What percentage of diet/nutrition versus exercise?

S

sophiem

Cathlete
There's a discussion going on with some family members about diet and exercise and I'm at a loss as to what the general quote is about how much of success in losing weight is diet/nutrition versus exercise? In other words, isn't it like 75% of it is what you eat and 25% of it is exercise? They seem to believe if they exercise a few times per week, but just eat so-so, they will lose weight and it's not working.
 
I think it's more like 85% nutrition. Like Charlotte's signature says, you can exercise til the cows come home, but if you're not eating right, you'll just be a cow coming home. It's totally true. I exercise a LOT, but I know that if I don't eat properly, it makes little difference.
 
I think it varies from person to person. Some people can just eat all day long and not gain weight while others seem to barely eat and must constantly monitor their weight. Also, the more you exercise, the more you can eat without gaining as much weight. It really is a balance game. But I would agree that nutrition impacts weight more than exercise. You can be thin or fat because of your diet, but you cannot be fit without exercise.

C
 
In reply, a trainer at my gym a few months ago, told me it's 60% diet, 40% exercise....so as someone else said, and I echo the emotion, you can exercise till the cows come home, but if you eat poorly, you'll just be a cow coming home. I know when I was in my early twenties, and living in NYC, I would walk for MILES a day instead of taking the yucky subway or waiting forever for a bus. But I ate poorly, and it showed. I know for me (of course I'm in my late forties now....eeehhhh gads...), I exercise everyday...I can make it thru Cathe's boot camp, or a killer spin class. So I don't consider myself a lightweight when it comes to exercise. But when I don't eat clean, it shows....of course, I'm trying to attain Cathe's level of leanness (if that is a word!). I'm sure I'm expecting way too much! Hope this helps!
 
If I can chime in and say, I agree it's best to eat nutritiously but I don't think that means you have to live like a monk where eating habits are concerned. I believe it is possible to have a diet that includes everything, even some "junk", in moderation, and still be fit. Personally, for me, I find that I can pretty much enjoy everything I want (again, in moderation) as long as I am getting a good amount of exercise and living a generally active life.

Sparrow

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
I agree that it varies, and in my case I'd say it's 75 diet -25 exercise. I can tell if one of those percentages is off by just a little - it's like someone puffin' on a balloon!

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Mark Twain ;-)
 
I agree with everyone that it is definately more diet than exercise. I exercised for about 2 months before changing my diet and the scale did not move. Changed my diet and it's been a downward trend since.

I think the percent of the impact of diet vs. exercise also depends on your lifestyle. I'm a student and in my free time I unwind by surfing the internet an watching TV..so basically if I workout an hour a day, I spend the other 23 hours literally on my butt. I think an active job or more active hobbies could tip the percentage, but I think it still comes down to diet.
 
I agree with the general consensus - 75% - 80% diet and 25% - 20% exercise. I find it to be true for myself, which bugs the heck out of me because the exercise part is so much more enjoyable :)
 
Well that just answered one of my biggest questions!! I have been exercising for 6 months and NOT losing weight. I'm having knee pain from over doing it so much. BUT, I don't eat right. I tend to "reward" myself after exercise. And I eat the candy bar because i worked so hard exercising. Now where do i begin to eat right? What in the world is "clean eating"?
Thanks
elie:eek:
 
For me personally, exercise plays an extremely significant role in my weight. I am not one who can lose weight strictly by adjusting my diet. I need to move or forget it! Although I agree that diet is MORE important, I think everyone's percentage is different depending on thier make up. For me, I have to put more emphasis on the exercise end then alot of people might...

Edited to Add:

I just wanted to add one more thing here...

Once I reach my goal and am working on maintaining instead of losing, I can let my diet go a bit...cheat more...so long as I continue to exercise with the same frequency/intensity. I love to work out and also LOVE to indulge in my less than healthy foods so it works out well for me!:+ It also makes cooking a dinner that both myself and DH will enjoy alot easier...:) I don't go CRAZY with my food...but I can "relax" a bit more.
 
I really think it is more diet then exercise. My hubby for instance has not done any cardio, but he is eating the same things I eat, for the most part and now his belly is just about gone. I have been wanting him to do crunches and some cardio, but still his fat is disappearing just from eating right and strength training (3 days a week). Like someone else said....."the best abs are made in the kitchen".

Charlotte~~
 
Here's my observation and problem. Exercise in non-negotiable - it's a must. And at least for me that shifts the whole weight loss / maintenance thing to more like 100% food. I would say that weight loss is initially about 75% food 25% exercise, but once you become a seasoned exerciser, I think the food importance goes up. So for me (not for everyone) it's all about the food.

Lorrie
 
I see that there are many people who post on these boards who exercise SOOO much and SOOO consistently that they are able to eat a lot more than I can ever dream of. But with my current lifestyle, I'm about 90%-95% diet and nutrition and 5%-10% exercise, and most of that "exercise" is just running around town to appointments and rushing around the office at work. However, I think exercise is very important for keeping your heart and lungs healthy,for preventing osteoporosis (I'm a prime candidate) and for general health, and I intend to get back to it as soon as possible for those reasons.

-Nancy
 
For me the diet portion is 95% but not because of the weight but because of how my body reacts to the exercise.
A few years ago I did WW for about 8 months to lose 10 pounds. I ate "healthy/Clean points for 30 days. Great weight loss and definition from my exercise. The next 30 days I ate 50% clean points / 50% refined & junk points....w/ same exercise intensity result? My weight remained the same but I was a bag of flab!
Gotta work it all!
 
I do believe that diet is strongly related to how your body looks. I have to ask what the person's goal is. Some people just want to exercise and eat somewhat healthy to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Others want to be ripped which takes a lot more discipline with your diet.
 
I can HONESTLY say that diet is more important in the way that my body looks.......I can see more definition when I eat better. Here is how I KNOW this to be true for myself.

We sold our house in January and our house is being built - long story short - we moved to a different city and are living with my in-laws until its done - my inlaws are much more meat and potatoes when it comes to cooking - I buy tons of groceries and my mother-in-law cooks and always adds sour cream/cream cheese/cream of chicken soup/cream or something to everything!!!! It DRIVES ME NUTS!!!! But I felt too rude to say "no thanks" at first...................................until I noticed that I was working out harder and longer just to maintain and I still noticed some flab creeping on the mid-section.......so......

I am going back to eating salads/eggs/meat and sure enough - I feel better already and its only been four days!!!!

I think for me its much more 80%/20% - without a proper diet, I cannot see all that hard work with Cathe pay off!:7
 
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