Exercise 'not key to obesity fight' Doctors say

I'm curious as to what the real issue is in the MFP community regarding this topic - Weight gain and weight loss work differently for everyone and I would think that factors like exercise, individual metabolism, and nutrients ingested all contribute to someone's success. I'm a believer that there are no absolutes when it comes to science, but that doesn't mean that all theories that don't work for everyone are hogwash.

There have been many studies done (do your own research, I've done mine) that propose that it's not just the number of calories that you take in, but the type of calories you take in, that can make a difference between being a healthy weight or overweight, based on their effect on resting calorie burn. A calorie is not just a calorie, and if you're wanting to get the most bang for your buck for your calorie intake, you need to look at what nutritional value those calories have, based on your individual needs.

As far as sugar goes, from personal experience, and this is based on my body chemistry and my metabolism, avoiding processed sugar has amazing positive effects. I have more energy, less inflammation, less water retention, clearer thinking, and a more positive outlook on life. Would everyone? I doubt it, but before you start arguing against something (unless you're arguing just for the sake of arguing), try it and then form your opinions based on your own individual experience.

elliej wrote: »

While I appreciate this is not the best written article... Not everyone knows abs are made in the kitchen... People largely think that if they exercise it doesn't matter what they eat. Also if they're not informed about calories they may assume that a 30 minute run means that they have 'earned' a bottle of red and an entire pizza

I saw a news piece this week that was talking about the use of cloth reusable grocery bags. People who use them tend to buy more junk food. The theory is that people see it as earning brownie points. Because they're doing their part for the environment they have earned the right to eat junk food. The same goes for exercise. People see exercise as giving them brownie points to eat more than they should.

APeacefulWarrior wrote: »

I'm curious as to what the real issue is in the MFP community regarding this topic - Weight gain and weight loss work differently for everyone and I would think that factors like exercise, individual metabolism, and nutrients ingested all contribute to someone's success. I'm a believer that there are no absolutes when it comes to science, but that doesn't mean that all theories that don't work for everyone are hogwash.

There have been many studies done (do your own research, I've done mine) that propose that it's not just the number of calories that you take in, but the type of calories you take in, that can make a difference between being a healthy weight or overweight, based on their effect on resting calorie burn. A calorie is not just a calorie, and if you're wanting to get the most bang for your buck for your calorie intake, you need to look at what nutritional value those calories have, based on your individual needs.

As far as sugar goes, from personal experience, and this is based on my body chemistry and my metabolism, avoiding processed sugar has amazing positive effects. I have more energy, less inflammation, less water retention, clearer thinking, and a more positive outlook on life. Would everyone? I doubt it, but before you start arguing against something (unless you're arguing just for the sake of arguing), try it and then form your opinions based on your own individual experience.

You know what? I had issues with inflammation when I didn't eat sugar. Not eating sugar did nothing to relieve my medical condition. In fact, I had a new inflammatory autoimmune disease start while I was abstaining from sugar. What inflammatory issues did you have that giving up processed sugar cleared up?

I eat sugar now. I find that exercise is the best thing for dealing with inflammation. If something keeps me from exercising for too long (and sometimes, one of my medical conditions will do just that), the inflammatory condition will act up. Has nothing to do with sugar. Has to do with missing out on working out.

Losingthedamnweight wrote: »

Oh god the comments on this article are so much fat logic. I'm glad I belong here and not there

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-32417699?ocid=socialflow_facebook

And, it is true that you don't have to exercise to lose weight, all you have to eat less calories than you burn. That's it. If you choose to exercise, it helps create a bigger calorie deficit, that's all. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, fitness at the gym.

As for the rest of the article, it's all opinion.

I think the study only disproves the myth that if you start working out you can eat however much you want, especially if it is a "healthy" food. Unfortunately the information will be misused as an excuse to not exercise.

Optimal health is achieved by a combination of diet and exercise, period.

Chrysalid2014 wrote: »

APeacefulWarrior wrote: »

I'm curious as to what the real issue is in the MFP community regarding this topic - Weight gain and weight loss work differently for everyone and I would think that factors like exercise, individual metabolism, and nutrients ingested all contribute to someone's success. I'm a believer that there are no absolutes when it comes to science, but that doesn't mean that all theories that don't work for everyone are hogwash.

There have been many studies done (do your own research, I've done mine) that propose that it's not just the number of calories that you take in, but the type of calories you take in, that can make a difference between being a healthy weight or overweight, based on their effect on resting calorie burn. A calorie is not just a calorie, and if you're wanting to get the most bang for your buck for your calorie intake, you need to look at what nutritional value those calories have, based on your individual needs.

As far as sugar goes, from personal experience, and this is based on my body chemistry and my metabolism, avoiding processed sugar has amazing positive effects. I have more energy, less inflammation, less water retention, clearer thinking, and a more positive outlook on life. Would everyone? I doubt it, but before you start arguing against something (unless you're arguing just for the sake of arguing), try it and then form your opinions based on your own individual experience.

Completely agree with everything you've said. Avoiding added sugars even just for the past couple of weeks has made me feel so much better. Some people can clearly tolerate them; well I can't. So I've decided not to have any.

About the 'CICO philosophy' of MFP, I find it amusing that the founder of this site admitted in an interview last week that this was only ever intended as a starting point – a simplification – for those that don't understand anything about nutrition. Yet so many here are convinced this is the be-all-and-end all of dietary reform.

So, you avoid fruit too? You have zero sugar in your diet?

Weight loss is calories in/calories out. Anything outside of CICO-diet type, less sugar, more protein, etc.-has to do with personal preference and/or medical issues.

Mr_Knight wrote: »

SLLRunner wrote: »

If you choose to exercise, it helps create a bigger calorie deficit, that's all.

This is exactly the kind of misleading over-simplification that gets people in trouble. There are many direct benefits to weight loss from exercise, beyond just creating a bigger deficit (which shouldn't even be done, most of the time).

Wait, most of the time you say not to eat back exercise calories, so... WHAT?

If you're not creating a bigger deficit what exactly does your exercise burn do?

(For the record, just so you know, I don't eat back exercise calories... okay yesterday I ate back about 17 calories... I walk primarily to help my psoriatic arthritis and strength train to strengthen the muscles that support my messed up joints.)

Geekymonkey99 wrote: »

A lot of the time, people say not to eat back the calories because we underestimate what we eat and overestimate what we burn.

:drinker: