# I don't believe you when you say diet and exercise don't work. It's also kind of insulting. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 19, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779 "2012-07-19T21:30:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/21 "2012-07-19T22:47:47Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > The only purpose of this thread is to refute the claim that more exercise and less calories will not result in weight loss. No, that’s a perfectly valid claim. However, more exercise and less calories will, at a minimum, _slow one’s rate of weight gain_. You’ve got to know what the baseline is, after all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/22 "2012-07-19T22:57:17Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > No, that’s a perfectly valid claim. > > However, more exercise and less calories will, at a minimum, _slow one’s rate of weight gain_. > > You’ve got to know what the baseline is, after all. 😃 I suppose I left myself open for that one. Well you’ve caught me. What’s the proper Straightdope etiquette for this situation? Do I have to go with Seppuku or can I get away with just giving you 20 camels or something? ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/23 "2012-07-19T23:04:58Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > You lost 48 pounds - twenty percent of your body weight - and your position is that diet and exercise _don’t_ work? Over 18 months of working out 5 days a week? No, I wouldn’t call that success. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/24 "2012-07-19T23:13:25Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > Over 18 months of working out 5 days a week? No, I wouldn’t call that success. Well, that’s you being a bit unrealistic about things, but losing 50 pounds is awesome! You should be proud of yourself! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/25 "2012-07-19T23:14:46Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > Over 18 months of working out 5 days a week? No, I wouldn’t call that success. Guess what? You have a body the requires exercise and restricted food intake to keep your weight down. If you don’t think the benefits are worth the work then that is your choice. Other people sometimes think otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/26 "2012-07-19T23:14:48Z")
I get what you’re saying, OP. But some of us have a lifestyle in which “Move more and eat less” is about as practical as telling an Ethiopian to “eat more and move less.” It won’t work because it’s just not practically feasible to do. I need to shed 25-30#. It ain’t gonna happen. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/27 "2012-07-19T23:17:03Z")
What were your expectations, just out of curiosity? Healthy weight loss is 1lb a week. You’d need to cut your caloric intake more or increase your calorie expenditure more to result in more weight loss. Diet and exercise _did_ work for you, as evidenced by your very impressive weight loss. But expectations need to be managed, and maintaining a healthy weight is a life long investment, not a phase. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/28 "2012-07-19T23:17:42Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I get what you’re saying, OP. But some of us have a lifestyle in which “Move more and eat less” is about as practical as telling an Ethiopian to “eat more and move less.” It won’t work because it’s just not practically feasible to do. I need to shed 25-30#. It ain’t gonna happen. How on earth does your “lifestyle” make it impractical to exercise more and eat less? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/29 "2012-07-19T23:19:38Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > It won’t work because it’s just not practically feasible to do. I need to shed 25-30#. It ain’t gonna happen. :rolleyes: Not practically feasible how? Like, it’s difficult and you don’t want to? Or it’s actually impossible? This is how all of these discussions turn out though. “Having a healthy diet and exercising is simple, but you have to dedicate time and make a conscious effort.” “Nuh-uh! It’s impossible to do because my lifestyle is so crazy busy it will never happen!” Listen, I work with doctors who work 70 hours a week and train for triathlons. If those people can find the time to work out, so can you. All of you. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/30 "2012-07-19T23:38:08Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > Over 18 months of working out 5 days a week? No, I wouldn’t call that success. 48 pounds over 18 months is fucking _fantastic._ Extremely successful! I’m sure you would have preferred it go faster, but hey. Also remember that when you exercise, you gain muscle mass, which weighs more than fat does. So you probably lost more than 50 lbs of fat. That IS success. But then you quit. I will accept that your reason may have been unavoidable. But be realistic, it wasn’t the diet and exercise that failed you. It was the quitting. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/31 "2012-07-19T23:41:48Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > Over 18 months of working out 5 days a week? No, I wouldn’t call that success. This is one of the more insane things I’ve seen posted here. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/32 "2012-07-19T23:46:27Z")
Exactly. “It’s impossible” usually means “It’s harder than I thought!” I’ve lost 22 pounds over the past 8 months, and it is WAY harder than I thought. It’s so hard to say no to that one home-baked cookie, and so easy to rationalize eating it. But one cookie equals 3 hours in the gym, so no damned cookie! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/33 "2012-07-20T00:05:07Z")
