Poll: Exercise and Calories

[PrinceoN]

So obesity is a growing topic/issue in the world, especially in the United States of America (yay me!). Now there are several ways to supposedly counter obesity. That is exercise or cut calories. However, which, if any, is the better method? Do either of them counter obesity (ill discuss what i mean later.)? Is it better to not eat carbs, or not eat fats, or stay away from red meats, but fish and salads are ok?

To address what I said before, do either of them counter obesity, or are they just "helpful" factors, and the real counter is left up to ones actual metabolism? Would exercise be better for someone with a slow metabolism, or cutting calories?

And just as a side note (doesn't have to be commented on if you don't want to, not really on topic), are you as tired of seeing all the "Healthy Heart" and "100 calories!" signs, banners, and products everywhere as much as I am?

 

[TPiddy]

Really, the best answer is both.... as for boosting metabolism, some foods will help, but the biggest boost to metabolism is adding muscle to your frame.

Either will help, but at the end of the day it's a basic formula...

Calories consumed - Calories burned - Calories expunged as waste = Calories stored in the body as fat.

So decreasing Calories consumed or increasing Calories burned.... or increasing calories expunged as waste with stuff like pro-biotic cultures, though there's a limit to how much you can help yourself there.

Edit: As for the side note, the industry always looks for the next big trend. A while ago it was no trans fats, then it was "Omega 3", now it's probiotic cultures... which, for the record, have ALWAYS existed in yogurt, they didn't just start putting that in now, they're just selling it differently. The diet industry is built completely on buzzwords and shameless promotion.

 

[Altorin]

the only way to really stop obesity is to completely alter your lifestyle. You get fat from bad lifestyle choices, which typically includes eating too much and not doing enough.

If you're looking for the "easiest" method, reducing caloric intake would be easier then eating everything you want and then trying to burn it off (in many cases that would be impossible), but if you don't make a conscious change to your lifestyle, and actually intend to keep it, then what you're doing is crash dieting, and that will inevitably lead to failure, more fat, and lower self esteem then when you started, because you failed at something that you were biologically not meant to do in the first place.

my advice is.. if you want to lose some weight, make a conscious effort to reduce caloric intake here and there, and try and get out of the house more.. and learn to love who and what you are, because changing it drastically isn't always all it's cracked up to be. Get yourself into a good place for you, and try and keep a positive attitude.

 

[Superbeast]

I'm pretty bad at losing weight, so take my advice with a pinch of salt (I know the theory I just struggle to put it into practice, but that's more because I'm bed-ridden with 'flu right now):

1) Never cut anything out of your diet. Things like the Atkins Diet may work in the short-term (only eating protein, nothing else) but can have negative side effects.

The best to do is to cut down on everything equally, and choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options where available. You still need these elements to obtain everything your body needs in a day, but most foods have them in correct "natural" amounts, before processors add in lots of salt and sugar.

Obviously if you are eating a lot of processed/junk food then you do want to cut it out entirely, because it is so bad for you. Don't drink a gallon of coke a day or a MacDonald's a couple of times a week.

2) Exercise is always beneficial. A 30 minute run, swim or even row every morning before breakfast will boost your metabolism, as will having toned muscles (ie lifting weights 3 times a week).

3) Eat if you are hungry - breakfast at 8 theoretically sees most people through till lunch at 1, but this isn't often the case. Grabbing an apple at 11 will be filling and give you the energy boost you need. The worst thing you can do is to be hungry and not eat - your body suppresses the metabolism which makes burning fat off much harder, and you are far more likely to "binge" later on in the evening.

Likewise with snacking and cravings - if you really want a biscuit then it's far better to actually have one, otherwise your willpower will eventually break and you'll eat a whole packet in a binge. Just make sure you have one biscuit, and the craving should be fulfilled.

4) Drink lots of water, have a drink before a meal. This helps you feel "full" so you eat less. Being fully hydrated helps the metabolism of fats too, as well as keeping mental alertness at a high level.

Combine the two (exercise and a balanced diet) and you should end up pretty healthy. It'll take a lot longer than any fad diet (or "crash diets" as they are known), but the effects will be long-lasting and there should be no negative side-effects either. Many of the crash diets simply starve your body, so that you end up putting *more* weight on afterwards as your body packs it on as fat as it thinks it's starving and suppresses the metabolism.

Essentially:

- Cut down total intake but don't cut out foodstuffs except junk food.
- A small amount of aerobic exercise before eating boosts metabolism
- Eat if you are hungry
- Drink plenty of water
- It'll take time but it's more long-lasting and effective than alternatives.

Hopefully this answers your queries?