Wow, thanks everyone. As per usual, you've all given very interesting and informed responses.
I especially like what memememe76 said: "If you see people on weight-loss forums "minimize" the importance of exercise, I think it's important to remember how hard it can be to initiate an exercise plan at your heaviest (whatever that heaviest is for the person). There is an embarrassment and shame that one has to overcome. But you can change your diet rather discreetly--it's harder to exercise in private.
Ideally, we should change our diet and exercise together--but if you can only do one, it's better than nothing. So, if you hear "80/20" comments and such online, it's more about people wanting other people to do *something* about their weight and less about de-emphasizing the effectiveness of exercise."
I hadn't thought of it that way, it makes sense.
I'm the kind of person who *probably* likes the gym - I say probably because there are still the days where I loathe going - and it might be due to the fact I've always been an active person (dance & soccer through childhood and continued soccer until early 20s) so i've always known what hard exercise feels like, I guess.
I try to get to the gym at least 4 times a week, hoping to bump it to 5 but again, those lazy/loathing days creep up - so I've been a little confused by the rebuffing of exercise around here and the thought crept into my head for a minute: "is it all for naught?" But I don't think it is, for me, I feel like the feeling you get after a good workout (whether it's gym, or sport, or walking, or gardening) is a tangible marker for your progress. You feel the burn, you know you've done something good. My friend put it wonderfully: When I'm done a work out, I feel like I'm covered in diamonds!!" Lol, Certainly I've never felt like i'm covered in crap after a work out, have you? With pure dieting alone, you don't really know anything until you check up on your scale once a week or whatever it is.
So ya, thanks again for all the input!