Whats more important diet or exercise?

soldiergrl_101
soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know they go with one another but for a begginer starting out do you think its more important to start improving their diet or start with exercise? again I know ultimately you need both but where is a good starting point to help see results and build up that motivation and desire to hit it hard
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Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Both are important, but the old saying is "You can't out-train a bad diet". If you're looking to lose weight, calories are king - set a reasonable calorie deficit and stick with it. Training will help with body composition (building a good physique instead of just being a smaller version of the current you), but if your calorie intake is greater than your daily expenditure, you can train all you want to and you won't lose weight.
  • Mighty_Rabite
    Mighty_Rabite Posts: 581 Member
    I would say diet, personally. It's not impossible, but it is quite difficult, to out-exercise a bad diet!

    I always recommend people change their diet slowly though. Not go for a "diet" but to make overall lifestyle changes that are healthy and sustainable for the long term. Slowly but surely - it doesn't create the quickest initial body changes, but that sustainability bit makes a huge difference over a long period of time!
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    Whats more important? A number on a scale or an improved physique and better health?


    failure to incorporate resistance training will result in faster WEIGHT loss and a feeling of success... that lasts up until you start plateauing and realize how much muscle you've lost... do both.. not one... regaining muscle is a lengthy process, especially for women... it will take a LOT longer to gain it back than it did to lose it.. smaller number on scale= diet only... actually look better and be healthier= both diet and training.
  • earltj
    earltj Posts: 9
    Diet is more important because you can lose wt. without exercise. Have you ever gotten sick, saw someone hospitalized and they can't eat or don't eat, they will lose wt. Exercise is important because it helps maintain muscle mass.
  • aFootballLife25
    aFootballLife25 Posts: 63 Member
    Diet for sure... And it's not even close.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    Yes diet.

    But for me, it's so much easier to eat well when I workout.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    Diet for short-term weight loss, exercise for long-term - every single time I've stopped exercising or attempted to lose weight through diet alone, I regain whatever weight loss within a month or so. In contrast, if I run, I can keep the weight off for up to a year.
  • shortie_sarah
    shortie_sarah Posts: 177 Member
    Whats more important? A number on a scale or an improved physique and better health?


    failure to incorporate resistance training will result in faster WEIGHT loss and a feeling of success... that lasts up until you start plateauing and realize how much muscle you've lost... do both.. not one... regaining muscle is a lengthy process, especially for women... it will take a LOT longer to gain it back than it did to lose it.. smaller number on scale= diet only... actually look better and be healthier= both diet and training.

    I second this ^^
  • pushyourself14
    pushyourself14 Posts: 275 Member
    Yes diet.

    But for me, it's so much easier to eat well when I workout.

    I find, sometimes, that I can be the same way! Working on my consistency.
  • pushyourself14
    pushyourself14 Posts: 275 Member
    I find both to be pretty important. If I had to pick one, though, it would be diet.

    ETA: The small dietary/lifestyle changes that I have implemented over the course of the last year are what I believe to be the main reason that all this change stayed with me and I am still continuing to make things better and better. I also made a point to enjoy these changes and not feel like I was forcing myself to do it. If you want it and you enjoy it during the process, there is a higher likelihood of these changes sticking with you in the long term. Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to be perfect if you are just starting out. JUST try to be better than yesterday, even if it is a tiny, tiny bit better. :-) "Progress not perfection"
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    DIET does work - if u want to lose weight fast... but can you maintain that weight loss without exercise cuz eventually ur gonna stop dieting and go back to eating crap again... if u exercise regularly the rebound weight gain will be minimal.
  • Sea_Siren
    Sea_Siren Posts: 4
    Diet
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    agreed

    To play devil's advocate, dieting certainly won't make you any fitter though.
  • Emisole
    Emisole Posts: 65
    It depends on what you want. Fitness? Endurance? Exercise. Healthy heart and being able to fit into your pants? Diet.
  • chelseascounter
    chelseascounter Posts: 1,283 Member
    DIET.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Diet. If your just going to eat a ton of crap - you won't be able to fuel your workouts, get good nutrition, and really - with only exercise, you won't see as much results and long term success (as the root cause is not dealt with - unhealthy eating habits)
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    Diet for losing weight. Exercise for body composition.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    Both.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
    More important for what goal? If its cardiovascular health or gaining strength, etc... then exercise, if its losing weight, getting a disease like diabetes under control, etc then diet is likely more crucial.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    I know they go with one another but for a begginer starting out do you think its more important to start improving their diet or start with exercise? again I know ultimately you need both but where is a good starting point to help see results and build up that motivation and desire to hit it hard

    The gym I lifted weights at for years had a poster in the free weight section . It said " Don't forget, a six-pack is mostly made in the kitchen ".
  • BL4ckPanth3r
    BL4ckPanth3r Posts: 6
    This is my thoughts on priority - this should be the same for both males and females
    I won't go in depth, as I could talk about this all day.

