Exercise to lose weight MYTH? (or way overstated)

momof8munchkins

Eat well to lose weight, exercise to look good naked. Pretty simple.

:happy:

inetgirl

I lose pounds in the kitchen and inches in the gym, if you want to see it that way.

I've never thought like that!! Very inspirational, thanks!

SirZee

.....

The article points this out. Converting 10 pounds of fat to muscle, a MAJOR accomplishment, only burns you extra 40 cal. Sure, 40cal is "more" but practically nothing when cast against a 2000 cal daily intake.

I wonder where they got their numbers. It should be higher than that. Or does it means that the many times we've read or heard about ''a pound of muscle burns 50 cals'' is a myth?

There is a part that says that a study found that a pound of fat burns 2 calories a day, and a pound of muscle burns 7, so I think that's where they came up with the 40 change.

lisakyle_11

exercise to get/stay physically (including mentally) fit and strong. monitor your calorie intake to lose body weight.

iplayoutside19

I have always been an active adult. I enjoy physical outdoor activities. For the majority of my adult life I had been obese because I had the mindset that I'm "active" so I could eat whatever I wanted. It wasn't until I signed up for MFP and put numbers together that I realized the folly of my ways. (Mostly Beer & Mt Dew)

My wife got to her goal weight with out doing much more than taking evenings walks, she's since added Zumba.

Now that I understand how my food intake relates to weight management I can better enjoy, and in some cases get into new outdoor activities because I'm in better shape.

I see a lot of new people come on here and worry about getting fitted running shoes, and HRM's. Worry about if the time of day they workout or what the tempurature is has an impact on their calorie burn. I don't know about the rest of you but I have limited time and recourses. If you're at the begginning stage you should buy a food scale before an HRM, and spend your workout time researching foods and recepies you'll actually eat that fit your calories goals.

I exercise because I honestly enjoy it, eating right allows me to better enjoy my exercise.

SirZee

I have always been an active adult. I enjoy physical outdoor activities. For the majority of my adult life I had been obese because I had the mindset that I'm "active" so I could eat whatever I wanted. It wasn't until I signed up for MFP and put numbers together that I realized the folly of my ways. (Mostly Beer & Mt Dew)

My wife got to her goal weight with out doing much more than taking evenings walks, she's since added Zumba.

Now that I understand how my food intake relates to weight management I can better enjoy, and in some cases get into new outdoor activities because I'm in better shape.

I see a lot of new people come on here and worry about getting fitted running shoes, and HRM's. Worry about if the time of day they workout or what the tempurature is has an impact on their calorie burn. I don't know about the rest of you but I have limited time and recourses. If you're at the begginning stage you should buy a food scale before an HRM, and spend your workout time researching foods and recepies you'll actually eat that fit your calories goals.

I exercise because I honestly enjoy it, eating right allows me to better enjoy my exercise.

Exactly, I had the same mindset, I'm active, and lift heavy weights so I'm ok at 220... well that quickly became 249 when working out was interrupted with a month in bed with a torn achilles. Only at the end of january did I finally get the food part, and thanks goes to the Fit2Fat2Fit guy, I was checking out what he ate, 300-450 cal meals 5-6 times a day, and compared it to my 1200cal healthy food dinner lol.

bdo7

IMHO - The problem lies in our use of the term "losing weight." We should be talking (as a society in general and on this web site in particular) about "losing fat."

Sure, you can lose weight most effectively by limiting calorie intake alone. You can also wither away and die, your muscles can atrophy, and your organs can fail - if you take it too far. You've lost a lot of weight, but you're not healthy.

In fact, the fastest way to "lose weight" is, and always will be, amputation. Healthy?

Being a little tongue-in-cheek there, sorry, but I'm sure you see my point.

Reducing calorie intake reduces the raw material your body has to work with, and exercise governs what your body DOES with the materials you give it. Muscle is better than fat (as long as there's enough fat left to do what it's supposed to do - cushion your organs, give you some energy reserve, etc.)

Exercise improves your body, period - even if the number on the scale doesn't change.

So please don't take this kind of study to mean that exercise doesn't help you on your diet. You're on a diet to lose FAT, not to lose WEIGHT. I wish we'd get our terminology straight... then articles like this wouldn't even exist. I think it's irresponsible to publish something like this when so many people are liable to take it the wrong way and make harmful changes to their lifestyles. (Let's face it - NOT exercising is the easy option, and some people won't need much of a nudge in that direction.)

lwoods34

http://www.acefitness.org/article/2804/

Okay, guys! EVERY major, accredited fitness organization has COMPLETELY debunked this Time Magazine article. The link is above is anyone wants to read it. This article comes from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). The National Association of Sports Medicine has debunked it as well.

Like I have always said and will continue to say, different things work for different people. We can debate this til the cows come home and everyone is going to have a difference of opinion. If you are going to research articles make sure that is coming from completely reputable sources such as a fitness organization like IDEA/IDEA Fitness Journal, ACE, NASM, AFAA, etc. Dont rely on sources such as Time to get accurate information. The fitness industry is CONSTANTLY changing and there is no one equation or one size fits all equation that will work for everyone. Everyone has to figure out what will work for them, whether its just concentrating on changing your eating habits, exercising OR a combination of both. Plan A might not work for one person but might work for another.

