What's more important - diet or exercise? \ stacker news ~HealthAndFitness

What do you think? I don't think it's even close.

Diet

I thought of this because I just met up with a friend who's been so diligent about going to the gym three to five times a week for months now, and is absolutely getting worse, health-wise, because of an uncontrolled diet.

You have a limited amount of willpower. And of course you have a limited amount of time and energy. If you spend your willpower dragging yourself to a gym (you drive there, you do exercise you don't enjoy, shower, drive back), then perhaps you won't have the willpower to limit consumption of the toxic, unhealthy foods all around us.

And I think that's by far the worst problem. I see this all the time. People spending an ungodly amount of energy on habits that aren't doing them much good.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't exercise. Take an easy, comfortable walk every day, if you're new to exercise. But that shouldn't be the priority.

No, the priority should be - learn about the dangers of the SAD (standard american diet), and then learn how to live, long-term, off that diet. At the very least - as much as possible a whole food diet. No junk food or processed foods, make your own meals.

And better yet - low carb, keto, and best of all carnivore. I, and an increasing number of other people, have gotten amazing benefits from going carnivore.

Here's some of my carnivore-oriented posts. I post them every time I write a post like this, because I'm pissed off that I wasted so many years believing the pro-plant nonsense.

2025-07: Sticking to a Carnivore diet on a long trip - is it possible 2025-07: My friend is eating an almost vegetarian diet. I think it's killing him. 2025-05: Carnivore Classic by Dr. Anthony Chaffee - Plants are trying to kill you 2025-04: Carnivore hack: how to buy meat without spending a fortune 2025-04: It seems like all carnivores converge on this one favorite food 2025-04: Rendering beef tallow, from beef fat trimmings - yum 2025-04: The most common question I get asked as a Carnivore has been answered 2025-03: I was unknowingly almost vegetarian, before going carnivore 2025-02: Is sugar the new smoking? 2025-02: I would continue with Carnivore even if I got only this ONE benefit 2025-02: Weird, oddball health improvements I've experienced on the Carnivore diet 2024-10: There's currently a propaganda campaign against low-carb diets 2024-07: Carnivore quotes in classical literature 2024-04: Carnivore diet - looks like it fixed this nighttime disorder for me 2024-04: Carnivore diet - believe it or not, it healed this oddball disorder for me 2024-04: Can a keto/carnivore diet heal issues like depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar? 2024-04: Eating Carnivore on a short trip - tips and tricks 2024-01: Latest steps in my carnivore path 2024-01: Carnivore achievements unlocked 2024-01: Taking a temporary break from mostly-carnivore diet during holidays 2023-12: Sugar and Alzheimers 2023-12: Kinda-carnivore diet is leading to WAY more energy 2024-12: Question for carnivores/carnivore-curious folks 2023-12: I'm transitioning ... to a more MEAT centric diet 2023-11: This book is blowing my mind - The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholtz

73 sats \ 2 replies \ @realBitcoinDog 3h

It’s diet

Which is funny it’s more effort than exercise!

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @Signal312 OP 3h

My take on this - diet is a negative effort. In other words, you're NOT doing something. You're not eating the trash.

Exercise, though, is a positive effort. You're doing something extra. To me, that takes more energy and willpower.

I don't know, maybe I'm just past the stage where junk foods are tempting to me, so I don't even notice the "effort" in the diet aspect.

34 sats \ 0 replies \ @realBitcoinDog 3h

At work I will walk past a bunch of free sweets and say “watch my super power” as I keep walking past

Yea I’ve had it all so just don’t need it anymore

34 sats \ 2 replies \ @Brader99 3h

A doctor here. So, the question of what's more important actually depends on the individual, but yes, diet matters very much. You have to eat a balanced diet as a normal person. But if you have any disease, let's say a metabolic disorder, diabetes, or a thyroid disorder, the diet changes to low carb. Exercise is as much important as diet. The standard American diet is mostly carbs and processed junk food, which will lead to many diseases that even exercise can't avoid. So it really depends on what works for you.

1 sat \ 1 reply \ @Signal312 OP 2h

Too bad the nutritional guidelines don't even recommend low carb for those with metabolic disorders. Nina Teicholtz (author of The Big Fat Surprise) is trying to change that, wonder what'll happen.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Brader99 1h

Again, it depends on the individual's condition. Available evidence does suggest the efficacy of LCD in the management of type 2 diabetes. In theory, it's even reversible if managed properly with diet and exercise. That's why patients are often supported to make the choice that fits their needs and preferences. There is no single miracle vegan or carnivore diet or exercise that will work for everyone.

34 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 3h

Can’t out train a bad diet and you don’t have to train much with a good diet