Weight loss is 90% food, 10% exercise?
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It may be way more than 90% even. It's all about what you eat. I burn around 300 calories during my gym workout. Doesn't account for a lot overall.2
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CasperNaegle wrote: »It may be way more than 90% even. It's all about what you eat. I burn around 300 calories during my gym workout. Doesn't account for a lot overall.
Yea, it takes a lot of work to exercise-off calories. If you are already good at keeping your calories within a good range, then exercise can help you maintain your deficit if you slip up a bit.
For weight loss it is mostly about the food. For long-term health and looking awesome, exercise figures much more prominently.3 -
I have heard that losing weight is heavily down to diet and I am a strong believer the abs are made in the kitchen.3
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You can quibble about the ratio of calories eaten and calories burned through exercise, but the fact really is that calorie deficits are what lead to weight loss. Those calorie deficits are created by both eating less and moving more. And that's true in the UK, EU, and Australia as well as in Ghana, Uganda, Costa Rica, and Fiji.8
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That is true. I constantly exercise but couldn't seem to lose weight as I would eat too much. Then I started to cut down on my food intake and that combined with my exercise meant that I now have an amazing body at 47 and a half years old4
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For me it was probably 40/60 in favour of exercise - I really struggled to keep down to my calorie limit on exercise-free days, but only ate part of my exercise calories on days when I was cycling for up to 2½ hours a day. My "comfortable" number of calories is probably around 2-500 above my daily calorie limit - no problem when I'm exercising, but otherwise - problem.1
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I have heard that losing weight is heavily down to diet and I am a strong believer the abs are made in the kitchen.
Yes and no on the abs. You need to get below 15% bf as a man to get abs and full six pack comes in around 10% but there are people with low BF who don't have the visible six pack because they don't have enough development to see them.
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Thx for all the replies! Lots of great info in there. I've been trying to keep a calorie deficit whilst eating much healthier along the way. At the same time I've really upped the activity levels but like many have said here, MFP or my iPhone is clearly overstating my steps/activity. I'll chalk some off this score in my head and overestimate my food intake, this will then be a truer reflection of my day and help me achieve my goals sooner0
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Weight loss is 100% caloric deficit. How that deficit is established between changes to food and changes to exercise is going to vary person to person so you can't just apply some percentage split to everyone. I think a lot of people do it mainly from food, I establish much of mine through activity...but I wouldn't try to put a number on it.8
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themetz3838 wrote: »Has anyone else heard the phrase weight loss is 90% what we eat and 10% what we do, ie exercise? If this is true, then I've been placing way too much emphasis on exercise whilst wrongly thinking I could eat more
Weight loss and weight management in general is about energy (calorie) balance. Exercise and weight management can/do go hand in hand...but exercise doesn't mean you're going to lose weight or even maintain weight.
I cycle quite a bit and when I was training for my first century I was up to about 150 miles per week...I ended up gaining weight whilst doing that...you know why? Because I consumed more energy (calories) than I was expending. You can't out-exercise a *kitten* diet...it all comes down to energy balance.3 -
Well it's calorie in vs calorie out, ie. Creating a deficit. Exercise creates a bigger deficit just as eating less creates a bigger deficit. You can balance the two out in any way that fits you. Me personally, I enjoy exercise for both the health and the physical well-being aspects, but I'm not going to lie it makes me happy to be able to eat a little more.2
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I tracked 20 pounds of my weight loss. According to MFP and Mapmywalk I lost 16 pounds due to a dietary calorie deficit, only 4 pounds were attributed to the exercise I did.
Of course all the exercise did was createa larger deficit.
That said the exercise was important to how I felt.
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markrgeary1 wrote: »I tracked 20 pounds of my weight loss. According to MFP and Mapmywalk I lost 16 pounds due to a dietary calorie deficit, only 4 pounds were attributed to the exercise I did.
Of course all the exercise did was createa larger deficit.
That said the exercise was important to how I felt.
