My food and exercise observation

L Sass

L Sass

Cathlete
Ok group - I'd like your input on this. I've been an exerciser for a lot of years - started out in a weight loss effort, which seems like it always remains a goal. I'd always heard that for weight loss the right combination was to focus about 70% on food and 30% on exercise.

I don't think that's the case. I read and read and read different theories and perspectives and approaches, and here is what I think I've discovered. For weight loss I think you MUST be an exerciser. That's non-negotiable. But once you are, I think it's 100% food. At least that's what I find for me - and I know that this is where genetics and predispositions, etc. come into play. I know so many people who say they've started to exercise but they're just not losing weight. But they don't want to change their diets at all. So that's my observation. I've got to exercise, but it's all about the food.

Lorrie
 
Absolutely. Some people in my classes just screw up their faces when I tell them they STILL have to watch what they eat!
Just Do It! :)
 
Lorrie you are SO RIGHT. I exercised for almost 15 years like crazy but my diet really held me back. Once I started in Cathe in March and cleaned up my diet I lost inches and really began to take shape. Right on!


"you miss 100% of the shots you never take"

Debbie
 
I think it varies from person to person. The most important thing is to do something that's doable and fits into the lifestyle, likes/ dislikes of an individual or it will never be followed.

I am currently struggling (really struggling) to lose 5lbs. The body can get used to anything. So you have to keep challenging it in various ways in terms of diet/exercise. If you've never exercised and start doing so, you will get great results initially. If you eat crap and clean up your diet suddenly, you will have great results initially. But those results do slow down and for most of us who already have clean diets/ exercise regularly, its even more of a challenge to keep that progress going.

But on the whole, I think if you eat crap and exercise, than you simply may not get results. The likelyhood of dieting and exercising occasionally would probably be the better bet in terms of weight loss. Eating clean and never exercising - I guess you could maintain your weight on that but you will not really be gaining the health benefits of exercise.

My hubby had wonderful results with clean eating and 3 days of exercise. He even cheated a little on weekends. He also sits at a desk most of the time. I on the other hand, have been working out 6 days a week, have a physical job and eat a very clean diet - I haven't lost a pound and feel like crap! Its soooo unfair!!! Those are my food/exercise observations. I guess I am feeling very sorry for myself right now.
 
Ditto that! Though I'm new to Cathe, I've been exercising for years. I started with running, about 5 miles per day. I lost a lot of weight, but I was eating very clean, veggies, brown rice and seafood. After I lost about 20 pounds, I decided that as long as I ran daily, I could eat whatever-- calories in vs. calories out, right? Um, I gained 10 pounds back even with daily exercise. I've cleaned up what I eat again, and with weight lifting added in, have noticed good changes in my body. I look a lot thinner through my upper body and my clothes are fitting better. Granted, the last time I stepped on a scale, I had actually gained a few pounds, but the tape measure tells me it's muscle.

L
 
It is all about the food. I never really thought that until I cleaned up my diet a couple of months ago ,not to lose weight, but to just eat healthier. I am amazed. I have lost 8 lbs and kept it off and have not changed my workouts, but just getting rid of all of the crap in my diet. I always thought my body was just set at a size 8, but you never will know what you body type is until you eat healthy.

Susan
 
Exercise and food go hand in hand. You can achieve a weight loss goal and not have both. Exercise is activity you must have it to burn calories, but food is a must have because you got to have the right nutrition or you never shed that fat. Well you do, but if you eat badly you just replace, what you burned during working out.

I think you have to focus on both, you can't just do one type of exercise either to lose weight you will at first but you'll plateau. You got to have a mixture of all the different types of exercise. The same goes with food, it's a mixture you can't just eat protein or fiber, it's a mixture.