    1. Diet
    2. sleep
    3. exercise - a. resistance (weights)
    b.cardio
  • irishcream4u2
    irishcream4u2 Posts: 11 Member
    I have had great success focusing on changing what I eat and the way I eat. I've dropped over 60 pounds in the past year and a half and have kept it off. Slow, but sure has been my process, which might not work for everyone.

    I virtually did NO exercise and was mostly sedentary over that time. I simply did NOT feel comfortable working out.

    Now that I am slimmer, healthier, and more energetic, I am ready to become more physical. I want to begin to incorporate resistance training to build /tone muscle. I also want to add aerobic activity, like biking and rebounding on a small trampoline. Yoga is also on my list to enhance my flexibility and help me deal with stress/anxiety. These activities will provide some variety for me to hopefully enjoy, as I become even more physically fit.

    I wish you the best in your journey of DROPPING your excess weight!!! :-)
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    Ok I just noticed that u said beginners - yeah diet is most important but ur gonna regain all the weight and more once u get off the diet. Trust me, I've been doing this yo-yo dieting junk for 9 years I know what works and doing it through diet alone is a short-term, unsustainable way to lose weight.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Ok I just noticed that u said beginners - yeah diet is most important but ur gonna regain all the weight and more once u get off the diet. Trust me, I've been doing this yo-yo dieting junk for 9 years I know what works and doing it through diet alone is a short-term, unsustainable way to lose weight.
    It depends upon what you mean by "diet". If you're talking about a short-term, unsustainable fad/crash diet, I agree. If one is talking about "diet" in the sense of creating a reasonable caloric deficit and adjusting it according to results and desired goals as time goes on, that's not necessarily the case at all.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    Even a reasonable caloric deficit is hard to maintain - the only people who can keep trim are those who maintain a regular exercise program.
    Ok I just noticed that u said beginners - yeah diet is most important but ur gonna regain all the weight and more once u get off the diet. Trust me, I've been doing this yo-yo dieting junk for 9 years I know what works and doing it through diet alone is a short-term, unsustainable way to lose weight.
    It depends upon what you mean by "diet". If you're talking about a short-term, unsustainable fad/crash diet, I agree. If one is talking about "diet" in the sense of creating a reasonable caloric deficit and adjusting it according to results and desired goals as time goes on, that's not necessarily the case at all.
  • NoelleS85
    NoelleS85 Posts: 89
    Whats more important? A number on a scale or an improved physique and better health?


    failure to incorporate resistance training will result in faster WEIGHT loss and a feeling of success... that lasts up until you start plateauing and realize how much muscle you've lost... do both.. not one... regaining muscle is a lengthy process, especially for women... it will take a LOT longer to gain it back than it did to lose it.. smaller number on scale= diet only... actually look better and be healthier= both diet and training.

    I was going to say exactly this. If you want to just lose weight, sure, just cut calories but eat like ****, you'll lose weight. If you want to get healthy - just eating healthy won't do it for you completely. And to get in shape and improve overall health, you will need to do both - eat healthy AND exercise.
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
    I say it depends on the person and what that person is trying to become. If the person just wants to be thin then I would say changing their everyday eating habits is the first thing they should work on. So for that person diet is more important when they start out. For someone who just wants to get stronger I would say exercise is more important in the beginning because that is what will make them strong. For people who want both or just want to get healthy I would say it depends on if they are the type of person who needs to see results fast or can wait a while.
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
    What is the ultimate goal? who is the person wanting to make the change?

    for weight loss - if this is an absolute choice between one or the other, i would say diet. You will lose weight and become more healthy if you eat less and eat sensibly (i.e., make the right food choices for you).
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    Everyone knows that Diet is wayyyy more important than an exercise routine, 85/90% to 10/15%. All your time in the gym can not make up for bad eating habits!!! Not only that but these carzy and excessive workout routines are NOT sustainable.


    Don't be fooled by a whole lot of so called reasoning...any Body Builder, athlete, housewife, Jane Doe knows that if you go to the gym and workout 2 hours everyday, it means nothing if afterwards you come out and eat S.A.D. of binge or even worse. It's about DIET no matter what your goal is!
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    I think it's a badly framed question. I'll assume we are talking about someone who is overweight.

    those of us who now enjoy our workouts tend to forget that at first, getting to the gym is a major drain on willpower reserves. Eventually it becomes therapeutic and helps keep us focused, but not at first.

    Willpower decreases on a calorie deficit. So I say, it's best to eat at maintenance and make some athletic gains while learning to track food before going on a calorie deficit. Once exercise becomes a habit, move on to a calorie deficit.

    There is the ideal world, and the real world. I think it's very easy for someone to get fit, then forget how they got there. Yes, it's easy to out eat any exercise program, but at the same time, it's also easy to starve the best intentions.

    Is diet or exercise the most important? I say, neither. Willpower is the most important and the more clever and methodical you are about managing willpower, the better shot you have at success.

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