Counting calories vs Exercise

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Replies

  • brad81684
    brad81684 Posts: 27
    Calories are king. Just make sure to get all the nutrition and vitamins you need by eating fruits and veggies while you diet. Like someone said, 1 monster cookie is all it takes to make that 50 minute high intensity cardio vanish.
    So, errr, just out of interest... where would I be able to find one of these 7-800 calorie cookies?

    :D

    I make those cookies, but then I eat them to save all of you!!
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    It's like 99/1.

    Calories rule the whole process. Exercise, in terms of weight loss, is primarily just another way to create a calorie deficit. You can undo a zumba workout with a single large cookie, so managing calories is the most important by a huge margin.

    Yep. If you aren't tracking, it's easy to get into the mindset that you worked out, so you can eat *insert nommy treat here* ,and end up not making progress.

    However, in addition to the great health gains that I've gotten through exercise, it helps me keep my deficit. Without exercise calories my daily calorie goal is not one that I would be able to adhere to in the long term.
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
    I'd say diet 75% workouts 25%.

    Kinda seems to be it for me too. I take the "exercise calories" with a big grain of salt unless it's a BIG work out (like a 5 or more mile run). I was eating back some of my exercise calories and not losing anything. Cut my intake way down this week and looks like I'll be down three lbs! Diet seems to make the needle more for me more than exercise. Not to say the exercise doesn't help or have mountains of other benefits.
  • brad81684
    brad81684 Posts: 27
    80% diet 20% exercise. You don't need to exercise to lose weight, however you do need to exercise to stay healthy. There's a difference between making your goal weight through pure calorie cutting and doing it through diet and exercise.
  • emhunter
    emhunter Posts: 1,212 Member
    Ate clean for 6 or 7 months straight. Most days my calories were 1200-1500 and was stuffed from all the veggies and no carbs...now I'm on a serious plateau. Exercise is the only thing that seems to be pulling me back out. I hope you find your answers. Best of luck!
  • DownsizingAaron
    DownsizingAaron Posts: 127 Member
    For me, working out is easy to do but keeping my diet in check has been hard. Long term strength training will build muscle that will burn calories for you 24x7x365 so that can help a lot. Regular cardio will add some muscle.

    Many people seem to say that diet is by far the biggest contributor to weight loss and from my experience I'd agree.
  • Roaringgael
    Roaringgael Posts: 339 Member
    I only want to add that I am now exercising because I suddenly wanted to.
    I have been calorie restricting and losing successfully.
    The exercise is like I have found a joy I had lost or never had.
    But it does increase my appetite and I eat more if I am ravenous.
    Happily I love logging in to MFP and keeping track - I really enjoy it.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    Before I discovered MFP I tried to lose weight just through exercise.

    I would stop putting on weight, so there was some benefit from exercising for weight control.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,993 Member
    Hi there! I need some advice. I've been working out (Zumba, strength training, dance, step aerobics) for a while now. The weight loss was very slow and I attribute that to the fact that I was not counting calories. My question is this; Is diet or exercise more important? I understand the basics of weight loss. I'm just curious if its a 50/50 thing or if diet is more 80, exercise 20? TYIA!:smile:
    Weight loss is ENTIRELY dependent on calorie deficit. You can lose weight without exercise, but you can't if you meet or exceed your TDEE.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Fitastic14
    Fitastic14 Posts: 30
    Hi there! I need some advice. I've been working out (Zumba, strength training, dance, step aerobics) for a while now. The weight loss was very slow and I attribute that to the fact that I was not counting calories. My question is this; Is diet or exercise more important? I understand the basics of weight loss. I'm just curious if its a 50/50 thing or if diet is more 80, exercise 20? TYIA!:smile:

    Hey! IMO...diet is more important...like 80% to exercise's 20%. Working out makes me feel wonderful - love it - but essentially the amount of food you consume is the bigger factor.

    =)
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    Calories are king. Just make sure to get all the nutrition and vitamins you need by eating fruits and veggies while you diet. Like someone said, 1 monster cookie is all it takes to make that 50 minute high intensity cardio vanish.
    So, errr, just out of interest... where would I be able to find one of these 7-800 calorie cookies?

    :D

    Here: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/02/13/1-xxl-death-by-chocolate-cookie/

    I made this for myself on my birthday. Oh. Em. Gee.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Calories.

