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

[TidWell]

By Julia Belluz and Christophe Haubursin Jan 3, 2018, 12:03pm EST


We’ve been conditioned to think of exercise as a key ingredient — perhaps the most important ingredient — of any weight loss effort.

You know the drill: Join the gym on January 1 if you want to reach your New Year’s weight loss goal.

But in truth, the evidence has been accumulating for years that exercise, while great for health, isn’t actually all that important for weight loss.

To learn more about why, I read through more than 60 studies (including high-quality, systematic reviews of all the best-available research) on exercise and weight loss for a recent installment of Show Me the Evidence. Here’s a quick summary of what I learned.

Read entire article with graphs and video
https://www.vox.com/2018/1/3/16845438/exercise-weight-loss-myth-burn-calories

 

[Ares Black]

If your diet is shit no amount of exercise will make you lose weight. But diet and exercise combined is the best way to do it.

 

[IIIIIIII]

i'm not going to read all that, but i don't see how exercise doesn't cause weight-loss. is the article saying that the food you eat is more important? maybe that's true.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

God bless science for saving us all some trouble.

 

[faustian]

I think we all know by know that diet is what it all comes down to. Calories in vs calories out, if you can augment that by burning 500 calories in a 30 min stairmaster session then great but remember that a slice of bread alone has bout 100 cals

 

[NHB7]

Not that new of info. The mantra: “Lose weight in the kitchen, get fit in the gym” has been around for years now.

 

[TribalDrumz]

Don’t tell that to wannabe bobdybuilding bros.

 

[dc007]

If your diet is shit no amount of exercise will make you lose weight. But diet and exercise combined is the best way to do it.

This. How does anyone not know that 80% of your weight is what you eat. 20% is exercise and that's really for the shape of your body. If you diet without exercise, you'll be skinny fat.

 

[gspieler]

Not exactly groundbreaking. Most people who train engage in some sort of compensatory eating. Not only that, but depending on the type of exercise you do, you may also be stimulating the growth of lean tissue.

 

[KONG-D'SNT-TAP]

Dieting is shit if you don’t work out because you might be skinny but you’ll never be in shape


It’s a combination between eating choices and working out. This has been known to anyone who is active for some time now.

 

[Verace]

This is a complete misinterpretation of the science behind these studies and articles TS...lol

The video below should put things into perspective.



But go on... sit on your couch watch what happens to your body composition over time.

 

[Beechwood]

That is something I've been questioning to myself about weight loss/body fat loss. I was familiar with the findings that exercise is a poor way to loose weight. Of late I've increased my exercising. I've also changed my diet. As a result I've seen positive weight changes. It is likely the diet that is effecting me the most I'm guessing but plan to continue with the exercises. It's something I enjoy doing.

 

[Der Eisbär]

Don’t tell that to wannabe bobdybuilding bros.

every single poster over at bb.com knows this info

 

[Heelhook71]

Yes being active and burning calories doesn’t help you lose weight...if you eat crap.

I had a flat mate who was always talking about the gym, but she was always fat and stubby. I never had the heart to tell her that her crap diet and her constant snacking on sweets at midnight really meant that all her efforts were pretty pointless.

 

[Dick]

With apps like Samsung Health and My Fitness Pal readily available to us nowadays, with a little basic knowledge on caloric intake, it's ridiculously easy to lose/gain weight by simply tracking your calories. But not many have that discipline.

 

[faustian]

Dieting is shit if you don’t work out because you might be skinny but you’ll never be in shape


It’s a combination between eating choices and working out. This has been known to anyone who is active for some time now.

Yeah but OP is specifically about weight loss. Conditioning is a whole other animal

 

[KONG-D'SNT-TAP]

Yeah but OP is specifically about weight loss. Conditioning is a whole other animal

Yeah you can’t just workout and look good. Diet and food choices happen to be important for weight loss as well.

Diet is one of the most
Important things in regards to weight loss and gains

 

[HunterAcosta]

Yeah diet is king but exercise is important for maintaing muscle mass and bone density and cardio health. Like someone mentioned, if u just diet and dont do any resistance training, youll probably look skinny fat.

 

[Jopious Extronimous]

This is common knowledge presented as new science that implies sitting on your ass is as useful as exercise.

Why would anyone publish and present this in this manner? Like honestly, what the fuck internet....

 

[tru3f4n]

Yes being active and burning calories doesn’t help you lose weight...if you eat crap.

I had a flat mate who was always talking about the gym, but she was always fat and stubby. I never had the heart to tell her that her crap diet and her constant snacking on sweets at midnight really meant that all her efforts were pretty pointless.

I have a crap diet and had no problem dropping from 210 to 175. Then again I was working a 10 hr shift running a cutting torch all day during the summer on top of a metal tank lid only eating one big meal a day.