But with all the great workout tapes out there and different type of exercises you can find anywhere you look. Working out is easy, but the food is the hardest part, you got to chase after yourself and make sure you don’t put that donut in your mouth, but eat that baked chicken and veggies instead. So I think they are both equal, it’s just with food it takes more of a commitment in order to keep on track. As look at it this way if the only thing you could buy was healthy food, how hard would it be to stay on track then? Yet with working out, no matter what you do, you’re going to burn some calories, it’s a lot easier on the mind to say at 6 am your going to workout everyday, where as I’m going to eat healthy all day long no matter what.. So it’s very easy to pick up some type of exercise you like and see results. Where with food, lets face it, the healthy stuff takes a while to like at times, and it takes extra time as you just can’t go to a drive threw and pick it up. As well as not everyone is health conscious so you friend might be eating the one food you have a weakness for, right in front of you, and you instead have a salad. With food you are constantly being hit with temptations. You don’t have a lot of time, it’s a lot of work, it would be so much easier, it tastes better, I’m sure we all could go on and on, as to way to eat something other then some nice healthy food. You not only have to fight yourself but your friends, co-workers and sometimes even your family. So I do think you have to be much more committed to eating healthy but I think exercise and food share in making you look good.

Kit
 
I was talking to a personal trainer once about this whole thing. He said that food plays a humungus part in fitness because what do you do more during the day: eat or exercise? We don't spend most of the day in the gym or doing exercise videos (even though that might be fun). We're eating more than exercising during the day. I hope I'm not too confusing! I also believe genetics plays the last part in how we look.

Marci
 
Lorrie,

I agree with you wholeheartedly! It's all about the food, calories in, and calories out. With this yo-yo dieting body of mine, I have realized I cannot eat NOTHING! I swear, if I have a bowl of ice cream--I am five pounds heavier the next morning. OK, I may be exagerating a bit--but if I have one bad day, I really am 5 pounds heavier. It's maddening!

I have come to the realization that it is all about the food, but I just can't give up the food. :)

Lori
 
Ok Lori - so for those of us for whom this is the truth about our bodies that we have finally discovered, how do WE take control and support one another in our food intake? I just plotted out a good food day for me on fitday, and it comes in right where my calories, macronutrients and vitamins and minerals need to be. How do I stay that straight and narrow? I KNOW how much better I feel, physically and mentally when I'm there. It's not hard - why do I feel like I make it that way?

Lorrie
 
Hi Lorrie,

I don't know if you have weight to lose, or are a pretty normal eater. I am all for supporting eachother. :) Maybe we could have a "Stay on Track" check in thread or something. We could list our goals about food consumption and check in with eachother. :)

Here's my problem:

I think it is hard, for me anyway. I do have times--a lot of times, where I say to myself, "I am in control, I won't binge anymore, overeating makes me feel like crap, I love this new healthy lifestyle I am living", etc., etc.

It is fairly easy to eat healthy, and eat a normal amount of calories. I don't feel deprived at all. I just have moments of weakness where a feeling will overwhelm me and I eat two bowls of ice cream.

I think to myself, "how the hell did that happen? I thought I had this self-control thing all figured out!"

That's the hard part.

First, I think you have to want it really bad. Really WANT it, and make the commitment. Most of the time I think I want it, and I think about it constantly. But if I really WANTED it, I would have it.

Secondly, if you use food to comfort or deal with emotions or stress, I think it's a good idea to know that about yourself and journal, and try to fix your mind. That's what I am doing. I don't know if that's the case with you though. :) :)

I can do Cathe until the cows come home, but I will never look as good as I wish if I continue with my bad eating habits.


I will stop talking now, I hope I made sense. :)

Lori
 
I think you're right Lorrie. I reached the right weight for my height about 15 years ago, and managed to maintain it, with just light to moderate exercise. I'm awful at portion control (I don't even like the word "control"), so I ate low-fat and it worked very well for me. Huge mountains of salad with lowfat dressing is still my favorite meal. Different eating plans work well for different people, and I think that your best eating plan depends upon your personality.

Unfortunately, it's not enough to "lose weight" or maintain a good weight for your height. Now I have to change my body composition for optimum health. Despite my weight, I have too much body fat and not enough muscle. Since my eating habits are already established, exercise is going to be my new primary focus.

