It' not a lack of exercise that makes you fat...

[threaded]

Aye, though the body may be a bit naughty and burn muscle as well as fat when calories are restricted. Heck, AFAIK the body catabolises muscles when they aren't used and will regenerate them quickly when you exercise and eat. They also burn energy just in existing, which is perhaps why the body is keen to burn them off when energy is scarce.

That's why I say both exercise and a proper diet together are important.

If you just have a proper diet for a while, you don't get rid of much fat, mainly the muscle, and when you fail with the diet for a few days the fat piles on as the body thinks it needs to store up in times of plenty for the next lean period.

Exercise encourages the body to keep the muscle and get rid of the fat.

Also regular exercise allows the body to use those excess calories on those 'off' days (normally Thursdays when they give cake in the canteen :-)

[TimberWolf]

That's why I say both exercise and a proper diet together are important.

If you just have a proper diet for a while, you don't get rid of much fat, mainly the muscle, and when you fail with the diet for a few days the fat piles on as the body thinks it needs to store up in times of plenty for the next lean period.

Exercise encourages the body to keep the muscle and get rid of the fat.

Also regular exercise allows the body to use those excess calories on those 'off' days (normally Thursdays when they give cake in the canteen :-)

I'm sure there must have been upteen studies of fat and muscle burning rates, with and without exercise, that would provide a definitive answer. Certainly anyone that has done weight training, or has been bedridden (or in space) for a while could testify to how quickly muscles disappear when not used (within days). And how quickly they come back.

[BrilloPad]

Of course the more you exercise the less likely you are to want to stuff your face.

[bobhope]

Simple equation really :-

Intake - Expelled - Calories Burned = Weight adjustment

No matter how fancy the diet or the science behind it - it all comes down to that...

Yes, but you won't sell many diet books that way.

[BrilloPad]

Yes, but you won't sell many diet books that way.

It also helps to pretend you are a doctor. No-one ever checks these things do they Gillian?