're waaaay over thinking!

I probably am, but I saw a post today saying "whats the point in exercising, its 80% diet anyway" and it bothered me, I thought it was calories in calories out for weight loss... oh well, thanks for your reply. :flowerforyou:

absolutely, it's a calorie in calorie out balance, but I dont think this 80% 20% is really talking about calorie input necessarily, but just in general the balance of effort, and a comment on the quality of calories

That makes sense. I do eat well, most of the time anyway. But I found that when I'm in a calorie deficyt from diet only I lose more weight than if I exercise and eat those calories back... so I thought that maybe I'm doing it wrong...

Kirsty_UK

It means that diet is more important than exercise. That's really all it means! You're waaaay over thinking!

I probably am, but I saw a post today saying "whats the point in exercising, its 80% diet anyway" and it bothered me, I thought it was calories in calories out for weight loss... oh well, thanks for your reply. :flowerforyou:

absolutely, it's a calorie in calorie out balance, but I dont think this 80% 20% is really talking about calorie input necessarily, but just in general the balance of effort, and a comment on the quality of calories

That makes sense. I do eat well, most of the time anyway. But I found that when I'm in a calorie deficyt from diet only I lose more weight than if I exercise and eat those calories back... so I thought that maybe I'm doing it wrong...

I'd say if that's the case you are either a) eating different calories when you exercise - so treating yourself to "bad" food - versus when you dont b) overestimating what you burn off when you exercise (are you using a hrm?) or c) underestimating what you eat when you exercise or possibly d) building muscle while exercising

AlwaysWanderer

It means that diet is more important than exercise. That's really all it means! You're waaaay over thinking!

I probably am, but I saw a post today saying "whats the point in exercising, its 80% diet anyway" and it bothered me, I thought it was calories in calories out for weight loss... oh well, thanks for your reply. :flowerforyou:

absolutely, it's a calorie in calorie out balance, but I dont think this 80% 20% is really talking about calorie input necessarily, but just in general the balance of effort, and a comment on the quality of calories

That makes sense. I do eat well, most of the time anyway. But I found that when I'm in a calorie deficyt from diet only I lose more weight than if I exercise and eat those calories back... so I thought that maybe I'm doing it wrong...

I'd say if that's the case you are either a) eating different calories when you exercise - so treating yourself to "bad" food - versus when you dont b) overestimating what you burn off when you exercise (are you using a hrm?) or c) underestimating what you eat when you exercise or possibly d) building muscle while exercising

I dont have HRM, so overeatimating burn is a possibility... and overeating is a possibility... hmmm, think I got to re-think my strategy... maybe I'll start eating 50% of my exercise cals and see how that goes

Kirsty_UK

I dont have HRM, so overeatimating burn is a possibility... and overeating is a possibility... hmmm, think I got to re-think my strategy... maybe I'll start eating 50% of my exercise cals and see how that goes

I think the mfp database over estimates cals burned a lot of the time - I do eat back what I burn, but I try and eat back 2/3rds of "proper" exercise (a jog, a run, a trip to the gym), and only 1/2 if I've just inputted walking (not hiking which I also do sometimes, but 20 mins walk into town at lunch time etc)

manjingirl

What do they exactly mean by that? I gather that diet is more important, but how? Should one eat less and exercise less, so 80% of a calorie deficit comes from the diet? Or eat well 80% of the time? I exercise a lot and eat accordingly, pretty clean and healthy. I woder if its the right way though? Any experts out there?

After a challenge by an MFPer for hard research I looked this up - to lose weight the best strategy is to eat less than you normally do and exercise more than you normally do, especially if you normally don't get at least 30 minutes a day moderate exercise. Moderate means breathing with some effort (but not gasping). Eat good stuff like fruit and vegies and fish and lean meats. Add in unrefined grains, dairy and pulses to suit your own preferences.

So eat less, move more.

Oh and do some weights training/resistance training to maintain muscle mass (lean body mass). Include some weight-bearing exercises for bone mass to help prevent osteoporosis.

bogle34

I sure wish it was the other way around, i struggle with the 80 % - it makes sense!

Vivian_Phoenix

food: eat healthy, practice proper portion size > exercise.

lets say that a slice of cake has 400 calories, it would take 40 minutes jump roping fast to burn it off... when you could have avoided those 400 calories in the first place to create a 400 calorie deficit. - Diet is more effective in creating a deficit. Also, the types of food you are eating matter. Not saying that exercise isn't important, but practising healthy eating is more important that doing hours and hours of exercise. What you dont put into your body, will not hinder your weight loss.