IS DIET OR EXERCISE MORE IMPORTANT FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

The key is balance and being realistic.   Bottom line - there are 3500 calories in a pound - burn that or more and lose weight.  A key mistake people make is overestimating the amount of caloric loss that exercise causes, and underestimating the amount of calories they are eating.  Exercise, while it initially tamps down our appetite, later on, often results in increased appetite - and folks give themselves more "permission" to eat more when they exercise - often well exceeding the amount they burned.  If you were FORCED to choose one - then controlling diet/calories is more likely to get you there, but the myriad benefits of exercise including vitality, immune benefits, stress relief, and yes - calorie burning - make it an essential part of a weight loss plan.