I think we're saying exactly the same thing, and I agree that people have the incorrect casual estimations of exercise calories vs food calorie density.
However...
"It's not consistent. You're only seeing the results on the people it works for."
I think this isn't correctly stated, and dangerously gives one the impression that athletes are born not made.
In fact, it is extraordinarily consistent. Outside of disease processes anyone who takes up training like an athlete will begin matching the physique of an athlete. People are athletes buy choice, not by physiological imperative, and this is proven out extensively by people who take up athletic behavior anywhere at any time in life.
As I pointed out with the Sumo example, I'm specifically including all behaviors of athletes not just the exercise portion. That was my point about the value of 'fasting' before going to sleep. Something most athletic diets recommend (also eating more and smaller meals even with the same total calories per day).
As you point out it is psychologically difficult to reduce calories with diet alone. This psychological effect becomes increasingly successful at causing us to consume excess calories the longer or larger a deficit we attempt to maintain. This nearly invariably results in a bounce back effect, and often resulting in a higher 'set weight'. The net effect of diets being a progressive increase in weight over time.
Athletes are consistently successful, dieters are consistently unsuccessful (with the exception of anorexia).
It makes sense that this is true when you start digging into it. Along with improved self image and mood a higher metabolism allows athletes to hold a better physique for longer even with excess calories, while a dieter will 'rebound' more quickly due to lowered metabolism, and the bodies tendency to store fat in response to famine. Further, other than protein sparing diets the diet only approach can lead to loss of muscle as the body consumes it for energy, so after any success with dieting taking in excess calories leads to muscle being replaced with fat.
Eating a bunch of Twinkies is bad, eating them right before going to sleep is worse.
> In fact, it is extraordinarily consistent. Outside of disease processes anyone who takes up training like an athlete will begin matching the physique of an athlete. People are athletes buy choice, not by physiological imperative, and this is proven out extensively by people who take up athletic behavior anywhere at any time in life.
They only become athletic if they keep doing it, and many people are for a variety of reasons unable to keep doing it, which is why "exercise to lose weight" is unhelpful advice and is no longer part of the public health message on obesity. It's still really important to get people to exercise. Just don't claim weight loss as one of the benefits.
However...
"It's not consistent. You're only seeing the results on the people it works for."
I think this isn't correctly stated, and dangerously gives one the impression that athletes are born not made.
In fact, it is extraordinarily consistent. Outside of disease processes anyone who takes up training like an athlete will begin matching the physique of an athlete. People are athletes buy choice, not by physiological imperative, and this is proven out extensively by people who take up athletic behavior anywhere at any time in life.
As I pointed out with the Sumo example, I'm specifically including all behaviors of athletes not just the exercise portion. That was my point about the value of 'fasting' before going to sleep. Something most athletic diets recommend (also eating more and smaller meals even with the same total calories per day).
As you point out it is psychologically difficult to reduce calories with diet alone. This psychological effect becomes increasingly successful at causing us to consume excess calories the longer or larger a deficit we attempt to maintain. This nearly invariably results in a bounce back effect, and often resulting in a higher 'set weight'. The net effect of diets being a progressive increase in weight over time.
Athletes are consistently successful, dieters are consistently unsuccessful (with the exception of anorexia).
It makes sense that this is true when you start digging into it. Along with improved self image and mood a higher metabolism allows athletes to hold a better physique for longer even with excess calories, while a dieter will 'rebound' more quickly due to lowered metabolism, and the bodies tendency to store fat in response to famine. Further, other than protein sparing diets the diet only approach can lead to loss of muscle as the body consumes it for energy, so after any success with dieting taking in excess calories leads to muscle being replaced with fat.
Eating a bunch of Twinkies is bad, eating them right before going to sleep is worse.