[alanthonyc]

You state facts, here are some additional ones from the article:

* “people who simply dieted experienced greater weight loss than those who combined diet and exercise.”

* “You would have to walk for more than 45 minutes to burn off the 300 calories from eating just three cookies.”

* “researchers concluded, “active, ‘traditional’ lifestyles may not protect against obesity if diets change to promote increased caloric consumption.”

* “It’s calorie intake that is really fueling the obesity epidemic.”

Personally, the most weight I’ve ever lost was over a six month period of zero exercise, but with a restricted diet. (Consequences of a work assignment out of town.)

My most physically active periods (3-4 hours daily in the ocean) have been accompanied by no weight loss, sometimes even weight gain.

[girvo]

The thing is though, weight gain isn't the whole story. Body composition matters, quite a lot.

[hmate9]

Still, just because you were active in the ocean doesn't mean you automatically have to lose weight.

You can be extremely active, but still eat more calories a day than you burn.

If we have person A who eats 1500 calories a day and does no exercise and we have person B who eats 1500 calories a day and does 30 minutes of running a day, person B will lose weight much more quickly.

The reason that weight training and exercise is often said to make you lose less weight is because exercise also builds muscle.

Your goal during a diet should not be to lose weight really, it should be to lose fat.