weight loss exercise vs diet

Biggest Loser is one of our families favourite tv shows. In the show they focus on exercise to get rid of weight which brings up the argument which is more important in weight loss exercise vs diet.

A interesting time article argues that exercise wont make you thin. I believe that exercise is important for you general health and know that since I started playing touch rugby feel better and seem to have more engery and stamina but I havent lost weight. The key to weight loss is not exercise but diet. The reason being it takes so much exercise to get rid of the calories from eating certain types of foods.

Example the amount of exerice to get rid of calories received from eating a Big Mac is running on a stair machine for one hour and thats not including the coke and chips. To get rid of a can of coke you would have to walk for one hour.

Below is a condensed list of type of exercise that need to remove calories for one hour.

Exercise & Calories Burned per Hour	130 lbs	155 lbs	180 lbs	205 lbs
Sitting, light office work	89	106	123	140
Music, playing piano	148	176	204	233
Walking 2.0 mph, slow	148	176	204	233
Golf, miniature golf	177	211	245	279
Walking the dog	177	211	245	279
Weight lifting, light workout	177	211	245	279
General cleaning	207	246	286	326
Walking 3.5 mph, brisk pace	224	267	311	354
Tai chi	236	281	327	372
Golf, walking and carrying clubs	266	317	368	419
Weeding, cultivating garden	266	317	368	419
Aerobics, low impact	295	352	409	465
Softball or baseball	295	352	409	465
Boxing, punching bag	354	422	490	558
Tennis, doubles	354	422	490	558
Track and field (high jump, pole vault)	354	422	490	558
Walking 3.5 mph, uphill	354	422	490	558
Weight lifting, body building, vigorous	354	422	490	558
Aerobics, high impact	413	493	572	651
Backpacking, Hiking with pack	413	493	572	651
Tennis playing	413	493	572	651
Football, touch, flag, general	472	563	654	745
Running, general	472	563	654	745
Aerobics, step aerobics	502	598	695	791
Stair machine	531	633	735	838
Rugby	590	704	817	931
Stationary cycling, vigorous	620	739	858	977
Fire fighter, climbing ladder, full gear	649	774	899	1024
Boxing, in ring	708	844	981	1117
Jumping rope, fast	708	844	981	1117
Roller blading, in-line skating	708	844	981	1117
Rowing machine, very vigorous	708	844	981	1117
Skindiving or scuba diving	708	844	981	1117
Squash	708	844	981	1117
Stationary cycling, very vigorous	738	880	1022	1163
Running, 8 mph (7.5 min mile)	797	950	1103	1256
Running, stairs, up	885	1056	1226	1396
Forestry, ax chopping, fast	1003	1196	1389	1582
Running, 10.9 mph (5.5 min mile)	1062	1267	1471	1675

Exercise to reduce weight is a new meme that is promoted by the fitness industry and shows like Biggest Loser. I think the benefit of doing a lot of exercise is that its gives you more motivation and energy to actually stick to a diet. As you have put so much effort into the exercise that you don't want that effort to go to waste. Also you don't feel as tired so will in fact to more activity.

One of the worst foods to eat are ones high in fats e.g Fish and Chips i.e whenever I eat them in middle of the day, I just feel so tired and want to sleep. As stomach uses are lot of energy in body to breakdown fats which in turns tries to put the body to sleep to action this process.

For me the best diet I went on was the one were you ate no sugar and yeast products, problem is you lose so much weight so fast people start thinking you getting sick.