That doesn't make sense, all 20 would be due to the deficit, unless you lost 4 lbs of water due to exercise.2 -
markrgeary1 wrote: »I tracked 20 pounds of my weight loss. According to MFP and Mapmywalk I lost 16 pounds due to a dietary calorie deficit, only 4 pounds were attributed to the exercise I did.
Of course all the exercise did was createa larger deficit.
That said the exercise was important to how I felt.
That doesn't make sense, all 20 would be due to the deficit, unless you lost 4 lbs of water due to exercise.
I mentioned all the exercise did was create a larger deficit. That's all that exercise does for weight loss.
To be clearer:
The exercise accounted for 14k calories burned. This is in addition to the 56k calorie deficit from the diet. Giving a 70k calorie deficit that's responsible for 20 pounds of weight loss. Hopefully that's cleared for you.
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The 80/20 is the Pareto Principal:
Examples from this site: https://betterexplained.com/articles/understanding-the-pareto-principle-the-8020-rule/
The Pareto Principle helps you realize that the majority of results come from a minority of inputs. Knowing this, if…- 20% of workers contribute 80% of results: Focus on rewarding these employees.
- 20% of bugs contribute 80% of crashes: Focus on fixing these bugs first.
- 20% of customers contribute 80% of revenue: Focus on satisfying these customers.
The idea when it comes purely to weight loss is calorie intake is more important that exercise. The absolute split is inconsequential.
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markrgeary1 wrote: »markrgeary1 wrote: »I tracked 20 pounds of my weight loss. According to MFP and Mapmywalk I lost 16 pounds due to a dietary calorie deficit, only 4 pounds were attributed to the exercise I did.
Of course all the exercise did was createa larger deficit.
That said the exercise was important to how I felt.
That doesn't make sense, all 20 would be due to the deficit, unless you lost 4 lbs of water due to exercise.
I mentioned all the exercise did was create a larger deficit. That's all that exercise does for weight loss.
To be clearer:
The exercise accounted for 14k calories burned. This is in addition to the 56k calorie deficit from the diet. Giving a 70k calorie deficit that's responsible for 20 pounds of weight loss. Hopefully that's cleared for you.
gotchya, but I could burn 10,000 cals from exercise, and eat an extra 10,000 cals and then exercise has no benefit for weight loss, it just allows me to eat more and lose the same as I could with no exercise.0 -
Fat loss comes from a calorie deficit. The majority of people trying to lose weight don't burn enough calories through exercise to create a deficit without dietary changes. I believe that is the heart of the saying.4
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Fat loss comes from a calorie deficit. The majority of people trying to lose weight don't burn enough calories through exercise to create a deficit without dietary changes. I believe that is the heart of the saying.
True, you would have to be at maintenance or a slight surplus for most people to be able to lose through exercise alone. Most people just don't have the time nor energy to devote to burning 500 calories or more a day.
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You are correct, OP. You cannot out-exercise a bad diet. Many people lose lots of weight with exercise consisting of a 20-minute brisk walk.
Meanwhile, there are lots of fatties at the gym who get nowhere. One hour of vigorous exercise is wasted with one large sugary junk drink at Starbucks.5 -
This is a great article about the myth of exercise for weight loss. Full disclosure - I am a gym member, love it, and go for my health.
http://www.vox.com/2016/4/28/11518804/weight-loss-exercise-myth-burn-calories0 -
I eat more when I work out intensely - but not really with the motivation to burn off calories. I fuel my body for my workouts. I eat more, but my body seems to use as energy to power my workouts instead of holding on as fat.
In general, reducing calories, you will lose weight. Your body will essentially become a smaller version of what it was before. If you want to look toned, lower body fat %, tighten up, look more sculpted...then you need to exercise. Strength train.
I always read about people cutting calories and slowing their metabolism. You have to be really careful about preserving muscle mass, particularly women over the age of 30 when it starts decreasing. I did an "inbody analysis" - basically a body composition thing that breaks down your body fat %, skeletal muscle mass, etc, and your BMR - Basal metabolic rate, how many calories you burn just existing.
My BMR is higher NOW than it was a year ago, even though my overall weight is down. Meaning I'm burning about an extra 150 calories a day at a smaller size as a result of lifting heavy and building muscle mass. Body fat % went down, muscle mass went up. A pound of muscle burns more at rest than a pound of fat does - and takes up less space.
