So much this. If you include regular exercise you're way more motivated not to over-eat, you simply don't want to spoil the hard work you did since it's so easy

So much this. If you include regular exercise you're way more motivated not to over-eat, you simply don't want to spoil the hard work you did since it's so easy to consume 500 cal but so much harder (relatively) to burn 500 cal. Combining both has certainly been effective for me.