This is the problem with googling and the internet...there is so much information out there on fitness and weight loss and the correlation between diet and exercise and what to do for this and what to do for that. People are going to the completely wrong sources for their information.

heathermarie517

Love, love, love this!!!

.... I lose pounds in the kitchen and inches in the gym, if you want to see it that way. ...

I love that, just became my new mantra

KeriA

I will definitely read the article just posted. However I liked this thread for its making me think about some of my unexamined assumptions. I tried to lose by exercising more assuming having no time for myself and exercise was the problem. I didn't lose until I found MFP. Yes being on here and balancing calories in and out has been relatively more successful but 30-35 pounds in 1.5 years is really not that much. One thing I still insist on is exercise. Everytime I really increase my exercise my weight stalls even when my calories don't change except for eating my exercise calories. I still am going to exercise for one thing my bodyfat %age has improved I have lost inches and I am wearing a smaller size now than I did when I was this weight before. I frankly think the stalls are due to not eating enough even though I have never eaten as low as many have on here and have eaten most of my exercise calories back. So I have always known that exercise wasn't always helping me with lowering my weight. However I have been able so far to avoid loose skin. Exercise is worth it to me even if it slows my weight loss. I would rather have less fat %age, be more slim and toned for my weight than being merely in a healthy BMI and have flabby loose skin. Yes I want to lose the weight. I also want to be healthy and that means both. For me it also means eating enough to get good nutrition. I recently found out that I now am in an acceptable range of bodyfat%age if not BMI. Acceptable means normal for my sex and age etc. However normal may not be that healthy but definitely healthier than before. I like myself now much better than when I last weighed this same weight even though I am older. Exercise is the difference. Yes I will find a way to lose more with exercise but frankly I have seen people on here that go for the humungeous deficits and hardly any exercise and they beat me everytime at losing. I just don't want to go there. When I reach my goal weight I neither want to have to exercise so much that I have no life or to have to eat so little that I have no life. Frankly I think my weight loss was slow because I exercised too much and ate too little. I am now going to concentrate on eating healthily and exercising healthily. I will make sure there is a deficit I will log. I will exercise but to be healthy not to have enough to make an unrealistic calorie goal. This article talks ab out just normal daily activity and I think that is iwhat I have been thinking about recently.

confuzzledwife

I can only speak of my own personal experience. About 8 years ago I dropped 45 lbs in 90 days doing P90 phases 1-2, 5 days a week, in addition I was taking in about 1400 - 1500 calories each day.

This time around, I have the same amount of weight to lose, and tried the P90 but couldn't consume enough calories in a day to do the workouts, so for fun, I just waited to see what would happen with a calorie deficit only. I aimed for 1200 calories a day, but ended up barely making 1000 each day and couldn't force myself to eat more and simply didn't have the energy to exercise. Since Jan 10- to the end of Feb I dropped 17 lbs.

What I do notice is that this time, even though I lost 17 lbs., I am not fitting into a smaller size pants, although, they are loose. The last time, within 30 days I dropped almost 2 pant sizes. So, for me, I think the exercise may have helped lose inches quicker. Good Luck!

PS
I deal with clients who are bedridden who are on calorie deficits and aren't able to exercise due to being paralyzed and they have lost weight cutting calories alone

anetap2000

Agree!
For me its 90/10
But when I exercise I think twice what I put into my mouth. If it takes me 1 hr to burn 400 kcal, I dont even think about eating whole chocolate , because I have to work so hard to burn it.

SirZee

http://www.acefitness.org/article/2804/

Okay, guys! EVERY major, accredited fitness organization has COMPLETELY debunked this Time Magazine article. The link is above is anyone wants to read it. This article comes from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). The National Association of Sports Medicine has debunked it as well.

Like I have always said and will continue to say, different things work for different people. We can debate this til the cows come home and everyone is going to have a difference of opinion. If you are going to research articles make sure that is coming from completely reputable sources such as a fitness organization like IDEA/IDEA Fitness Journal, ACE, NASM, AFAA, etc. Dont rely on sources such as Time to get accurate information. The fitness industry is CONSTANTLY changing and there is no one equation or one size fits all equation that will work for everyone. Everyone has to figure out what will work for them, whether its just concentrating on changing your eating habits, exercising OR a combination of both. Plan A might not work for one person but might work for another.

This is the problem with googling and the internet...there is so much information out there on fitness and weight loss and the correlation between diet and exercise and what to do for this and what to do for that. People are going to the completely wrong sources for their information.

I welcome very much this kind of post, every story has more than one side, and glad to hear. However, I was really hoping for a good "debunking" as hey, I am after the truth, no matter what it is, but the doctor in the article didn't do much debunking beyond saying "that Time guy is wrong". Would have loved to see a point by point challenge of the Time article, including its sources. From my reader perspective, the Time piece seems well researched and well cited, the points well laid out and explained. The Chief Science Officer's article, not so much. Disappointing, I expected a much more methodical approach from a scientist with a PhD.

