If its 80% diet and 20% exercise to lose weight...

In doing some research on line (my bad that I don't have the exact sites, but some are mayo clinic, women's sites and md sites..) What I am reading is that most weight loss is contributed to less calories. The excercise is good for the heart, lungs, bones, and over feeling good but if say I need to eat 1200 calories a day and I eat 1700 then try to burn off 500 calories in excercise I won't lose.
What I am doing is I calculated my BMR thru the Mayo clinic site and it says if I am inactive I burn 1650 calories, lightly active (walking 3x week) then I burn 1800. I need to consume 500 less calories a day to lose 1 lb a week. So my goal is 1150 if I don't excercise and I can have 1300 if I do.. or in that range.
I want to walk at least 3x a week to build up my stamina, personally. I have asthma and am hoping to strengthen my lungs. I am also 45 and know it is good for bone density to walk. I want to see if I shed 30 lb or so can I jog without knee pain. i currently have arthritis in my right knee so it hurts to do that impact so I am left with brisk walking 3.0 - 3.5 mph .
I can't afford a gym membership so I don't have access to weights otherwise I'd add that in probably.
I am planning ot start utilizing my pilates dvd's that I have around for years.
That's just my opinion and what I do for me. I am 3 weeks in though, so maybe someone who has been at it longer and has a bigger workout routine sees different results.
Good luck. I think its a great question
Kelle

To lose weight-- diet.
To sport a rockin' body when all that extra is gone-- exercise.
Being skinny and being fit are not always the same thing.

You eat to lose weight, you exercise for good health!

Im not sure what i believe but diet is not what works for me.
I guess if you want to call it a diet go for it. My food has not changed much.When i eat certain foods has changed.
I did cut out dairy , and Wheat. I just stop eating carbs at noon. I always ate well i just never ate enough.
My weight is from stress pure and simple. I was at the gym 6 days a week and sometimes 3 times a day. I had a horrible trainer that i got very little information from. Only thing i got from him was a insane workout to the point i couldn't walk.
I went on 20 mile hikes and 20 mile mountain bike rides every week on top of my gym work out. I was able to bounce back in less than a day mostly because i had some extra energy wrapped around my waist . I did a huge yo-yo from 215 when i joined the gym to 237 and then 222 when i finaly stabled out. I started this fitness-pal when i finally stabled out at 222. It wasn't until i met a trainer that told me the benefits of supplements. I then dropped 30lbs in two months and 4 months later i still have not gained any of that back i still work out insanely but i now try to eat much more than i ever have.
So NO i don't believe in diets to loose weight and no i don't believe that just exercising will bring you better health. Each person is so different that making simple statements to me, well they just don't apply.

To lose weight-- diet.
To sport a rockin' body when all that extra is gone-- exercise.
Being skinny and being fit are not always the same thing.

What she said.

This is really simple.

If you have a 2000 calorie diet and that gives you a 500 calorie deficit, then workout 5 days a week and burn 400 each day, you would create a 3500 per week deficit from diet and 2000 from exercise.

Or you could just eat about 1700 calories a day and get the same results.

If you ate 2500 a day, it would take burning 500 calories a day in the gym, 7 days a week to get the same results and just eating 500 fewer calories. 500 calories is an hour to hour and a half workout depending on your size.

So, you'd need to spend. 7 to 10 hours per week in the gym or you could just eat 500 less calories.

Its more like 80% diet, 10% genetics and 10% exercise.

Yes, you can lose weight with no exercise and be skinny. I have always worked out since my teens but life got busy and my workouts got put on the back burner. I was skinny and looked pretty good since I already had the muscle tone, but it wasn't until I was able to get back into my workout routine that I got leaner and IMO, sexier. There were some things no matter what I couldn't change such as even though I had a six pack, I was always going to have a pouch of a lower tummy. Genetics and maybe also from having birthed two kids at that time. For some women its that back upper thigh fat.

I think if you work out extra hard that yes you can and should eat more but I think people tend to overestimate the amount they think they should be able to eat. Plus this may be were genetics kicks in more. If your body wants to hold on to food especially if you are working out more, then it will. There are exceptions to every rule. Every body works differently. Things that worked for me 5 years ago are not working for me now.

I'm in no way an expert, I've just been at this for so long and seen and read so much that this is just how I feel about it.

I've been trying exercise but seem to be stuck.. have injury at the minute so no exercise for a week so I'll see if I lose any quicker from diet alone and not been able to exercise.