Just wondered what you all think/know since you all seem so reasonable

nikkib0103

While perusing the forums today there was a challenge posted to burn 1000 calories a day for a week. This set off some fireworks including the proposition that exercise is absolutely not necessary to lose weight. I understand that if you eat less you will rather automatically lose weight to some degree. Then if you further peruse, you will find posts about how cardio is worthless for weight loss and strength training is the answer. But not just light weights. No, you have to heavy lift. That is how you get fit. My sister started Jenny Craig. She is 220 or so. Her counselor told her to not exercise beyond some walking because at her weight she would hurt herself. She needs to lose before she can start. I call BS on that. Most of you seem to workout and are losing weight successfully. What do you make of these ideas that exercise is worthless to weight loss, cardio is stupid, lifting is the answer and you are too heavy at 220 to do more than walk? Me, I lose more when I exercise but, even more importantly, I FEEL better and am sure that my heart will thank me even if the rest of me is sore and dismayed.

BRaye325

Oh yes the forums are loaded with all kinds of experts! Take them all with some skeptism in mind,. Can you lose without exercise? - sure. Can you get fit by heavy lifting? - sure. Can you turn into Superwoman by jumping into the nearest phone booth? - well maybe, if you can still find a phone booth that is.
Make a plan that is right for you that you can do without killing yourself, your happy with doing for the long-term, and heads you in the right direction for you fitness goals. Each of our plans will look different because we are all different.

HappyTrails7

Our bodies are designed to do a variety of tasks, not just heavy lifting, not just cardio, not just yoga, ect. With that being said, I think it is wise to take a holistic approach and do what you are capable of doing in each of these areas, gradually increasing these activities as your body is able. Everything in moderation if you will, including food.

lynnstacey2

I think it's probably true that you eat less to loss weight but exercise to keep it off. Totally do NOT agree that ONLY heavy lifting is worth anything or that cardio is worthless or that your sister CAN'T do anything more than walk because she's someone of that weight. I started at 247 but I also clean seven horse stalls every day and drag 50 pound bags of grain and shavings into the barn at least once a week not to mention every few weeks I load hay into the barn. I would laugh in that person's face if they told me I couldn't do anything more than walk! However, it's possible the counselor has seen too many people start gung ho on a program that is way too much for them and either get hurt or quit or both and wants to prevent her from doing that. I agree with Happy Trails that everyone's perfect program is going to look different because in spite of what some of the "experts" on the main list think, everyone really IS different and what works well for one might not work so well for someone else. Except, of course for CICO! That part really is true, but what it takes to achieve that for each individual is still going to be different.

sijomial

The forums are full of people who believe their way is the only way - understandable when they have been successful but dangerous when they haven't!!

There is a strong group think bias towards heavy lifting on here which isn't really typical of the real world (whatever that is!). As someone who lifts I support a lot of what the regulars say but absolutely hate it when it spills over into "lifting good, cardio bad" (to misquote George Orwell). There is no one true way that is right for everyone. Goals, abilities and enjoyment differ too much to have a one size fits all approach.

I have a foot in both camps as I both lift and do long distance cycling. Cardio and lifting have very different benefits and can happily co-exist apart for the less than 1% of people who have to be totally dedicated to excel in one sport.

Some of the bad science thrown about is astonishing frankly, like cardio burns muscle, you have to do bulk/cut cycles etc. etc. Not from the educated regulars but more from the easily influenced hangers on who dumb the messages down to such a degree to be nonsensical. When so much good information is available from the internet it's depressing that people can't educate themselves or recognise good sources from bad sources.

nikkib0103

Thank you for your input. I think I will stick to my mix of activities because it seems to be working okay. I really don't love exercise per se but find that the 20-30 minute DVDs I do in addition to walking are manageable and don't make me want to give up. I guess the only exercise that isn't valuable on some level is the exercise you DON'T do.

iamfashiontribes

I'm with you in that I exercise because it feels good. Also, I like being in shape. I think if I started tying exercise in my head to "losing weight" it would start to feel like a chore to me. From what I've read as well, it seems like being too sedentary is what's really kind of unhealthy.

marekdds

Speaking as an old gal, I do mostly cardio and lift "medium", but it was mostly changing how I eat that got me down 85 lbs. You have to find what works for you. Both exercise and proper nutrition is important to not just lose weight, but be healthy.

beemerphile1

Exercising is not necessary for weight loss. However, exercise allows me to eat more than the minimum calories so for me it is very helpful.

Lifting burns very few calories compared to cardio so what you quoted someone saying makes no sense to me.

For an obese sedentary person just starting out, walking is the best thing to do. A weight loss counselor would be a fool to recommend anything else. That person could be held liable if the overweight person was to be injured.

If your sister wants to do something other than walk she should do it under the supervision of a doctor or licensed personal trainer/physical therapist.

bibliocephalus

beemerphile1 wrote: »

Exercising is not necessary for weight loss. However, exercise allows me to eat more than the minimum calories so for me it is very helpful.=quote]

this has absolutely been my experience also.

bibliocephalus

sorry I screwed up my post above, I was trying to say I agreed with Beemerphile1's comment about excercise.

cw106

i burned 1000 cals plus for 97 consecutive days at the start of journey july 2014.down from 235 to 195 in that period.
the 5 week predictor has always been very accurate for me.

BRaye325

cw106 wrote: »

the 5 week predictor has always been very accurate for me.

It's been pretty accurate for me too. MFP is really just attempting to take a statistical prediction with the target calories. Each individual will vary and they will more than likely miss more than they hit.