Is weight loss and weight management 70% diet, 20% exercise/physical activity, and 10% genes? (body mass index, overweight)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Generally speaking, how much of a role does diet, exercise/physical activity, and genes play when it comes to weight loss and weight management for the average citizen (about 90% of the population; there are valid medical and psychological reasons for some people to be overweight, especially those who are super obese)?
In my personal opinion (remember, opinions are not facts – they are opinions only, nothing more, nothing less), I think it's 70% diet, 20% exercise/physical activity, and 10% genes. What numbers would you assign to diet, exercise/physical activity, and genes when it comes to weight loss and weight management for the average citizen?
I don't assign percentages, to form an opinion. I take the actual facts and use them instead. It's more efficient that way.
Someone who is eating healthy, at a reasonable calorie intake, getting all the nutrition they need, but is *not* exercising at all - for them, exercise would be just around 100% of their needs.
Someone who exercises, but eats mostly fried foods, saturated fats, starches and sugar, with little protein and not enough vitamins or minerals - for them, diet would fill just around 100% of their needs.
There is no one formula that fits every person, because there is no such thing of a population made up of "average" humans. Most people will fall on one side or the other of "average" and therefore not actually BE average.
Genetics, I believe, determines *only* whether or not you are more or less prone to obesity. Your diet and exercise determines whether or not that obesity will actually occur.
Generally speaking, how much of a role does diet, exercise/physical activity, and genes play when it comes to weight loss and weight management for the average citizen (about 90% of the population; there are valid medical and psychological reasons for some people to be overweight, especially those who are super obese)?
In my personal opinion (remember, opinions are not facts – they are opinions only, nothing more, nothing less), I think it's 70% diet, 20% exercise/physical activity, and 10% genes. What numbers would you assign to diet, exercise/physical activity, and genes when it comes to weight loss and weight management for the average citizen?
I would agree with those percentages. For some it might vary a little bit, but I think thats about right. Now you will some wacko on here, who will claim they are 5'1, 245, eat healthy 99% of the time, workout 5 days a week and can't lose weight, and blame it on genetics.
I would agree with those percentages. For some it might vary a little bit, but I think thats about right. Now you will some wacko on here, who will claim they are 5'1, 245, eat healthy 99% of the time, workout 5 days a week and can't lose weight, and blame it on genetics.
I asked the question because recently while attending a family function, a male cousin (6'3" and a healthy 220 pounds) and I were "zinging (playfully/sarcastically insulting)" each other over who'd eaten the most fried chicken that day; we'd each lost count after the third piece .
A borderline obese female relative chimed in that I should consider myself lucky for having a "high metabolism" and not inheriting the dreaded "fat gene" that was clearly afflicting 90% of the women – young and old – in our very extensive family.
Without skipping a beat, I politely replied, "Your genes may load the 'gun of obesity,' but your lifestyle is what pulls the trigger." A spirited/surreal/are-you-kidding-me discussion between the three of us soon followed.
Long story short, she rolled her eyes with utter contempt and agreed to disagree with the "gun of obesity" maxim... go figure .
Speaking for myself, I'd say 70/30 for diet/exercise (no comment on genes). I was about 25 pounds overweight last year. I took up bicycling. Over the course of about 3 months, riding at least 3 times/week, I found that I was gaining endurance and speed, but my weight was locked in at about 25 pounds overweight. I had a heart rate monitor so I have a much better idea of how many calories I was burning through exercise.
Once I changed up my diet, the weight came off without much issue. I still needed the exercise to see decent progress, but when I started eating healthier foods, balanced meals, watching calories, that got me on the downward trend.
Speaking for myself, I'd say 70/30 for diet/exercise (no comment on genes). I was about 25 pounds overweight last year. I took up bicycling. Over the course of about 3 months, riding at least 3 times/week, I found that I was gaining endurance and speed, but my weight was locked in at about 25 pounds overweight. I had a heart rate monitor so I have a much better idea of how many calories I was burning through exercise.
Once I changed up my diet, the weight came off without much issue. I still needed the exercise to see decent progress, but when I started eating healthier foods, balanced meals, watching calories, that got me on the downward trend.
