X-Post: Diet trumps exercise during weight loss

http://news.yahoo.com/exercise-scientist-reveals-fastest-mos t-184945742.html?nf=1

This article reaffirms what many on these boards have said for years: diet/food plan FIRST, exercise SECOND!  You will never, ever out-exercise bad food choices.  I know people who never exercised and lost all their excess weight in record time after WLS.  Because they were focused and compliant with every single bite they put in their mouth and they TRACKED it every. single. day. 

The article goes on to state that successfully keeping weight off (maintenance) requires diet and exercise.  I truly believe that and can attest it is true.  

Bottom line for newbies starting out: focus on the food and don't sweat the exercise piece.  You can slowly build up to that and kick it in high gear once you hit maintenance.  

Yes, I read this article yesterday as well.  It's about the food plan, that's for sure.  Exercise has many benefits too, but not as much for weight loss as many people want to believe.

I've been on OH for almost 3 years and I've read way too many posts from new WLS patients who beat themselves up because they didn't get on the treadmill or they're "only" exercising 30 minutes a day.  

Exercise is great for many things: cardiovascular health, lung capacity, overall mood, stamina, brain health, muscle strength.  It is not - and never has been - the magic key to losing weight. That "key" is what you put in your mouth every day at every single meal.  

I strongly believe that exercise IS a magic key for keeping the weight off. Absolutely! I would recommend that people who are pre-op or newly post-op find some type of physical activity that they like to do and use the pre-op and first year of post-op to get in the habit of moving the body.  Once the weight is off they'll be super-motivated to continue with more intensive exercise programs and are much less likely to injure themselves without all the extra weight pounding their joints, etc. 

Totally agree.  Exercise is great and important for lots of things, but diet is where it's at for weight loss.  

The one that gets me most are the posters who say they haven't been on the boards in a while, but have gained 40 pounds because they stopped going to the gym, or sprained an ankle and can't work out, or something similar.

No, you gained 40 pounds because you're eating more. A lot more.

Yeah, exercise burns some calories, but not nearly as many as most people think. And I have read several studies that show people who work out like fanatics don't burn ANYTHING extra in the course of a week, because they work out so hard, for such a short time, and then crash and are sedentary for long stretches after.

Regardless, it's what you wat that matters most. Everyone can eat food far faster than they can burn it, and spend money far faster than they can make it.

So true Grim!  Another variant of why people say they've gained is that they've eaten too many carbs. In my mind, it's better to call a spade a spade - the person has eaten too many calories!  The only connection to carbs is that we tend to overeat them and crave more. So no matter how you look at it, the only game in town is eating less calories.

Steak or Twizzlers?  No matter as long as you an effectively control your calories! Personally I'd choose Twzzlers time and time again if I could control my calories. But I can't so I choose steak and I've learned to love that too!  The fattier the better, of course :-). But that's another post. 

Now I'm trying to pictures melted Twizzlers on a ribeye. Or maybe inside a ribeye.

The Twizzeye!   Mmmmm

Instead of that eye of fat in the middle, it could be Twizzler instead. Like those caramels with the cream in the center.

Since gluttony is my sin of choice, can I have the fat AND the Twizzler?