Study reveals that exercise alone won't cause weight loss | Science | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/science/201 ... eight-loss

Yes, I know... but this sort of thing bothers me



I take her meaning, but that sort of thing is precisely why you get differing studies on just about everything - those carrying them out start with 'I've a feeling that's bollocks', and get published almost as a result. Net result is the public believes what it wants to, really. If there were more straight facts instead of handed down notions and traditional views...

They needed another study for that? That has been known since I was a kid...

This is my biggest issue with "the studies" there's new 'science' released all the time which makes it really difficult to work out what to do for the best. The truth is that everyone's different, biology means that one size will never fit all when it comes to diet and exercise. At the end of the day, the only thing that anyone has ever been able to prove is that 'eat less/right and move more' is a good place to start but if you want something that 'works' then you need to consult a professional and try things (with guidance) until you find something that works for you!!

Here's a weight loss formula: calories in should be less than calories used

Job done

In terms of exercise it's generally far easier to reduce calorie intake with food than increase calorie usage through exercise e.g. rather than trying to burn off that Mars Bar it's easier to just not eat it. So whilst I like to go to the gym when I can it's to help increase fitness levels and strength. My weight loss regime is attributed to calorie intake alone.

Doesn't always work though Veat, I *have* to have the exercise element, otherwise I could be living on a healthy, well-balanced 1000 calories a day and still not lose any weight, this is what I mean about it being personal and according to Biology.

To a degree. It's generally accepted that if you take in too few calories for a period, you body goes into a 'panic state' (basically it thinks you're starving) so the effect is that, while you will lose some weight, you get things like lethargy and headaches. Long term it can do you permanent damage. Plus of course you still need certain nutrients every day just to stay healthy and if you're not getting them from food you should really try and get them from something else.

You can sustain a significantly low calorie diet (say less than 1200 kcals per day) for a while and you will lose weight but if you carry on with it for too long you'll end up with problems. I've also seen interesting experiments where people lived on 700 KCal/day that had significant positive effect on diabetic symptoms, but that was all done under medical supervision over a fairly limited span.

I've talked to a few nutritionists about it and they all say pretty much the same thing : anything under 1500 kcal/day for an extended period for a man is dangerous.

You've also got to remember that an individual's calorie requirements depend on their size so what one persons body would see as starvation level calorific intake would be okay for someone smaller. I'm overweight and seeing a dietician and the advice for now is to stick to around 2250 - 2500 calories a day (which is definitely working as I've lost 10kg since I started). I have to be fairly careful about what exercise I do because anything with too much impact is likely to bugger my joints and put me out of action for an extended period which would be self defeating.

In the end, to maintain a healthy weight you need to find a diet that you can work with over the long term and the same is true for exercise.