I've been reading studies lately about the effects of exercising or not exercising on weight loss. Naturally there are many questionable articles on the internet, and source is everything. I'm wondering what people's reactions are to this one. I found it quite interesting:

http://www.vox.com/2016/4/28/11518804/weight-loss-exercise-myth-burn-calories

Geez that was long!!! I agree with the bulk of it. Exercise only accounts for less than 20% of your overall physique (fat, muscles, etc) and diet is over 80%. People can lose weight just from changing their diet alone. Exercise is a boost really. I've never really agreed with the calorie in, calorie out though. I did once upon a time, but now it's just eating better quality food and watching how much to eat. Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full/content. Now, the article almost came off as, you don't have to exercise at all. Although this can be true, kind of, it's even better to incorporate exercise to get the best "bang for your buck" so-to-speak. So, for weight loss, yes, it can help. But heart conditioning, muscle building, strengthening, stretching...those are all excellent benefits of exercise and we still do lose calories doing them (if you count calories) but the diet is what counts most.

I agree, it doesn't diminish the importance of exercise, but the idea that more more more is better is not true and is being pushed by the fitness industry a lot! That's not helpful to people fighting obesity.

Thanks for commenting!

Agreed. Exercise is necessary for good health, but not for weight loss.

I've read a lot on this topic too, including a few of the studies mentioned in the article, and I totally agree with it.

I posted about this a while ago. Exercise is kind of useless for weight loss. It is counter productive. So many people get caught up in exercise and not wanting to do it, they never lose weight.

Exercise however is important for overall good health. I have just walked for most of my weight loss. I recently started working out to sculpt my body a little and work out days I gain 5 lbs in Water weight because of muscle recovery. However I'm getting smaller. *sigh*

https://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2016/11/28/why-do-i-gain-weight-when-i-exercise/

Exercise does not help with weight loss. Every time I work out, I have to eat two sugar free Popsicles just to recover.

However, before surgery I could not bend or straighten my leg. I could not walk down stairs without holding the handrail. I could not hold a plank. Exercise has given me strength, mobility, and greatly increased quality of life.

My reproductive endocrinologist was the first to tell me that weight loss is only about 60 to 70% percent "calories in vs. calories out". The rest is hormones, body content, genetics, etc. So, if you eat way more than you put out, yes, you will gain weight. That's how most of us got in the shape we were in. I had a test done to see how many calories my body needs to operate. My body needs at least 1350 calories to breathe, operate, and function. (I had this test done a year and a half after surgery). Due to my activities, I can eat up to 2050 a day and not gain weight. If I ate that many calories everyday, however, I would put on weight. That's just how it is. I eat about 1400 to 1700 on any given day. This Saturday, I am running a half marathon, and will probably end up eating close to the 2000 mark.

Exercise and food go hand in hand. You cannot out-exercise a horrible diet, and you cannot just eat so little without exercise. Well, you could, but you would have no muscle and would kill your metabolism. Everyone's bodies are different. Often, it is the types of food we choose to eat and the exercise one chooses.

You have to do what is best for your body. For me, I do a mix of cardio and weight training. The cardio helps burn fat, but the weights help trim and tone.

Nice responses, thank you. Exercise can often be held up as the god of weight loss and it can be intimidating just to question it!

I have always struggled with formal exercise and just try to get out and be as active as I can, walking around a mall, etc. I do think a little weight training would do me good, but probably won't help with my annoying 5lbs of yo-yo weight.

I too agree that exercise is used to stay fit not only to lose weight.