The myth of exercise vs diet for weight loss

[SwampNut]

Most people believe that exercise is critical for weight loss, but it's really not.  It's helpful, but not that important.  In some cases, it has been psychologically counter-productive.

 

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-the-exercise-myth-and-secret-for-weight-loss

 

Don't look it up:  How many Oreos do you burn by climbing the Empire State building and back down?

[ironmike]

Most folks overthink it.

It's relatively simple and boils down to one set of facts.

Consume fewer calories than you expend and you'll lose weight. Expend fewer calories than you consume and you'll gain weight.

How you go about doing it is up to you. Make your dietary/exercise decisions with these facts in mind, and in time you will achieve your goals.

[SwampNut]

Pure CICO has been proven false.

 

[Joel]

On 10/2/2026 at 2:31 PM, SwampNut said:

 How many Oreos do you burn by climbing the Empire State building and back down?

Challenge accepted!

[Zero Knievel]

15 hours ago, SwampNut said:

Pure CICO has been proven false.

I think age and metabolism also plays a role.  As you age, you can just look at a bagel and gain 5 pounds.

Edited October 4 by Zero Knievel

[superhawk996]

Your body's chemistry is a factor, but it's pretty rare to find a fat person who exercises and/or doesn't overeat, me included.  I used to be fat, then fasted, then maintained.  When I have a lazy spell or eat more than usual my pants get tighter.

[SwampNut]

6 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

I think age and metabolism also plays a role.  As you age, you can just look at a bagel and gain 5 pounds.

 

BMR and TDEE generally go down with age, both directly and indirectly.  Directly as cells lose some ability to convert energy, and indirectly due to muscle mass loss.  Pure CICO fails also because even things like WHEN you eat and how long you go between meals has been proven to be additional factors.  It looks like possibly even food pairings have some value.

[tomek]

 Sure, you can be thin by not eating, and no exercise, but the quality of life will suffer. Like not being able to enjoy verious in and outdoor activities/sports, so, what would be the point of it? 

 Food eating times, festing, etc. and all other fads come and go all the time. Golden thing now, and then disproven in a year or two. Just follow your natural clock. 

 I can't eat in first couple hours after firing up in the morning. Just coffee. Also, I don't eat after 5-6 pm because if I do qualify of sleep suffers. 

[Zero Knievel]

7 minutes ago, tomek said:

 Sure, you can be thin by not eating, and no exercise, but the quality of life will suffer. Like not being able to enjoy verious in and outdoor activities/sports, so, what would be the point of it? 

 Food eating times, festing, etc. and all other fads come and go all the time. Golden thing now, and then disproven in a year or two. Just follow your natural clock. 

 I can't eat in first couple hours after firing up in the morning. Just coffee. Also, I don't eat after 5-6 pm because if I do qualify of sleep suffers. 

 

I was doing well, but I wind up overeating or eating something small but high calorie.   A slice of bread with peanut butter is LOADED with calories. 

[DaveK]

23 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

but it's pretty rare to find a fat person who exercises

 

You apparently haven't been to a gym lately.  50/50 fatties to skinnys.

[tomek]

1 hour ago, Zero Knievel said:

 

I was doing well, but I wind up overeating or eating something small but high calorie.   A slice of bread with peanut butter is LOADED with calories. 

Bread? You should forget it actually exists. Grab an apple instead. 

[SwampNut]

2 hours ago, DaveK said:

 

You apparently haven't been to a gym lately.  50/50 fatties to skinnys.

 

In particular, it's become an internet meme to poke fun at Planet Fitness because they actively discourage "too much" exercise, seriously, and having on-site junk food/smoothies (which is code for milk shake).  Huge women will join it, move a machine around a bit while streaming to TikTok and kvetching with their gym friends about how they can't lose weight.  Go to the milk shake bar because they deserve it after all that exercise.  Hint--this is one reason exercise can be counter-productive for some, because then they overeat in compensation.

 

 

 

Oh, and pizza night once a week.

 

[DaveK]

My Planet Fitness does Pizza night and Bagel Mornings.

 

Dumb.

[Zero Knievel]

54 minutes ago, DaveK said:

My Planet Fitness does Pizza night and Bagel Mornings.

 

Dumb.

 

Or a smart business model.  The whole PF platform is enabling and letting people feel good about "going to the gym."

[Zero Knievel]

2 hours ago, tomek said:

Bread? You should forget it actually exists. Grab an apple instead. 

 

Yeah...like an apple will satisfy me.  

[tomek]

5 minutes ago, Zero Knievel said:

 

Yeah...like an apple will satisfy me.  

Well, what about 3 apples? 🍏 

[SwampNut]

11 minutes ago, Zero Knievel said:

Or a smart business model.

 

Many (most?) smart business models rely on dumb people.  There's an endless supply.

 

Eat this bar (it's mostly a candy bar with added protein-another myth).  Also remember that muffins are just cupcakes.

 

Pay me $50/mo to come to the gym and move some things around.

 

When you don't lose weight, we'll explain how it's your fault, presentation to be given on pizza night, join us.

 

Reminds me though, I'm about to have an Envy apple.  Highly satisfying.  Try them.  They are also oddly cheap in my area.

 

[SwampNut]

I'm about to have Dave's Killer Bread with avocado.  That's not normal junk white bread; low glycemic index, very food-like.  Highly satisfying as avocado toast because both are hearty and full flavored.  Consider it.  There's obviously a low, but never zero chance that you'll end up at a democrat convention however.

 

[DaveK]

21 minutes ago, SwampNut said:

I'm about to have Dave's Killer Bread with avocado.  That's not normal junk white bread; low glycemic index, very food-like.  Highly satisfying as avocado toast because both are hearty and full flavored.  Consider it.  There's obviously a low, but never zero chance that you'll end up at a democrat convention however.

 

 

Just had a Dave's Killer bagel with 3 sunny side eggs.

[azxr]

14 hours ago, SwampNut said:

I'm about to have Dave's Killer Bread with avocado.  That's not normal junk white bread; low glycemic index, very food-like.  Highly satisfying as avocado toast because both are hearty and full flavored.  Consider it.  There's obviously a low, but never zero chance that you'll end up at a democrat convention however.

 

 

Love's Dave's bread but can't really get it over here.  I found Ezekiel is just as healthy if not more so and doesn't taste bad.

[Zero Knievel]

17 hours ago, tomek said:

Well, what about 3 apples? 🍏 

 

Now you're going into diarrhea territory.  

[SwampNut]

8 hours ago, azxr said:

I found Ezekiel is just as healthy if not more so and doesn't taste bad.

 

Probably true, but here, it's only available frozen, and expensive.

 

5 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

 

Now you're going into diarrhea territory.  

 

 

[tomek]

8 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

 

Now you're going into diarrhea territory.  

never had diarrhea after apples. Or any fruits in general. And I do eat shit loads of fruits. 

[DaveK]

34 minutes ago, tomek said:

never had diarrhea after apples. Or any fruits in general. And I do eat shit loads of fruits. 

 

Eat a container of prunes and check back with me

[Joel]

On 10/5/2026 at 12:47 PM, Zero Knievel said:

 

Yeah...like an apple will satisfy me.  

pretty sure that’s what Eve said