I am still glad I read it, because it confirmed what I realized over the last 37 days: no matter how much I exercise, the single determining factor why my weight is coming down is my adherence to my daily cal limit as MFP shows it

A_Fit_Mom

I think every person falls on a different place on the spectrum. For me, losing weight is 90% eating well. I almost see exercise as serving a different purpose entirely - for fitness and health, but not for weight loss. I lose pounds in the kitchen and inches in the gym, if you want to see it that way.

But like I said, I think every person's body responds differently, especially depending on where they are in their weightloss journey and fitness level.

Exactly! I agree. .





Also, a lot of times people fail when exercising to lose weight. Because they think, "I can have this piece of cake, because I am going to work it off" instead of eating right and exercising for the energy, healthy benefits...etc.

UpEarly

I've always been a regular exerciser, no matter how fat or thin I've been. Managing my calories is what determines my weight. I think exercise *does* help, but I think it's more like 20% - whereas diet is 80% of the success equation.

The primary reason I exercise is for my overall health - it helps manage blood sugar, makes my heart stronger, improves my circulation, keeps my bones strong, etc.

fiberartist219

No, exercising doesn't make up for an excess of food.

However, for me, it makes my nutrition goals a hell of a lot easier. If I don't exercise, I have to restrict my eating down to 1200-1500 calories a day if I want to lose any weight at all. It's very difficult to get enough nutrition in that amount of food. I like to get all my fiber and protein in and with 1200 calories, I get maybe a couple bites at each meal and that's it.

So if I ate 3000 calories a day, no, exercise will not help me. However, if I choose to eat 1800 calories a day, exercise helps me maintain, and possibly lose, depending on what my body wants to do with it.

jhardenbergh

Losing Weight is 75% diet 25% exercise, a 6 pack is built in the kitchen (and I am not talking beers in the fridge), at least I heard that alot on these boards as well as on tv. If it's on tv it's gotta be true lol

fluffy925

I don't exercise at all, and i'm losing weight on 1200 calories a day! but we are all different!

iplayoutside19

http://www.acefitness.org/article/2804/

Okay, guys! EVERY major, accredited fitness organization has COMPLETELY debunked this Time Magazine article. The link is above is anyone wants to read it. This article comes from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). The National Association of Sports Medicine has debunked it as well.

Like I have always said and will continue to say, different things work for different people. We can debate this til the cows come home and everyone is going to have a difference of opinion. If you are going to research articles make sure that is coming from completely reputable sources such as a fitness organization like IDEA/IDEA Fitness Journal, ACE, NASM, AFAA, etc. Dont rely on sources such as Time to get accurate information. The fitness industry is CONSTANTLY changing and there is no one equation or one size fits all equation that will work for everyone. Everyone has to figure out what will work for them, whether its just concentrating on changing your eating habits, exercising OR a combination of both. Plan A might not work for one person but might work for another.

This is the problem with googling and the internet...there is so much information out there on fitness and weight loss and the correlation between diet and exercise and what to do for this and what to do for that. People are going to the completely wrong sources for their information.

I welcome very much this kind of post, every story has more than one side, and glad to hear. However, I was really hoping for a good "debunking" as hey, I am after the truth, no matter what it is, but the doctor in the article didn't do much debunking beyond saying "that Time guy is wrong". Would have loved to see a point by point challenge of the Time article, including its sources. From my reader perspective, the Time piece seems well researched and well cited, the points well laid out and explained. The Chief Science Officer's article, not so much. Disappointing, I expected a much more methodical approach from a scientist with a PhD.

I am still glad I read it, because it confirmed what I realized over the last 37 days: no matter how much I exercise, the single determining factor why my weight is coming down is my adherence to my daily cal limit as MFP shows it

All these groups are industry groups and have a monatary reason for emphasizing exercise. I agree with a lot of what they say, but let's follow the money for their motivation.

To me it's a mathamatical fact. Can't debunk it. If I burn 400 calories riding my bike, and then eat a Big Mac worth 450 calories I didn't out exercise my bad diet.

It's possible to out exercise a bad diet, but you'll spend a lot of time doing it.

Ripken818836701

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1914974,00.html

Finally, an article and scientific study of something I have started to suspect, after 10 years of sometimes near crazy gym-rat behavior (ex: 1 hour bike to work in the morning, kickboxing class at noon, weightlifting for 45 min after kickboxing, 1 hour bike home after work, coaching youth soccer for 2 hours in the evening). As a weight loss/control tool exercise is almost irrelevant, its all about managing food intake.

Edit:
I forgot to add, despite all that working out (and eating healthy foods, just not worrying about quantity much), still OBESE on the BMI rating at 249lb start weight (232 this morning). Sure I was fit, but also fat.

Many bodybuilders cut weight by diet and not exercise (cardio) but if you diet to lose fat and do not implement some type of weight training program about 22% (depending on the person) of your total weight loss will be lean muscle. And whats the point of sacrificing so much to lose weight only to end up looking like a jelly fish?