Link: Exercise Trumps Diet for Weight Loss.
"These findings were surprising to us as scientists," Cameron says. "We always assumed food intake was the main control of body weight and that dieting was the best way to control this. From these results, you are forced to think how active you are is more important than how much you eat."
"I don't think most people who try to diet will be surprised," Cameron says. "The body immediately tries to compensate for calories you are not taking in by dropping your metabolic rate and lowering your activity level. There was no way to get around the fact that activity matters a great deal. Altogether, our feeling is that activity is very, very important in controlling body weight."
Sigh. No, I'm not surprised. But while I'm glad they're finally doing studies to prove this stuff to themselves to their satisfaction, I can't help being rather peeved that the white-coat types are still surprised. Especially since I spent years trying to lose weight their way, and being shut down whenever I'd have the temerity to point out that it was not freakin' working.
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