So while I absolutely think you can lose weight by reducing calories only, or that you cannot train away a poor diet or out exercise eating too many calories, I am a huge proponent of adding strength training to your routine. Otherwise you drop weight, you lose muscle in the process, and risk slowing down your metabolism.4 -
Exercising on a calorie deficit is extremely difficult - and may back fire in the long run. I'd say weight loss is 100% diet. I lost 95 pounds, 100% diet. Exercise built me back up when I was able to eat to maintain and gain muscle.2
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gonetothedogs19 wrote: »This is a great article about the myth of exercise for weight loss. Full disclosure - I am a gym member, love it, and go for my health.
http://www.vox.com/2016/4/28/11518804/weight-loss-exercise-myth-burn-calories
For weight maintenance exercise is the best predictor and maintenance is much harder than losing. The main reason why I believe that it's the best predictor is that those who continue to exercise are more actively attentive to their weight and better able to correct for weight regain.
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Exercising on a calorie deficit is extremely difficult - and may back fire in the long run. I'd say weight loss is 100% diet.
I disagree. Training for competitive sport on a calorie deficit is probably extremely difficult. Getting a moderate amount of exercise on a calorie deficit is not. Heck, I'm forced to walk a minimum of 4 km/day just to get from my parking spot to my office to my classroom back to my office back to my parking spot. Regular daily activity (as opposed to "exercise" per se) allows you to eat a reasonable number of calories while still losing (and, later, while maintaining).2 -
themetz3838 wrote: »Has anyone else heard the phrase weight loss is 90% what we eat and 10% what we do, ie exercise? If this is true, then I've been placing way too much emphasis on exercise whilst wrongly thinking I could eat more
If you strictly want to lose (including muscle) then this is probably true. But for those who want to lose weight/fat while also maintaining or building muscle for a toned looking physique, then it's definitely much more exercise focused. Sorta like the "abs are made in the kitchen" quote which I disagree with and have disproved. Do I eat like crap? No. But I definitely am not as strict as I used to be with my food, yet if I up my ab circuits at the gym and continue eating as normal then, BAM - abs. Everything is different for each person though.6 -
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I heard its 80 - 20 too0
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I eat more when I work out intensely - but not really with the motivation to burn off calories. I fuel my body for my workouts. I eat more, but my body seems to use as energy to power my workouts instead of holding on as fat.
In general, reducing calories, you will lose weight. Your body will essentially become a smaller version of what it was before. If you want to look toned, lower body fat %, tighten up, look more sculpted...then you need to exercise. Strength train.
I always read about people cutting calories and slowing their metabolism. You have to be really careful about preserving muscle mass, particularly women over the age of 30 when it starts decreasing. I did an "inbody analysis" - basically a body composition thing that breaks down your body fat %, skeletal muscle mass, etc, and your BMR - Basal metabolic rate, how many calories you burn just existing.
My BMR is higher NOW than it was a year ago, even though my overall weight is down. Meaning I'm burning about an extra 150 calories a day at a smaller size as a result of lifting heavy and building muscle mass. Body fat % went down, muscle mass went up. A pound of muscle burns more at rest than a pound of fat does - and takes up less space.
So while I absolutely think you can lose weight by reducing calories only, or that you cannot train away a poor diet or out exercise eating too many calories, I am a huge proponent of adding strength training to your routine. Otherwise you drop weight, you lose muscle in the process, and risk slowing down your metabolism.
That's a major benefit right there! Good for you!1 -
For me finding the right combination of calorie management and activity was a challenge. I do best with staying at or below my daily calorie goal, and moving no less than 30 minutes per day with improvement in mind. As you begin to loose and weight comes off in greater quantities, you will have to adjust one or both of these numbers to accommodate your smaller size and level of fitness. Honestly there is no magic percentage, you just have to do the work, and adjust for improvement. Good luck and be safe! -Nancy1
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I eat for weight control, workout for mental health, which in turn helps my weight7
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