Diet vs. Exercise for Weight Loss - which is more effective?

When it comes to weight loss, which is more effective - diet or exercise?   Of course BOTH diet and exercise are important for overall health, but when it comes to weight loss, it is important to look at the actual numbers.  

So, what does the research say? If you are relying on exercise alone to lose weight, you may have to exercise 77 HOURS to lose 2.2 pounds of fat.  In one study, previously sedentary women who added 180 minutes per week of exercise, every week, for a full year, lost a total of 2.4 kg (a little over 5 pounds) of fat in one year. Better than nothing, but relying on exercise alone for substantial weight loss could be discouraging.  http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v35/n3/full/ijo2010147a.html

(International Journal of Obesity (2011) 35, 427–435)

Why doesn't exercise alone work well as a weight loss strategy? Because calories burned through exercise are relatively few in the big picture. We burn more through our "NEAT" (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis - the calories we burn throughout the day doing normal life tasks.)  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12468415

People also often tend to overestimate the calories burned through exercise, and then assume they’ve ‘earned’ a ‘treat’ - and then consume extra, excess calories.   According to research, “individuals overestimate EE (calories burned during exercise) by 3-4 folds. Further, when asked to precisely compensate for exercise EE (calories burned during exercise) with food intake, the resulting energy intake is still 2 to 3 folds greater than the measured EE (calories burned) of exercise.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21178922 (J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2010 Dec;50(4):377-84.

People forget that walking a full mile burns only  70-80 calories - about the amount in a small cookie, or single chocolate Lindt ball.  It’s important to remember, “we can’t outrun a Twinkie!”

So, what works better than exercise alone for weight loss? Combing exercise AND smart eating, becoming aware of calories we consume, and focusing on SPECIFIC eating strategies (including meal and snack planning, journaling calories/protein/carbs, planning ahead for 'high risk' eating situations, becoming aware of 'triggers' which lead to unhealthy choices, and getting support, help, and coaching when needed!)  

Since most people underestimate their calorie intake, and overestimate their calories burned, journaling with an app like MyFitnessPal, or using a tracking device such as a Fit Bit, can be a real eye opener!  But even using good old pen and paper to track calories and exercise can be useful.  To find the calories in food, try an online source, or book such as the Calorie King.  To estimate how many calories you burn, there are online tools:  http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html This includes an estimation of calories burned at complete rest (BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate), plus calories burned through normal daily activities (NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis),  plus extra calories burned through intentional exercise.  

How serious of a problem is it to miscalculate calories?  It can be a serious problem for weight loss!  Here is an interesting, thorough article on this:  http://vitals.lifehacker.com/exercise-vs-diet-which-is-more-important-for-weight-l-1677532039

To lose one pound of fat, you have to ‘burn off’ 3,500 calories more than you eat.  In real life, that means to lose one pound of fat per week, you’d have to eat 500 calories fewer than you ‘burn’, every day for one week.  To lose two pounds of fat, you’d have to eat 1000 calories fewer than you burn, every day for one week.  Sounds daunting, but you can do it!  When you look at those numbers, its easy to see why changing the diet portion of the formula gives faster weight loss results than trying to ‘outrun a Twinkie!’  

But remember, exercise helps keep your muscle AND metabolic rate strong while you lose weight, and provides numerous other health benefits.  So don’t skip the exercise, but don’t expect it to yield substantial weight loss all by itself.  And if you need help calculating the proper calories to lose weight, given your lifestyle, just ask us!  We can help make it simple. http://www.physicianshealthyweightcenter.com/ (603) 379-6500.  We are now offering online counseling, for extra help, and to help those who who live at a distance.