Robert Lustig on exercise

Lustig and Taubes are propagating the ONAAT fallacy. Like Atkins and others who have come before them, they appear to be dualists who divide the spectrum and subtleties of food into good vs. evil; and iconoclasts who get attention by challenging conventional wisdom.

The redundant aspirations of dietary dualistic iconoclasts over a span of decades have done us no favors. This good vs. evil foodview invited us all to cut fat and eat Snackwell cookies; then to cut carbs while ignoring trans fat. We could waste a lot of time and squander a lot of health finding more, equally silly places to go.

Calories, of course, do count; they are a measure of energy, and their role is rooted in the laws of thermodynamics. It is the overall quality, and quantity, of our diet that matters to health- not just one villainous or virtuous nutrient du jour. We should, indeed, eat food, not too much, mostly plants. The work we need most urgently is about what it will take to get there from here.

As dietary guidance, the vilification of one nutrient at a time has proven as flighty as hummingbirds, propelling us from one version of humbug to another. My advice is to grasp firmly your common sense, and stay grounded.

Do they have any studies out there that compare a same deficit (as in a diet deficit of 190 cals and an exercise deficit of 190 cals)?

The redundant aspirations of dietary dualistic iconoclasts over a span of decades have done us no favors.

Just heard a quote from a leading expert in pediatric endocrinology. In a discussion with a lecturer about sugar, fructose and calories:

RL: [Health care professionals] need to explain that a calorie is not a calorie. All calories are not the same. If you count calories you are doomed to failure. And that is what we have seen for the last 30 years. That is not what the companies that espouse this would have you believe. They believe well that if a calorie is a calorie, then you get to choose your calories. And if you are what you eat, everyone gets to choose what they eat. The fact of the matter is, if the calorie is not a calorie then it really does matter, the food quality determines the quality. And the problem is that our food quality right now is just god-awful.

Lecturer: Plus they tell you can always exercise it away.

RF: And you can’t. The fact is, that there’s not one study, not one study, anywhere in the world’s literature, that shows that exercise promotes weight loss. Why is that? Because it causes fat loss but muscle gain. Muscle ended up weighing more than fat and so there are no studies that showing weight loss, it clearly promotes metabolic health and I am all for it. But know what it’s for, if you expect to lose weight by exercising, by seeing it on the scale, you will be sorely disappointed.

Very surprised to hear such an ignorant comment (especially in a online course about nutrition). It's comments like this that lead to confusion among almost everyone who wants to start to lose weight and get fitter and healthier. He makes no other important aspects of exercise, particularly body composition and health which is what 99% of people are after.

I've lost weight by way of exercise only. It took me 3.5 years but I lost weight and gained muscle. Most of the studies done regarding exercise vs. calorie deficit are not long term. They are usual a couple of months and never long term. Even though I was overweight at the time, my goal was to control my health, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc and I knew I had to tackle one thing at a time. I'm not good a multi-tasking.

I took my cues from watching and observing fast moving streams and rivers, especially those in high altitudes, the faster the water, the clearer the water ran, or so it appeared. Fast moving water seems to clear out the gunk and sediment in the water so I transferred that observation to what happens to my blood when I'm working out (don't know if that really translates well but that was my motivation). The first 3.5 years I lost inches and dropped three dress sizes. Thenbetween 3.5 and 4 yrs I dropped forty pounds. I don't know when that exactly happened because I wasn't weighing myself and I pursued my journey unannounced. I weighted myself when a newly purchased 2 piece dress skirt fell to the floor when I put it on. I had dropped 3 dress sizes betweeen the time I purchased the dress and when I decided to wear it. In total, I went from a size 22 to a size 10.

Another thing happend, my cravings deminished and my insatiable appitite calmed down. I believe I was overfed and undernourished (I have no scientific facts to back me up) and as my blood flow ramped up, clearing out all the fat and "sediment" in my blood stream, my body was able to dilevery to my cells the nutrients that it needed because like a fast moving stream/river, there was no sediment to block the micronutrients from entering my body.

I get annoyed when people say you can't lose weight by exercise alone because I'm proof that it can happen.

Technically, you can't. Weight loss requires a calorie deficit. Exercise does not necessarily imply said deficit. If you are eating slightly above maintenance and then add enough exercise without changing eating, yes you will lose weight as you have now created a calorie deficit. You can lose weight by changing nothing but your exercise, and I don't think anyone is disagreeing that this is possible, but you have to be careful to change nothing else. People are terrible at knowing how much they eat, so it is very easy to start eating more when you start exercising, even if you think you aren't. It can be done, but it is difficult. Grats on having the focus to be able to pull it off.