    If you just exercise and don't count calories chances are you are eating extra to make up for every thing you burn.
  • SEAFOODMAN
    SEAFOODMAN Posts: 342
    all about diet.....comes down to calories..........the more you workout the more you can eat lol.............sometimes i need to tape my mouth shut haha...
  • Le_Joy
    Le_Joy Posts: 549 Member
    I think it depends on the person and their fitness level. When I first started my weight loss journey I only exercised. And it was for 5-10 minutes a day and I lost weight. As I continued and the weight loss slowed down I began to modify my eating as well. It all boils down to calorie deficit, but it seems to me it's easier to lose weight if you work out and create more lean muscle mass than if you just eat less. Also exercising gives me more calories to eat, which works better for me.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    Calories are king. Just make sure to get all the nutrition and vitamins you need by eating fruits and veggies while you diet. Like someone said, 1 monster cookie is all it takes to make that 50 minute high intensity cardio vanish.
    So, errr, just out of interest... where would I be able to find one of these 7-800 calorie cookies?

    :D
    Pine Cone restaurant on I-94 in Johnson Creek, WI
    6106765521_187bec1d33_o.jpg
  • KatherinesRiver
    KatherinesRiver Posts: 128
    I would say that the most important thing to consider is diet. Exercise also but unless someone like myself loses some weight we can't really get out and exercise or even get down on the floor to do sit ups! Maybe I am wrong? :blushing:

    Thanks for the above photos from the pine cone! Now I need to go munch some celery!!!
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Pine Cone restaurant on I-94 in Johnson Creek, WI
    I have a good few calories to burn today, but that's getting on for 5000 miles away, so I'm going to have to pass :(.
    I DID however get a packet of uncooked cookie dough which was half price, so might make my own :D.
  • mitchiejo
    mitchiejo Posts: 179 Member
    I found that before I started tracking my food that I actually was gaining weight even when exercising daily. Once I joined MFP and began logging all my food I was able to lose weight. I've found that I am making better food choices as well.

    Also I don't do strictly cardio anymore. I do strength training 3 times a week, cardio on other days and Yoga or Pilates daily for stretching.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Hi there! I need some advice. I've been working out (Zumba, strength training, dance, step aerobics) for a while now. The weight loss was very slow and I attribute that to the fact that I was not counting calories. My question is this; Is diet or exercise more important? I understand the basics of weight loss. I'm just curious if its a 50/50 thing or if diet is more 80, exercise 20? TYIA!:smile:

    Diet is definitely more important 80/20 sounds about right.

    However calorie counting is over simplistic. It should always be quality over quantity.

    Strength training, Zumba all sound great.

    Fuel up with decent stuff and party on. ????
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    To answer your original question, I find that counting calories on food + moderate exercise works best for me for both losing and maintaining weight. The activity makes sure I sleep for a straight 6-8 hours, which means I am getting my sleep in. If I get my sleep in, I feel better and for me, I make better food choices. I get my 10k in steps in every day, as well as 10 minutes to 30 minutes of yoga or barre3 in. Sometimes I do the yoga or barre 3 once in the morning, and again in the evening. I try to stand at least 10 minutes of very hour as I have a desk job.

    I have lost weight not changing my activity level 3 times between the ages of 22 and 53. When I added an exercise/activity component to the plan, I stayed on track with all 4 stages of my fitness transformation, slept well, and I look forward to improving my fitness every day. I am on my third year with my new fitness focus, and I couldn't be happier - and I weigh less than I did in high school.
  • LRoslin
    LRoslin Posts: 128
    I've tried in the past just upping my activity level and the weight just stayed there. Once I started counting calories and tracking my food intake, the weight started moving. So I'm convinced that it's largely diet that controls weight loss. Think about it: if you eat a Snickers bar, you'll have to do about an hour of strong exercise to burn it off. It's easier to just skip the Snickers, maybe eat an apple and go for a nice walk.

    I like the way I feel when I exercise regularly, so I'd never just cut calories. I tried that once and felt horrible. Exercise builds up my cardiovascular system so I can do more things and play longer with my kids.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
    I am a disabled wheelchair user, and I lost 126 pounds doing barely any exercise. I'd say it's at least 80% calories. The exercise part is more about making your muscles toned and fit, building muscle mass to avoid losing lean muscle mass, lowering blood pressure and raising heart rate. But, the weight will come off by eating less calories, even without exercise. Put them together and you lose weight, gain muscle mass, gain endurance, gain strength and tone yourself.

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