To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week • Hacker News Board

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#111

Post by sradman » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:37 PM UTC

2018 study Energy compensation in response to aerobic exercise training in overweight adults [1] and 2020 study Incentive sensitization for exercise reinforcement to increase exercise behaviors [2].

My key takeaway is that we consume up to 1000 kcal per week to compensate for exercise but not more and that the mechanism works through appetite hormones like leptin [3]. This is a good reference point but I suspect the results don't mesh with the studies on insulin sensitivity, high-intensity interval training, and oxidative stress. There is probably a more optimal workout strategy in terms of time and frequency to achieve the same health benefits but perhaps this is an optimal weight loss strategy.

[1] https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.000...

[2] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/135910532091407...

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_(physiology)

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#112

Post by ogre_codes » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:48 PM UTC

bumby wrote: post #35

overcast wrote: post #22

The majority of weight is lost through respiration, that's the C in CO2. Exercise is great for health, and does help weight loss. But diet is the only thing that is going to resolve this. You consume far more calories in a regular sized Milkyway then you're going to burn exercising in 50 minutes that's for sure. Here's a chart of just those tiny "fun sized" Halloween candies. https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-Tak…

I.e., “you can’t outrun your mouth”

> I.e., “you can’t outrun your mouth”

Show me a guy who runs 10km/ day and weighs 250 pounds and I'll buy that.

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#113

Post by ogre_codes » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:50 PM UTC

deeviant wrote: post #49

overcast wrote: post #22

The majority of weight is lost through respiration, that's the C in CO2. Exercise is great for health, and does help weight loss. But diet is the only thing that is going to resolve this. You consume far more calories in a regular sized Milkyway then you're going to burn exercising in 50 minutes that's for sure. Here's a chart of just those tiny "fun sized" Halloween candies. https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-Tak…

The problem with this is that the lizard brain takes over. Brain says eat your are staving to death, eat it'll make you happy, eat... or else. You can't control urges to eat, you can only do your best to resist them. However, exercise, is always under your control, so it is a great tool. Exercise also has all sorts of non weight loss health benefits that aren't tangential but complementary to weight loss, including s…

> However, exercise, is always under your control

For me, this is a big part of it. I can schedule a daily ride. While I can schedule not eating from 8am until 8pm, I'll usually wind up in the kitchen at some point when I'm thinking about something else.

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#114

Post by ogre_codes » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:53 PM UTC

gumby wrote: post #55

overcast wrote: post #22

The majority of weight is lost through respiration, that's the C in CO2. Exercise is great for health, and does help weight loss. But diet is the only thing that is going to resolve this. You consume far more calories in a regular sized Milkyway then you're going to burn exercising in 50 minutes that's for sure. Here's a chart of just those tiny "fun sized" Halloween candies. https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-Tak…

The article argues that exercising reshapes your dietary desires in a positive way.

And it is spot on with my experience.

If you only work out a few times, it's easy to over-eat to compensate, but if you are working out regularly—5-6 times a week—your desire for food changes.

Dieting does not change the amount of activity you do.

Also, it is more important to be healthy and fit than skinny.

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#115

Post by ogre_codes » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:58 PM UTC

lordnacho wrote: post #58

Five hours a week is way more than most people who work and have a family can do. Even if you find the time, you might be quite tired and that also eats into your time budget. Also, you might spend maybe 200cal lightly cycling during a zoom call. You will get that back in a few seconds of eating, if you choose something heavy like a chocolate bar. Your best bet then is to just control the incoming calories, because e…

> Five hours a week is way more than most people who work and have a family can do.

This is why you have to be smart about how you do it. Ride your bike to work or run/ hike/ play with your kids. There are a million ways to double up and get fit while doing something else.

How much time do you spend playing video games or watching TV? That is time you can convert into being fit.

Dying of heart failure at 50 clears up all those "Not enough time" issues.

> Even if you find the time, you might be quite tired and that also eats into your time budget.

Exercising when you are not fit wipes you out. Regularly exercising gives you more energy in the long run as normal activities become easier and less stressful.

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#116

Post by laichzeit0 » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:58 PM UTC

ogre_codes wrote: post #95

laichzeit0 wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s important to separate the mechanism of weight loss from the method you use to achieve it. The mechanism is consuming less calories than you’re expending. How you do that is up to you. For example, I’ve lost weight on a fast-food only diet, because I like eating burgers and pizza. I just make sure I’m consuming less than 2200 calories, which puts me at approximately 15% caloric deficit. If you want to eat more, s…

> It’s important to separate the mechanism of weight loss from the method you use to achieve it. I think it's far more important knowing what actions work for an individual to achieve weight loss. Most everyone knows that X calories in and X calories is the end target. Knowing how you can reach that balance is the hard part. Every time I see some kind of forum about weight loss there are a million people popping in t…

I’m convinced most people are still not aware of the mechanism. They equate eating healthy and exercising with being the “cause” for losing weight. I avoid avocados and nuts on a diet because it’s so caloric dense. Yet how many people order some stupid avocado, nut “healthy” salad drizzled in olive oil because they’re on a diet.

