The science is in: exercise won’t help you lose much weight

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  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    All I know is that when I am out on the bike trails most of the people I see exercising are far from overweight.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    It's true. Of course. Exercise and bad eating won't make you skinny.
    But, there is a famous study of people who successfully lost weight and then kept it off for at least two years, out of the University of Colorado, I believe.
    The researchers of this study have been using this group of people to try to identify what they do that has made them successful.
    One thing they almost all do: Exercise. They make a point of being active, regularly. It may not be vigorous exercise. It may be just walking. But they do it. It may not have been the key to their weight loss. But it does appear to be key to their weight maintenance.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    All I know is that when I am out on the bike trails most of the people I see exercising are far from overweight.

    Yes but wouldn't this observation mix up correlation with causation? As in, they may be far from overwheight but that doesn't mean it's the bike riding that's actually keeping their weight down but possibly a tight handle on their CICO, or maybe they are naturally very slender, or maybe even illness.

    *Yes, obviously of course exercise is a great tool to help us keep our weight down. I'm just giving examples of how correlation does not equal causation when examining the observation you posted.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    I doubt TimothyFish is running into a lot of people riding mountain bikes on the trail who are so ill they're emaciated.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I doubt TimothyFish is running into a lot of people riding mountain bikes on the trail who are so ill they're emaciated.

    It was simply an example of how unseen causes effect what we see. When causes are unseen we tend to draw conclusions with what's directly in front of us.

    Which is EXACTLY why it's so easy for people to think "Oh look that person works out and they are skinny, so working out makes people skinny."

    And then they are confused when they work out but keep eating tons and don't lose weight.

    It was simply an EXAMPLE.
  • RobBasss
    RobBasss Posts: 65 Member
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    I lost 65 lbs 212->147, and when people ask, I tell them diet is 80% of it, that all the exercise in the world will not make a bit of difference if you don't get your diet in check. I have seen so many coworkers, friends, lost a good bit of weight short term, 3-6 months, but because they don't change their lifestyle, the weight comes back. Its not easy, even after 5+ years, it takes me being conscientious of what I eat still.
  • Enjcg5
    Enjcg5 Posts: 389 Member
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    Great thread and great responses. What gets me is that people don't understand that in order to MAINTAIN the weight loss, you must MAINTAIN what got you there. Isn't the intense workout (stuff with big calorie burns) going to lead to burnout in the "average person?" Yet the same average person thinks using a food scale and counting calories is extreme.
  • gradchica27
    gradchica27 Posts: 777 Member
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    Exercise--vigorous exercise, that is--usually suppresses my appetite a bit. When I'm in a good place with exercise, my diet is better. I'm more motivated to keep a handle on my eating, and the effects of fried food or beer show up very obviously in decreased performance or GI pain during next workout (witness last night's homemade pizza and wine fest coming back to bite me as I type, walking after a tough lifting session). When I can't exercise bc of injury, etc I eat like crap. It's like I can't muster the energy to make a salad and just lay on the couch with Oreos. No immediate repercussions bc I'm not moving enough to get them....until I step on the scale.

    But...I totally see the "I earned this sundae " mentality too. Isn't there a term for the way doing something you perceive as virtuous (exercising, using your reusable shopping bag) giving you the moral license to cheat/be looser with another choice?
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Oh I totally would believe that this problem affects people. I was at the gym once and saw two girls walk in, go on the spin bike for literally 20 minutes, drink Gatorade, then afterwards eat protein bars and leave.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited July 2017
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    katadx wrote: »
    Oh I totally would believe that this problem affects people. I was at the gym once and saw two girls walk in, go on the spin bike for literally 20 minutes, drink Gatorade, then afterwards eat protein bars and leave.

    Well I don't know how many calories are in Gatorade but the protein bar makes sense to me.
    I drink a bottle of chocolate milk (fortified with 26g of protein) after I work out.
    Ok that's also after an hour of weightlifting... and done for recover... and worked into my daily calories...


  • FreyasRebirth
    FreyasRebirth Posts: 514 Member
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    There was a study (don't feel like Googling) that people ate more after "exercise" than after "sightseeing", even when the setting/distance were the same. People reward themselves for suffering.
  • Hypsibius
    Hypsibius Posts: 207 Member
    edited July 2017
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    katadx wrote: »
    Oh I totally would believe that this problem affects people. I was at the gym once and saw two girls walk in, go on the spin bike for literally 20 minutes, drink Gatorade, then afterwards eat protein bars and leave.

    It's funny, now that I'm in better shape I only drink Gatorade when in either A). Running a half-marathon or long-distance bike ride or B.). I'm really sick (we're talking the flu) and need to replenish fluids.

    Back in the day I used to drink tons of the stuff to "hydrate" and didn't realize just how many calories I was adding to my diet. It shocked me when I finally started looking at nutrition labels just how much sugar is in these beverages.
  • callum969696
    callum969696 Posts: 1 Member
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    If your going to work out and try become healthy you shouldn't be eating or drinking anything bad anyway, you just need to be making sure that the pros and more than the cons but remember that you need to stay interested, mid it up

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