Exercise vs diet

[HowIsItMarchAlready]

Two years ago I was working out five days a week (three with a PT). I was lifting heavy weights. I did plenty of cardio. I did pilates. I did pretty much everything going. I wasn't overeating. I got stronger but my size stayed the same - and I didn't show muscle unless I flexed; so it wasn't a case that whatever layer of fat I had had gone and my weight was all muscle. I since ditched exercise (I never enjoyed it - it was just a way to become smaller) and went on a diet. I dropped a dress size, nearly two. Now I would find it even harder to start exercising again. Has anyone else experienced the same? I'm late forties.

You need to find exercise you enjoy! I know weights are good for me but I just can't do them regularly. I can play tennis tho - I love it! And ride my bike and walk the dog. Those things help me maintain the weight I lost by eating more sensibly. Diet is def the way to get smaller. But I view exercise as a way to maintain that loss. And also I love what I do bc they're outdoorsy things and that's what gives me a rush.

I do walk our dog but that's about it. I cycle every now and again but for short stretches, just like you'd go for a walk. But that is very seldom. I have found that diets are so much more effective to become smaller, than exercise so that's a win win for me.

I have read that diet is 90% of weight loss but, while exercise is only 10% it helps firm up and keep you feeling fitter

Diet is the only way to actually lose fat but exercise is so important for health and well-being

Well yes. For a thin body, yes a diet. But for mental health, strong insides, oxytocin, good sleep, etc etc then it's exercise.

I get that, but right now I'm more interested in staying small than improving my MH, etc. since that's good already. Yes, I am lazy!

I'm the same. I think it takes ages to make a difference with exercise whereas dieting /skipping meals makes fast changes and I know which is rather do!

But it’s good to be toned. You can’t do that through diet. You must have been maintaining. To get leaner you do need to reduce calories - it’s a basic in/out equation. I agree that too much cardio isn’t good for weight loss as it makes you hungry. But a slight reduction in calories and doing weights will get you toned. Plus plenty protein. Cardio is good for the buzz.

@gardenhelpneeded but you need to reduce the fat so much before you see muscle definition - that would take a lot of dieting and a lot of lifting. I'm a size 10 - 8 and still I'm not defined. I wasn't even when I was lifting heavy weights and still a size 10. Maybe I'm just not built for definition... But then again, I wear long sleeves most of the time so it doesn't matter that much.

I exercise because I want to give my skeleton the best chance of making it through old age. I have/ had too many elderly relatives crumbing away with osteoarthritis and breaking bones easily.

I think the theory is that toned muscles burn fat more easily and so helps with weight loss. Agree that it's mostly diet though.
I have never enjoyed exercise but the one I'm managing to stick to is Pilates and that's because I go to a class. At home I'd get very bored.

@HowIsItMarchAlready you don’t need to reduce much. Maybe your protein wasn’t high enough? Now I’ve increased my protein my muscles are definitely more defined.

I had the opposite experience completely.

I started exercising last year and I’m now the smallest I’ve ever been. I went from obese to ideal BMI, and from a size 16 to an 8-10. I used to hate exercise and only ever yo-yo dieted, but I started exercising last year in response to a blood test highlighting high cholesterol, low iron etc. I decided to exercise to address health rather than weight and to my absolute amazement lost a quarter of my body weight.

I used to hit the gym everyday but being a mother is so time consuming, I have been cutting down my official gym time and now only do a bit whenever I can. I love getting stronger and love having abs. Also love a good post exercise burn.

Try and see if you can find an exercise you actually enjoy? You are obviously physically capable of doing it, so just find something fun. I love gardening and enjoy seeing the changes made by me, it’s quite empowering. Also the desire to save some of the plants (from dying) or take better care of them means I end up spending hours and hours in the garden. Absolutely exhausting but so rewarding!

I have tried to find something I enjoy - the issue for me is the music. I don't like anything that's currently used in classes and if I don't like the music, I can't enjoy the exercise.

Toning and definition comes from exercise. Weight loss comes through your diet.

@HowIsItMarchAlready

That excuse not to exercise is a new one on me!!! Just get out and do it! Maybe try an outdoor no music bootcamp?

I actually didn't bother renewing a gym membership a few years ago because the loud music was unbearable - the music itself I mean, rather than the volume, the volume just made it difficult to ignore or zone out from.
Now I run with my own playlist, and have some gym equipment at home. That said, whilst I'm getting fitter, feeling great and sleeping well, the weight isn't exactly dropping off! 😒

Exercise makes me thinner. I think this is mainly because it takes up time I would otherwise be at home snacking 😀
But also exercise makes my body feel stronger and increases my desire to treat it well by feeding it good stuff.

When you say you weren’t over eating, what did you eat on an average day? We’re you trying to be low fat or were you focused on overall nutrition?

have you got any physical symptoms which suggest that your insulin resistance is skewed? Perhaps a period of fasting combined with high protein/high healthy fat nutritional food for a couple of weeks would help?

Diet is a big part of it but you won’t be toned or fit without the exercise. So yes, you can lose weight purely by cutting calories but it isn’t as healthy as teaming both exercise and diet together.

I was eating 1,200 - 1,300 calories a day with plenty of protein and vegetables. Whenever I had any bloods done nothing untoward came up. I did do a week-long fast twice but it made little difference to my weight.