Does eating a whole foods diet and having self-control with food matter when there are easy-to-take weight loss pills, surgeries, gyms, and other quick fixes? Contrary to my argument that the lack of knowledge about healthy eating habits contributes more significantly to the obesity epidemic in America than the lack of exercise, or fast remedies society has discovered, many people have expressed opinions of ‘emphasizing the importance of exercise’ or ‘Pushing the idea of weight loss procedures and pills.’ 

According to the ASMBS, a society for metabolic and bariatric weight loss surgery; they state that bariatric surgery is more effective and durable then obesity drugs and lifestyle interventions. Researchers for the ASMBS found that lifestyle interventions such as dieting and exercise resulted in an average weight loss of 7.4% that eventually was generally regained within 4.1 years. They claimed that their procedures resulted in 10.6 – 21.1 % weight loss. While this way of becoming skinny may be appealing given the fast results and lazy- friendly process, it isn’t at all sustainable or a smart choice to make. 

Becoming victim to these procedures, named, tirzepatide or GLP – 1 semaglutide means months of weekly injections, and on estimate, a cost of 1,000 dollars a month. This approach not only drains wallets but also locks an individual into a cycle of dependency on medication. And for what? Once you have finally had enough of these weekly tortures, it is said that about half the lost weight will return within a year. Knowing this, it truly doesn’t make a difference in the amount of weight you lose and how long it stays off. Clearly if you stop eating right, you will regain unhealthy weight. And if you stop taking these injections, you will also regain the unhealthy weight. 

This comes down to whether the process of injections is more beneficial and morally ethical for you as a human being. Humans weren’t designed to live a life of painful injections forever, but instead to simply eat a balanced diet. In addition to this, eating well fosters a sense of self-control and accountability that quick fixes can’t provide. It’s about building habits and learning how to listen to your body. It’s important to know when you’re hungry and when you’re full. These are skills that stick with you for life, unlike procedures or pills that just cover over the problem without facing its root cause. 

Some sources say that while diet may be helpful for weight loss, the real and more effective method is exercise. It is often glorified when we see people partaking in exercise and gym activities Americans are fooled, believing that the solution for health and weight management i getting in the gym. This cultural practice is fueled by the fitness industry, which emphasizes physical transformation and gym memberships as markers of success. Social media platforms are permeated with images of toned bodies and workout routines. This influences others to think hat exercise alone is the key to achieving health and aesthetics. 

A study done by the University of Colorado Anschutz claimed that exercise was more critical than diet when maintaining weight loss. The study included two groups, one with successful weight loss maintainers with high levels of physical activity and the other group being unsuccessful weight-loss maintainers with little to no physical activity. “The findings reveal that successful weight-loss maintainers rely on physical activity to remain in energy balance, rather than chronic restriction of dietary intake, to avoid weight regain.” “Our findings suggest that this group of successful weight-loss maintainers are consuming a similar number of calories per day as individuals with overweight and obesity but appear to avoid weight regain by compensating for this with high levels of physical activity,” said Victoria A. Catenacci, MD, a weight management physician and researcher at CU Anschutz Medical Campus.

While it may be true that exercise plays a significant role in overall health, the notion that exercise is more critical than diet in managing weight loss is misleading. This narrative by the University of Colorado Anschutz creates an incomplete picture of what it truly takes to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Numerous studies highlight that diet accounts for about 80% of weight loss results, with exercise contributing a much smaller fraction. For instance, you’d have to run nearly an hour to burn off the calories in a single fast-food meal, but simply choosing a healthier, lower-calorie meal in the first place would eliminate the need for that hour-long run. Glorifying gym culture creates a distorted view of health by prioritizing aesthetics over sustainability. While it’s inspiring to see people dedicate themselves to fitness, relying on exercise alone often leads to burnout or discouragement because it’s hard to out-exercise a poor diet. The cycle of overindulging in unhealthy foods and attempting to “work it off” in the gym can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. 

This comes back to the cycle of gaining weight, wanting to lose weight, and then becoming victim to unrealistic solutions. These solutions are put in place to make the rich man richer. America has always been a country run by money, so it is no surprise that doctors who own weight loss remedies, gym franchises, and fast-food industries promote false narratives to trap easily influenced zombies into their money lure. 

The real issue lies in education. People aren’t obese because there’s a lack of gyms or weight-loss pills; they’re obese because they’ve never been taught how to eat right. Diet culture bombards us with conflicting advice, while fast food is marketed as cheap and convenient. Society glorifies these quick fixes without addressing the simple truth: without the knowledge and discipline to sustain healthy habits, no surgery, injection, or newly trending diet will keep the weight off for good. Ultimately, the choice comes down to what’s more beneficial and ethical for us. Humans weren’t designed to rely on needles or scalpels to manage their weight. Instead, we thrive when we nourish ourselves with real food and move our bodies in natural ways that are not forced.

References

• https://asmbs.org/news_releases/bariatric-surgery-more-effective-and-durable-than-new-obesity-drugs-and-lifestyle-intervention/ ASMBS – American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

• https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/cu-anschutz-study-reveals-exercise-is-more-critical-than-diet-to-maintain-weight-loss Julia Milzer. March 29, 2019. Study: Exercise is More Critical than Diet to Maintain Weight Loss.