QOTW- Food Intake VS Exercise

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
QOTW- Food Intake VS Exercise
20
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 12:53pm

Ok well after looking at our journals and some of the recent discussions here's the Question Of The Week

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-26-2004
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 1:22pm

Are you focussing on one or the other right now? My focus seems to be more toward one, but I think it might need to be more the other way.

If so, which one? Why and what are you doing? I am focusing on exercise more. I am trying to get ready for my first 5K May 15 and still keep up with HKD and weights.

And to really get into it- do you think one is more important than the other? From what I keep reading, diet is 80% of the weight loss factor. But exercise seems to be more and more recommended. There's so much information out there. Certain foods have benefits aside from just weight loss/control like dark berries and their possible cancer prevention, and exercise has benefits other than weight loss like increased energy and decreased blood preasure. IMHO, either won't be as successful independent of the other.

Lorie

lorie6-26-09.png Lorie 6-26-09 picture by runningwomen

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 1:38pm

Are you focussing on one or the other right now? I concentrate on food mostly. I'm really a novice at all this and just kind of wing it.


If so, which one? Why and what are you doing? I have changed my eating habits slowly over time. Getting rid of the refined sugar has been the hugest benefit for me.


And to really get into it- do you think one is


iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 2:47pm

Well this question comes at the perfect time for me!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2005
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 4:14pm

AHHHHH - Very good questions considering I just got off a 4 day birthday celebration with little to no exercise. I had to call my friend and ask that all important question - is your birthday over at the end of the day or when the cake is gone?

Are you focussing on one or the other right now?

I am focusing on exercising more BUT I am keeping control over what I eat.

Why and what are you doing?

I am trying to improve my running so that at the end of this summer or in the fall I can comfortably attempt a half marathon. I bought a bike so Monday and today I biked to work and I'm going swimming in a little while. I even bought myself a bright obnoxious blue colored bathing suit. Just another reason to stay in the water and keep swimming!

Do you think one is more important than the other?

To me, they are both important, at least for my goals. I can't eat huge amounts all day and then expect to exercise at night without cramping up or feeling sick. I've learned that the hard way. Especially in the south with the humidity, you really have to time your eating and exercising right or it can get ugly.

X:) Patrice

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2005
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 6:50pm

Well, right now I am focusing on both. I try to keep my calories down to about 700 a day under what I burn. And I'm walking every day (well, I try...but have been sidetracked a lot in the past couple months). Do I think one is more important than the other? Yes. I think what we eat is more important than exercising...if we have a lot of weight to lose. Because if you don't change your eating habits, but work out 4 hours a day...when you stop working out 4 hours a day (injury, have kids, etc) the weight will come back on.

Kim

Avatar for queenbeana
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 7:45pm

FOOD INTAKE vs EXERCISE

Are you focussing on one or the other right now?

If so, which one? Why and what are you doing?

And to really get into it- do you think one is more important than the other?

READ MY TYPE THEY ARE BOTH EQUALLY IMPORTANT.

If you don't exercise, your metabolism slows and your weight just sort of lays there. If you exercise and don't think about food then you are either going to 1) be too generous with yourself and eat more then you should or 2) Not eat enough so that your body actually starts eating it's muscle.

It is hard to find the right balance but think about the two as a team. You don't have to obsess over either but you should give them both thought. You should always eat thinking about what you are going to be doing for the next three hours. If it's sitting on your bum. You need very few calories. If it's doing a triathlon. Eat accordingly.

my .02
Sabrina :o)
Have you missed me??? LOL

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-03-2003
Wed, 04-20-2005 - 7:50pm

I really think you need both. It's simple chemistry. You need to burn more calories than you take in to lose weight. Either one alone can work, but the combination does the most good. Also prevents your body from going into starvation mode and trying to keep it's set point.

I concentrate more on what I eat, since I think my portion control is fine. I just like the starchy stuff over fruits and veggies.

Avatar for willowkit
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Thu, 04-21-2005 - 10:13am

Are you focussing on one or the other right now? I do both

If so, which one? Why and what are you doing? I kind of watch my calorie intake. I try to keep track of what I eat and how much. I have been exercising but havne't done much in the last few days due to appointments out of town.

And to really get into it- do you think one is more important than the other? I think both are equally important. Veggies not only help you gain the vitamines you need but they also take more energy to digest. This means they take more calories than give you. this is why they say to lose weight eat your veggies :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 04-21-2005 - 12:48pm

Hey there Sabrina- great to see you, and yes you are missed :-)


I totally agree....and so far I've loved seeing what everyone has written on the subject. I just thought that it would be a good idea for us all (individually) to think about this one, and at the same time find it interesting to see what everyone else had to say on the topic!


Here's my answers....


FOOD INTAKE vs EXERCISE


Are you focussing on one or the other right now?
Right now I'm sort of flip-flopping with one or the other. Not a great thing to do, and obviously not working for me!!


If so, which one? Why and what are you doing?
Like I said above, both. Some weeks my head is more in sync with exercise, then the following week it's food I'm more focussed on. As many have said before me, it's about finding a balance!


And to really get into it- do you think one is

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2005
Thu, 04-21-2005 - 12:54pm

I've been thinking more on this subject and I wanted to add that when someone is just a little overweight, both exercise and food intake are equally important, I can see that. But when someone is very overweight, then the most important thing is what they are eating...because it means they do not know how to eat correctly. So making lifelong changes in how they eat is the most important thing for them. I remember when I was up to 148 and I thought if I just focused on exercising, I would lose the weight...well, the exercise routine was too hard for me and also when I wasn't seeing results I got discouraged and stopped....thought I was doomed to be heavy....when really it was mainly my eating habits that needed to be addressed most of all (I was in denial, lol).

Kim :)

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