Good for you! Its true you cannot out cycle or out run a bad diet. But once the food part is taken care of exercise will without a doubt help those pounds come off a lot quicker. Plus the exercise is so incredibly good for us.
Diet 80%. Technically you dont need to exercise to lose weight as long as you are feeding yourself a caloric defecit each day. Exercise is just a tool to help you reach your goal faster.
For me, it really depends on what shape I'm in. Back when I was out of shape, I gained weight easily; I was eating healthy too and thought there's no way I could gain more... and then I do. It reached a tipping point when my doctor told me that the body mass index shows that I was basically three pounds from being officially overweight. I knew I had to do something.
I went on two intense exercise programs, lost 25 pounds, and now it's very hard for me to gain weight. I eat whatever the hell I want and I stay the same weight, sometimes I even lose weight while eating junk. I was on a five-day trip w/ friends to Napa and eat all kinds of absolutely deliciously unhealthy crap - chocolate, candies, donuts, fatty burgers, other fatty stuff, greasy food, and big portions too; and of course alcohol and beer. I came home thinking I was going to pay for this.. and I actually lost a pound!
I think muscle is the key to it all. Muscle burns 3X more than fat alone. It's possible that a very muscular person can burn just as much sitting in front of the computer, as a very fat dude out strolling. I did a lot of lifting during my weight loss and I think it really put a cushion on my bad diet. I know that for me, the more muscle I put on my body, the more room for error I have.
I know that when I was out of shape and less muscular, even little things would cause me to gain weight. If I eat one Milky Way, I'd gain two pounds almost immediately! I suspect that too many people are too focus on losing the pounds but neglect to focus on building the muscle tone that'd allow them to stay in shape.
So essentially when I was out of shape, it was 90% diet, 10% exercise, and 0% genes (didn't do a damn thing!). Now it's 5% diet, 95% exercise, 0% genes. Basically as long as I exercise, the only bad thing that can cause me to weight gain is if I eat a lot of carbs at a time; not sugar or grease, just carb. Otherwise, I can eat whatever I want for however much I want to.
For me, it really depends on what shape I'm in. Back when I was out of shape, I gained weight easily; I was eating healthy too and thought there's no way I could gain more... and then I do. It reached a tipping point when my doctor told me that the body mass index shows that I was basically three pounds from being officially overweight. I knew I had to do something.
I went on two intense exercise programs, lost 25 pounds, and now it's very hard for me to gain weight. I eat whatever the hell I want and I stay the same weight, sometimes I even lose weight while eating junk. I was on a five-day trip w/ friends to Napa and eat all kinds of absolutely deliciously unhealthy crap - chocolate, candies, donuts, fatty burgers, other fatty stuff, greasy food, and big portions too; and of course alcohol and beer. I came home thinking I was going to pay for this.. and I actually lost a pound!
I think muscle is the key to it all. Muscle burns 3X more than fat alone. It's possible that a very muscular person can burn just as much sitting in front of the computer, as a very fat dude out strolling. I did a lot of lifting during my weight loss and I think it really put a cushion on my bad diet. I know that for me, the more muscle I put on my body, the more room for error I have.
I know that when I was out of shape and less muscular, even little things would cause me to gain weight. If I eat one Milky Way, I'd gain two pounds almost immediately! I suspect that too many people are too focus on losing the pounds but neglect to focus on building the muscle tone that'd allow them to stay in shape.
So essentially when I was out of shape, it was 90% diet, 10% exercise, and 0% genes (didn't do a damn thing!). Now it's 5% diet, 95% exercise, 0% genes. Basically as long as I exercise, the only bad thing that can cause me to weight gain is if I eat a lot of carbs at a time; not sugar or grease, just carb. Otherwise, I can eat whatever I want for however much I want to.
When I was losing weight it was all about the diet. Now that I am at the weight I want to be at its all about the exercise. I eat pretty much what I want and maintain.
"Your genes may load the 'gun of obesity,' but your lifestyle is what pulls the trigger."
I love this
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. 
.
