It's crucial to understand that weight loss is a result of a balanced approach. While diet plays a significant role, exercise is equally important.
Let's delve into the science of weight loss. Exercising is indeed beneficial, but it's effective in weight loss only when you maintain a caloric deficit, meaning you burn more calories than you consume.
It is true that you can't outrun the fork. So, why did I say exercise matters? If you eat 5000 calories, no exercise will matter, but if you are eating 2-2.5k calories, it matters a lot.
I can never lose weight just by eating less; it is not sustainable for me. I do 45 minutes of fast walking at 4.5 miles an hour and start losing weight immediately. But I do not start adding calories.
Once you have muscles, you will burn more fat just by sitting around. I weigh around 122 lbs, and I can go up to 130 lbs; in order for any weight to move at my age and weight, I have to reset my body. This means I have to eat a lot for a few days to tell my body to keep burning the calories. Then I added exercise, and then I start eating less.

I am 53, and all I am trying to do is lose a few pounds in my stomach. It is not as easy as it was when I was 40 or 30. But when I add the 45 minutes, it is a huge difference in losing a few pounds. I think it should be an even bigger difference for a person who is actually overweight.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know, doesn’t really track with my experience. I was about 25-30 pounds overweight as a teen. Moved to a big city as a young adult, where I walked everywhere and also ran a few miles a day, ate a ton of food, and shed all of the weight without trying. In my 40s now and don’t watch what I eat at all, but run a lot and I remain slim and trim.

Slim and trim? 🤔

Anonymous wrote:She explained the reason right? People often assume exercise burns far more calories than it does. Therefore people compensate and eat more than they should to be in a caloric deficit. Exercise can also increase hunger which again increases eating/caloric intake. So on balance exercise doesn’t do much to aid the calorie deficit.

That said look up NEAT. Everyday movements add up.

Fixed typos

Exercise and building muscle means you burn more calories when not exercising. So it indirectly helps you lose weight. But food is the indirect cause of weight gain or loss.

She explained the reason right? Big often assume exercise burns far more calories than it does. Therefore people compensate and eat more than they should to be in a caloric deficit. Exercise can also increase hunger which again increases hunger. So on balance exercise doesn’t do much to aid the calorie deficit.

That said look up NEAT. Everyday movements add up.

Absolutely I think this is true. You have to exercise an awful lot to really lose weight. I look at exercise as helping to maintain my weight, keep me healthy physically and mentally.

Remember, muscle weighs more than fat. Muscle will tighten you though. If you exercise a lot it will burn calories that make you lose weight.

In my experience, she’s correct. I exercise for health, I limit calories for weight loss.

Exercise for the sake of working out doesnt. It does lots of other good things for your body. Lifestyle change like walking everywhere and not driving like the PP above does. But yes its almost all diet.

Of course she’ll overstate food intake because she’s a nutritionist. What do you think a personal trainer would say?

It’s genetics, calories, exercise.

I don’t know, doesn’t really track with my experience. I was about 25-30 pounds overweight as a teen. Moved to a big city as a young adult, where I walked everywhere and also ran a few miles a day, ate a ton of food, and shed all of the weight without trying. In my 40s now and don’t watch what I eat at all, but run a lot and I remain slim and trim.