I think/have found that heavy exercise counters a shitty diet and then some. You could eat McDonald's every day and lose weight or stay in shape if you exercise enough and improve your cholesterol, triglycerides and other numbers. Also
That really is a great thing for poor people and not to stick up for McD too much but it isn't their fault if Americans don't exercise worth shit. Certainly you will go downhill faster if you eat McD and don't exercise vs. eating healthy and not exercising.