Just wanted to mention that body composition is very important, and it's not all about "weight".
 
Lori - tried to pm you but your profile indicates undeliverable. Give me your e-mail address and I'll try again.

Lorrie
 
Lorrie, I will fix my inbox, I don't know why it's not working.

Ok, back to say, I got your message. I sent you a message back. :)

Lori
 
I'm chiming in here because this is a constant source of angst for me, too. I'm 5'8" and weigh (on average) 140-145 pounds; I'm 37 and have a 3-year old and a 1 1/2 year old. I gained 50 and 75 pounds from the pregnancies, respectively. It was hell...but I've lost most of it. (My weight is pretty much there, but my waist is still "thick"...which is totally irritating!!!)

Anyway...my husband is a chef. Some people say, "Oh, you're so lucky..." which I am...but really...I LOVE food! I've had folks suggest that he could cook "low fat" items for me, but the poor guy cooks all day and why should I make him cook two separate meals...one for himself and one for me?

I'm not super fat, by any means, but I'm certainly not where I'd LIKE to be. I know that eating "clean" would REALLY change things for me, but I JUST CAN'T do it with my husband!!!

(Can you imagine eating brown rice and a plain chicken breast while your husband noshes on roasted beet salad with goat's cheese, pine nuts and champagne vinaigrette dressing??? Forget it! It's just not possible!!!!)

So I guess I've resigned myself to a permanent lifestyle of "cautious" eating. Sure, I'll eat the occasional hot fudge sundae or pig out on a completely irresponsible dinner...but anytime I can, I'm eating the right things...always skim milk, always whole wheat or whole grain breads, veggies, fruits, cereals for breakfast, plain yogurts...that sort of thing. I still get compliments here and there...and I work out to Cathe vids like crazy, so I think what I'm trying to say is a BALANCE worked out for me.

In the back of my mind, I still think about trying to eat completely clean to see where I could go...but HECK, with my husband, there's no way I could make a permanent change. **sigh!**

Have pity on me! :) Meecher
 
Meecher-

I have pity on you! My DH is a cooker-type knowledgeable about food; he used to work for years as the cook at a camp, and works as banquet manager at a hotel now. He's always around food and we are always looking to try out new restaurants in the area.

That said, he drives me nuts because he eats terribly! Twinkies, etc. He tried to tell me the other day that Tostitos counted as a vegetable because they have corn in them. Can you believe that?!? And the camp is for diabetic kids, so he knows what food is what.

I got so mad when he said that.

I just do my best for the rest of the day, then eat smaller portions for dinner if he's cooking.
 
Amy, that is funny. Tostitos is a vegetable!!

I love to cook, and I love the Food Network and cookbooks. I don't watch the Food Network that much lately, because it always leads to me making a decadent meal I saw on TV.

I love a wide variety of food. I will eat anything. Plain mushy oatmeal is a treat to me. But I love cooking with real cream, milk, and butter.

I guess it's all about balance.

Lori
 
I really think that a lot depends on the individual...

My mom, for example, can easily lose weight by changing her diet alone with no exercise.

I, on the other hand, can not. I HAVE to exercise in order to lose weight in addition to changing my diet.

I am sure, as well, that somewhere out there are probably folks who could lose weight simply by adding exercise to thier routine as well w/o changing thier diet.

I think each individual has to do what works for them...

Obviously the overall HEALTHIEST thing to do is to COMBINE both diet and exercise in some fashion but I think what ends up being more important in terms of getting results depends on each individual.

Just my 2 cents.:)
 
Oh, Meecher, I could see where that would be rough! I'm always complaining that my dh isn't more of a gourmet, but it never occurred to me that being married to a chef could be a negative. I have to drag my dh out to try new restaurants because he always thinks that eating out is a waste of money, while in my heart of hearts I'm a foodie. In the end, we've both made a lot of compromises.
 
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