The author of the 5:2 diet explains why eating healthy is more important than exercise

Michael Mosley, author of the 5:2 diet and the "Clever Guts Diet," spoke to Business Insider UK and explained why a healthy diet is much more important than exercise when it comes to losing weight.
Mosley said, "An awful lot of people go to the gym in January in order to lose weight. They think if they go to the gym and cycle a bit and do a bit of running then they will obviously shed some of those kilos. The reality is that that does not happen which is why the vast majority of people give up."
"In order to lose a kilo of fat you would probably have to run two marathons. So in many ways it is obviously much easier simply to reduce the amount of calories you eat rather than trying to run them off because you have to do so much exercise to burn calories."
"What I would recommend is yes, you do exercise because that’s going to improve your mood and it’s very helpful once you’ve lost weight but hoping that simply by doing exercise you’re going to lose weight is really over optimistic."
"You should be aware of these tendencies but as I said if you really want to lose weight the only way to do that is by reducing the calories you eat and switching the sort of food you eat."
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[@Dan-di9jd]

I go to a gym in a busy downtown area for nearly 7 1/2 years. Each year I notice the trend that new faces would appear around the gym starting around the month of December. In my 7 1/2 years, I only seen one person from this group sticking with it until I left the place because I had to move. I think it's so rare that people stick with it because they either do something too boring or do something totally outrageous or just do a combination of it. I seen people pick up 100 pounds dumbbells and try to do lunges back and forth with the gym, and even seen someone on the elliptical trying to do it as hard as possible until they couldn't stop. I think the smarter idea for new years resolutions is to try to do one activity that you know you are good at and try to stick with it. For example, perhaps you work in a city and you could take an extra route during your lunch break by going up this hill each day to go to where you normally eat. Or you can maybe come to the gym to do bike classes for lunch 3 times a week. I think the key thing is to concentrate on your diet but try to do more activity throughout the day and it doesn't have to be much or outrageous.

[@tremblence]

The people I know that don't exercise are obese, fat and gross
The people I know that don't eat well... but do exercise are sexy, great body, great health

[@youngsuit]

even though the science says otherwise, for me the exercise is more important. if i workout i end up feeling better and making healthier decisions.

[@Phuong_Nguyen_]

He’s only one doctor that says this. Plenty of other doctors says exercise is more important. Compare elite athletes that eat whatever they want compared to dieters that live a sedentary lifestyle. Completely different body build and health.

[@youngsuit]

@@Phuong_Nguyen_ i get your point but being more athletic doesn't always equate to being more healthy, like being a football lineman is horrible for your long-term health

[@Phuong_Nguyen_]

@@youngsuit well linemen’s aren’t at their personal peak performance. They are at their peak FOR THAT SIZE required to me a linemen. If each particular linemen lost 50-80 pounds, they would be in even better shape.

[@Phuong_Nguyen_]

@@youngsuit and it’s the grueling play of football thats mostly bad for these guys. You have to take that in to affect. And lineman’s are one position out of hundreds in sports. But for the most part athletes are in better shape and health than people who eat healthy but don’t workout. You seem to be a flip flopper in your way of thinking. Tragic

[@youngsuit]

@@Phuong_Nguyen_ dude calm down

[@7Earthsky]

Gyms are good for mood and for being around people that want to be or are fit and healthy...I'd sooner make friends with someone in a gym than someone at a pub.

[@victoriagreen1726]

Precisely my sentiment!

[@simonb2109]

Gym people are usually brain dead idiots obsessed with how they look. no thanks.

[@Kayl3ss]

@@simonb2109 😆

[@simonb2109]

always reminded me of my grandad harry this guy :)

[@anticeon]

We are overeat

[@shawns9813]

Weight loss is 80 percent nutrition.

[@wonderwoman5528]

But doesn’t exercise turn fat into muscle?

[@afterdiffusion]

Consider doing intermittent fasting

[@jenniferjarvis1207]

That's weird he's not the original author? It was a woman?

[@IAmNoodlebox]

Author's name? Publication name?

[@jenniferjarvis1207]

@@IAmNoodlebox Kate Harrison the 5:2 diet. I think this guy just expanded on her work, which is cool.

[@Tiger-lf1pr]

This shows diet is 50%

[@jawant6039]

It's even higher as you age and your metabolism slows down.