Exercise or Diet

[LesleyA]

Aibu to think that exercise won’t really help my jelly tummy unless I become a complete gym fanatic. Anyone of average build and weight but that had a jelly belly managed through moderate exercise, diet to get rid of the squishy wobbly muffin top. And which is more effective diet or exercise. In terms of diet I’ve cut out bread, wheat, biscuits, rice and pasta. My sin is peanut butter (about 5 t sooons a day). 10 years ago if I elimated just those food I would lose weight around my waist immediately but it’s been a month and I’m just wobble. Advice please!!

I lost 2.5 stone when I couldn't exercise intensely as I had really severe back pain post pregnancy but I think the tone comes from muscles which need exercise to shape. Also after you've exercised you continue to burn calories. So I think good diet plus exercise is best.

If you want to tone up a specific area then you probably need particular exercises. If you want to lose weight then either a diet or several hours hard exercise every day (if you have time!). Moderate exercise is good but you need the diet as well.

80% diet 20% exercise as long as eating less moving a bit more you should loose the weight slowly is key

YANBU. You can't outrun a bad diet. You only have to look up how much exercise it takes to work off the calories in a banana to see that. I went from being a total couch potato to running 4-5 times a week, up to half marathon distances. Still didn't really lose weight unless I also watched what I ate.

It's virtually impossible long term though,which is why almost all diets fail. I've 'successfully' lost lots of weight on low fat and on low carb diets. Put most of it back on. It's no good unless you can literally stick to it forever.

Try intermittent fasting e.g. eating only between 12-8. Black coffee and water during fasting hours. Focus on unprocessed foods.

It is true that you cannot OutRun a bad diet it is also true that you cannot diet away the damage done to your Body by not exercising

Calories in v calories out. That's it.

Diet will be what will make you lose weight, if that's your goal. But if you want to change your body shape it's only exercise that will do it.

Calories in v calories out. That's it.

15 years ago I was the biggest evangelist of this theory, but I think we know a lot more about how our bodies work nowadays and that things aren't quite as straight-forward.

fewer calories to lose flab, exercise for general health and strength.

rather than silly diets, stop eating peanut butter out of the jar. Find something more filling and less calorie dense.

Exercise has always been key for my weight loss. Moderating my diet is not enough, I have to get active to shift the weight.

BTW the NHS says it is calories in/calories out, and they probably didn't find that on some fuckwit diet site.

all the diets, whether paid or not, are just ways of eating fewer calories. Different regimes work for different people. I wouldn't want to share an office with an intermittent faster as hunger makes people grumpy as hell.

Both. Diet will target weight loss, exercise will help your body itself (building/toning of muscles etc).

The fitter you are the healthier you will feel.

It's always been both for me. One on their own is never enough especially since I had DC.

Intermittent fasting (16:8) with lots and lots of walking is the only non drastic sustainable way I've been able to keep the weight off.

@idontlikealdi

Calories in v calories out. That's it.

Reductive, unhelpful and actually pretty superior. Good for you if that is all it takes for you!

Ultimately it is calories in Vs calories out, whether you achieve that by Slimming World, keto, intermittent fasting, shakes and supplements, juices or whatever.

BTW the NHS says it is calories in/calories out, and they probably didn't find that on some fuckwit diet site.

Yes, I think there are concerns that the NHS guidance is out of date, and doesn't give consideration to things like blood sugar, gut health, sleep, stress, metabolism... elements that we know more and more about.

Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. Exercise is great and very important for health, wellbeing and longevity but if you want to lose fat you need a calorie deficit

Peanut butter is great fuel if you’re planning a long hike/run or a big weights session but not as just an everyday breakfast if you’re not getting any activity. I once put about 4kgs on gradually - and I’m fairly active - just by eating peanut butter every day. I couldn’t figure out why I’d gained weight until I looked at the side of the jar, worked out how much (or how little) 30g of peanut butter was, and had an “Ohhhhhh” moment. Only eat it now if I’m running a long way. Like I say, great fuel for intense activity as it’s so calorie-dense.

Personally, I think both diet and exercise are important, but ultimately, I think you have to experiment until you find an approach that works for you. What works amazingly for one person might not help someone else. Whatever approach you finally land on, it needs to be sustainable for you, otherwise you'll put the weight straight back on.

For me, the key has been to find an exercise regime that works for me (lots and lots of walking, strength building workouts and currently doing c25k) and finding a healthy approach to food (16:8 fasting on weekdays and focusing on eating healthy food rather than banning unhealthy ones). I still have a long way to go, but I've lost more than 3 stone so far, and for the first time in my life, I actually believe that I can do this. I'm re-training my mind and changing my relationship with my body for good.

I hope you find what works for you.

Hey, I think that you should continue reducing your consumption of peanut butter. Even if you feel that it isn't working for you, just keep doing what you're doing. When it comes to weight loss, the most important thing to keep in mind is staying consistent in dieting. The second thing you'll need to take care of is exercising. Make an exercise plan that you know you can really commit to. On a side note, when you do commit to a diet, then also make sure that you're getting the right amount of nutrients. You can do this by using a basic supplement pill that has general vitamins that your body needs. I recommend the hilife multivitamin capsules from www.vitaminexpress.org/uk/

calories in/calories out or eating less than you need, is 'simple' as in not a complicated instruction, that doesnt mean it is an easy instruction to follow!!!
Eating less than you need (to sustain your current body wieght/composition) is HARD it goes against the natural instincts of humans and all other animals
Humans have invented food which is specifically designed to be as moreish/triggering/addictive/compelling as possible
food designed to enrich 'big food' whilst destroying our health and ability to regulate our food intakes

I'm losing weight eating peanut butter. But I use a kitchen scale and weigh out 30g. And I don't go back for more.

Whatever you do to lose weight, it has to be something you can stick to forever.

And yeah, 80% diet and 20% exercise. But that underplays the importance of exercise for your health.

Pilates for your tummy will help. As will eating sensibly.

Losing weight and keeping it off is about changing your lifestyle - most people who lose weight by dieting put it back on again because they haven’t done that. Getting into a good routine with the way you eat, looking after your body properly, and doing regular exercise is important in sustainability and making sure that any weight you lose you keep off afterwards. So, whilst exercise in itself isn’t going to transform your body into the one you want immediately, it’s going to play a big role long term - having to do exercise isn’t some sort of “punishment” for being fat and this weird mentality a lot of people have around it being something you only do to lose weight is problematic.