Putting an end to my questions!

KBrownieee

So I've had a couple of things that I've been questioning since I've started losing weight,
and I figured now's the time to get those questions answered!

The first question is: I've seen time and time again "The key to losing weight is burning more calories than you're taking in"
However what I've read on MFP seems to be the opposite. Is this just a myth or am I just not understanding some concepts?

And secondly: I've read quite a few times that weight loss is only 10% exercise, while 80% is diet and another 10% is genetics. I'm not huge on exercise unfortunately, but I do stay active. Since exercise is only 10%, does this mean I should still be able to lose the weight primarily through diet?

Thanks

quirkytizzy

The eat more to weigh loss idea is that yes, you do have to eat a deficit BUT you do not have to starve yourself or go hungry. Meaning higher calorie counts than what MFP often suggests. It does work for a lot of people.

You can most certainly lose weight through diet alone. Diet drops the pounds, exercise changes body composition.

cmeiron

The statement "burn more than you take in" is pretty much true, but it's phrased in a way that can be misleading.

Your "burn" in a day is not just exercise, it also includes your normal non-exercise activities (sitting at your desk, cooking, walking around your office) as well as your body's normal daily functions (breathing, organ function, etc.). If the sum of all those "burns" is greater than your intake (i.e., if you're creating a caloric deficit), then yes, you'll lose weight over time.

Your confusion might lie in the "eat more to lose more" phrase you hear often on here. It doesn't mean "eat more than you burn", it simply means, "eat at a moderate deficit, rather than an extreme deficit". Say a person's total daily "burn" (TDEE) is 2500 cals/day. Many people find that losing weight and then maintaining a healthy weight later is easier if they eat a smaller deficit (say, a daily intake of 2000/day, or a 500 cal deficit) rather than a very large deficit (say, 1200 or less a day, or a 1300 cal/day deficit). The loss might be a bit slower, but people often find they feel better, can exercise more effectively, have more energy, lose less muscle (lean body mass) and learn better eating habits for the long term.

And yes, you can lose weight without exercise, as long as you create a deficit. However, some might suggest that the "look" you get at the end might not be as desirable as the one you'd get if you exercised; exercise helps retain lean body mass (muscle) when you're on a deficit.

hth!

phillinnz

Hi. To answer your second question first, yes, if you eat less than your body needs you will get slimmer. So, if you log all your food and keep within your chosen calories you will shrink.

I personally don't agree with the idea that if you do exercise and use 100 calories then you should eat 100 calories more. For me it is better to not eat more than my 1200 calories regardless of exercise. However, if I overeat then I do extra exercise so I still come out under my calorie goal.

There is a lot of talk here warning people not to be too strict on their calories as your body may go into starvation mode. I don't worry about that if I am eating so long as I am at or close to my 1200.

jacksonpt

So I've had a couple of things that I've been questioning since I've started losing weight,
and I figured now's the time to get those questions answered!

The first question is: I've seen time and time again "The key to losing weight is burning more calories than you're taking in"
However what I've read on MFP seems to be the opposite. Is this just a myth or am I just not understanding some concepts?

You must be misunderstanding. You need to burn more cals than you consume. Your body burns cals by working out, but also by running errands, doing housework, working, breathing, digesting food, pumping blood, etc.

And secondly: I've read quite a few times that weight loss is only 10% exercise, while 80% is diet and another 10% is genetics. I'm not huge on exercise unfortunately, but I do stay active. Since exercise is only 10%, does this mean I should still be able to lose the weight primarily through diet?

That's exactly what it means. It goes back ot your first question... your body is constantly burning cals regardless of what you are doing. IF you exercise, you burn more cals so you can eat more throughout the day and still be in a caloric deficit (burning more than you're eating). But you can still certainly be in a deficit with no exercise at all.

jbruced

# 1 yes you must use more than you take in to lose weight.
#2 you can lose weight by diet alone but long term it would seem to me to lead to a look of emaciation.

The answer for me is a balance between dietary control and physical activity.