80 vs 20 i.e. Diet vs exercise, Do you agree?

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PepperRocks
PepperRocks Posts: 48
in Health and Weight Loss
Well, I once joined a gym for weight loss. I was told that weight loss is dependent on 80% how you eat and 20% how much you exercise. Do you agree?

So if I eat 2000 cals (my RDI for weight loss is 1200), and burn 2500, would I still lose weight?

And well, if I don't exercise at all, just eat 1200 everyday, do you think I would still lose weight?

Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    You only have 14 pounds to lose.. so I'd eat way more then 1200 calories.

    If you follow MFP, then yes, you can just eat 1200 and lose weight since MFP already figures on a deficit depending on how much you chose to lose each week.

    If you eat 1200 and burn 2500, I'd think about eating some of those calories back. You're body needs fuel to run.. and the more you deprive it of food, the less efficient it will be at losing weight.
  • garlic7girl
    garlic7girl Posts: 2,236 Member
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    Okay honestly I was never a whiz at math but I have read scientific journals and talked with dieticians personal trainers about the same stat. I agree because sit and think how what you eat effects you body appearance and function! Think of all the folk that go to they gym and really work out HARD and still overweight. Their eating style is not as disciplined. One of my best friends ran circles around me but was 40lbs overweight. She saw me lose and wondered why when she worked out harder then I. Once she joined Weight Watchers with me and eating style became more disciplined the weight peeled off of her...
  • bluebird321
    bluebird321 Posts: 733 Member
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    I agree, but only because I worked out regularly for years and the scale kept inching upwards (which seemed to be exacerbated once I hit 40) -- it wasn't until I stared dieting that I lost weight. I don't think it is 80 vs. 20 exactly, but I like to use that figure as an example when explaining my own experience.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    I agree.

    Nutrition will change your weight, exercise will change your shape.

    To lose weight by exercise alone would require an AWFUL lot of work-outs. And you can still lose weight even without exercising.
  • biologic
    biologic Posts: 81
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    if you eat 2000 and burn 2500 you definitely lose weight.
  • chantell7
    chantell7 Posts: 167 Member
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    Diet is definitely around 80% of weightloss and maintenance ." You can't out run a bad diet " dont fall into the diet trap!!! Find what works for you. =)
  • Ruz456
    Ruz456 Posts: 99
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    I feel diet has a bigger influence on your fitness and weight loss goals than exercise, if you were to diet alone you would still lose weight but if you were to exercise alone and still eat whatever and however much you wanted you would maintain or gain weight, now diet AND exercise together is where its at! :)
  • k7n2w3
    k7n2w3 Posts: 241 Member
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    the math you gave is 100% correct... how do i know? cuz that's how I lost all of my weight :-) It really is 80% what you eat.. as in if you exercise for 300 calories but maintain a 2000 a day calorie diet when your body only burns 1700 a day with exercise, you will gain weight. When I first started i could eat 1900 to maintain, 1400 to lose so on days I didnt exercise I'd eat 1400 and other days I'd eat more when I would exercise. Your body needs fuel so it is smart to eat some of the exercise calories. If you maintain a 500 calorie deficit you will achieve 1 pound a week loss. I lost 1.3ish on average over the time to lose 44 pounds. I don't eat the best but counted calories and tracked my vitamins and it worked for me. I used to live on the notion of "oh i worked out for 45 minutes I can eat whatever i want..." that lead me to gain like 5-10 pounds a year (embarrassed). So moral to the story is yep you are right... keep a calorie deficit and you'll lose the weight :-) Good Luck! :-)

    SW 155.1
    GW and CW 112.0
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    All that said-- you really shouldn't be aiming for a negative net calorie intake unless you're being closely medically supervised-- that sounds very dangerous.
  • PepperRocks
    PepperRocks Posts: 48
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    Thank you guyz. Amazed, so many of you agree to this 80:20. Best for me to stick to it then. Balanced diet (around 1300/1400) if I exercise (burn around 300) or then no exercise means 1200 calories.

    Thanks again!

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