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#117

Post by ogre_codes » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 7:03 PM UTC

stevegalla wrote: post #104

ogre_codes wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you ever struggled with weight loss? I mean serious 60-80 pounds overweight and done it successfully? I've spent 30 years bouncing between 260 and 185 pounds. Every single time I've successfully lost weight it started with exercise. Diet alone has absolutely never worked for me.

I have. I went from 235 pounds to 150 pounds in a one year time period. It was consistently between 1-2 pounds lost a week. Of course human bodies are complex and there is no one size fits all. My anecdotal weight loss won’t match with yours. We can provide our experience so others can draw their own ideas and conclusions from our stories. It wasn’t really an either or situation for me. Both diet and exercise are nee…

I lost weight because I found something I truly enjoy and it isn't hard to motivate myself to do it. What you are talking about sounds like work. I've used more analytical ways for a while and I get bored and lose track. Scheduling a weekday where I always go mountain biking with friends is fun and keeps me fit.

For me anyhow, the fun aspect is critical.

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#118

Post by overcast » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 7:07 PM UTC

PopeDotNinja wrote: post #52

overcast wrote: post #22

The majority of weight is lost through respiration, that's the C in CO2. Exercise is great for health, and does help weight loss. But diet is the only thing that is going to resolve this. You consume far more calories in a regular sized Milkyway then you're going to burn exercising in 50 minutes that's for sure. Here's a chart of just those tiny "fun sized" Halloween candies. https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-Tak…

A large person will burn way more calories from simply going for a walk than a small person. I'm 6'5', 270 lbs, went for a 3 mile walk this morning, and burned maybe 460 calories. A person weighing 135 going for the same walk would burn 230 calories. In either case, me and 50%-me would have burned off a 230 calories candy bar.

Sure, but a large person is probably eating 3x as much food.

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#119

Post by CogitoCogito » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 7:27 PM UTC

silicon2401 wrote: post #101

CogitoCogito wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Eat less" is the correct advice for weight less just like "don't drink" is for alcoholics and "don't think of him" is for someone going through a breakup. It's just basically useless advice totally lacking empathy. People are different. They have different bodies, different psychological dispositions, different experiences, etc. I think more people should ask themselves some basic questions. What would need to happe…

> Eat less" is the correct advice for weight less just like "don't drink" is for alcoholics and "don't think of him" is for someone going through a breakup. It's just basically useless advice totally lacking empathy. People are different. They have different bodies, different psychological dispositions, different experiences, etc. None of what you described changes the example solutions you gave. An alcoholic does ne…

> Only when you know the solution can you work backwards to find the steps to get you there from where you are today

I specifically said that the advice was _correct_. My point is that fact isn't that useful. Knowing the solution (i.e. eat less, drink less, think less) is the _easy_ part. It's the part these people have usually been told many times. It's rarely a lack of advice that is missing.

It's true that empathy doesn't cure these problems. But it is through empathy that you can understand what someone's true obstacles are to the "obvious" solutions.

Re: To Lose Weight with Exercise, Aim for 300 Minutes a Week

#120

Post by hn_throwaway_99 » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 7:29 PM UTC

silicon2401 wrote: post #105

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Less Cal in than out is the way to go. That mantra always drives me nuts. Not because it's false (on the contrary, by the laws of thermodynamics it's trivially true), but because it's not helpful for people trying to lose weight as it ignores the dynamic homeostasis systems of the human body. I.e. as reported by this article, if you try to increase your "out" energy expenditure, your body releases hormones specific…

The real issue is that sometimes in life you need to have discipline and willpower, and people are very resistant to that idea. I would counter that the advice is helpful, it's just not what people want to hear because it requires more effort than they want to put in.

Look at film reels or images from, say, the 1950s. Better yet find one of relatively rural parts of the US. You'll be hard pressed to find an obese person, yet if you took the same picture today in many of those places you'd see a majority of obese people, many grotesquely so.

So what, did people magically lose all willpower and discipline in the past 60 years? Of course not, but we have instead build up a society, both around industrialized food and sedentary lifestyles, that is basically geared to make people fat.

Similarly, while "discipline and willpower" may work for any one individual, it is completely useless as societal-wide advice, mainly because it's been proven over decades that this advice (again, societal-wide) doesn't work: we've been saying this same thing for years and yet Americans are as fat as ever. What's that definition of insanity again?