And I don’t believe you that it works, when the science says that 95% of people fail. Something that has a 5% success rate is not an effective strategy. Treating it like it’s someone’s choice to have plan after plan repeatedly fail on them is far more damaging than not getting your accolades for losing weight. Making people feel bad is inherently worse than not making some other people feel good as they think they deserve. As long as fat people are made fun of for being fat, while fit people are not made fun of for being fit, I really can’t care about your little whine. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/34 "2012-07-20T00:09:48Z")
I make fun of “fit” people all the time, especially those who have big showy biceps or washboard abs, but couldn’t shovel gravel into a wheelbarrow for 10 minutes without collapsing. Just for the heck of it, where is the science that shows 95% of people fail? ---
**Author:** ![stegon66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stegon66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stegon66)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/35 "2012-07-20T00:14:52Z")
> [@](#): > > It won’t work because it’s just not practically feasible to do. I need to shed 25-30#. It ain’t gonna happen. Actually it can. I went to the doctor the last week of May and was surprised to find I weighed 212 pounds - the most I’ve ever weighed (I’m 5’8"). Promptly went on a diet. Just weighed myself and I’m down to 193.2 pounds. I’m not starving myself and I’m not engaging in rigorous exercise. I simply cut out soda and junk food and started eating more fruits and veggies. I also try not to over eat (as in more than 2000 calories a day). As for excercise, I usually work 6 days a week at 8-9 hours a day and I’m on my feet for most of that time. I also walk my dogs once a day for 30 minutes or so (twice a day if I’m off). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/36 "2012-07-20T00:17:19Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And I don’t believe you that it works, when the science says that 95% of people fail. Something that has a 5% success rate is not an effective strategy. Treating it like it’s someone’s choice to have plan after plan repeatedly fail on them is far more damaging than not getting your accolades for losing weight. Making people feel bad is inherently worse than not making some other people feel good as they think they deserve. People failing is not the same as things not working. If I fail to learn how to drive a manual transmission, does that mean that manual transmissions don’t work? No, it just means I didn’t learn how to do it correctly. Nobody said it was easy. Psychologically, emotionally; it’s not easy. But it does work. I’m not making a moral judgment on people for the struggle involved, but you’re not doing anyone any favors by pretending it’s actually impossible to do. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/37 "2012-07-20T00:17:56Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > I suppose I left myself open for that one. > > Well you’ve caught me. What’s the proper Straightdope etiquette for this situation? Do I have to go with Seppuku or can I get away with just giving you 20 camels or something? Nah, I think the proper response is, “Damn, **RT** , you’re a real nitpicker, you know that?” And I just grin and say, “You betcha.” Besides, I don’t have any land I can graze 20 camels on. And the damned things stink to high heaven anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/38 "2012-07-20T00:33:21Z")
Insensitive I know but when someone tells me they can’t loose weight, I reply that there were no fat people liberated from Auschwitz. It is real simple if you burn more calories then you consume you loose weight. If you don’t you won’t. I lost 70 lbs. in four months, but then chemo and cancer is a very efficient diet but not one I would recommend. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/39 "2012-07-20T00:44:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And I don’t believe you that it works, when the science says that 95% of people fail. Something that has a 5% success rate is not an effective strategy. Treating it like it’s someone’s choice to have plan after plan repeatedly fail on them is far more damaging than not getting your accolades for losing weight. Making people feel bad is inherently worse than not making some other people feel good as they think they deserve. > > As long as fat people are made fun of for being fat, while fit people are not made fun of for being fit, I really can’t care about your little whine. Damn, I was waiting for Stoid to come along, but I guess BigTard will have to do. Your post smells like french fries and desperation. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779/40 "2012-07-20T00:47:01Z")
For some people, they will lose X amount of weight on a certain diet/exercise program, and then the weight loss slows down or stops. Then they give up. Your body hit a wall for a reason - vary up your diet, your exercise! If you stop losing, you probably need to kick up the intensity, frequency, or maybe change the diet. It took me 6-8 months plus to lose 20 pounds and get the beginnings of bikini-body definition back when I was 21. I had packed on a couple extra in college, but one of my friends was a trainer at a gym and I started going to her classes - cardio kickboxing, body pump. That stuff’ll kick your ass into shape. Lost like 3 or 4 pants sizes. Also altered the way I ate, which has stuck with me since then. So even after I stopped working out, all I did was lose the definition, but I didn’t gain the weight back, just got mushy again 😛 I’m back in there now, running, some weights, but a trainer or classes can really help anyone that needs to kick up the intensity of a workout. And how you eat is so important. I don’t eat out too often and never McDonalds type places, rarely drink soda (no diet either), don’t buy cookies/candy/ice cream/junk food anymore, don’t snack on bullshit all day, increased fruit/veg, lean meats. Portion sizes smaller. I still love beer though, so that’s the vice I kept. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-believe-you-when-you-say-diet-and-exercise-dont-work-its-also-kind-of-insulting/628779.md?page=3)