Is 30 min of exercise enough each day?
napilibay
Posts: 121 Member
If I do some of the 30 minute workouts each day and burn an average of 200-250 cals, is that enough for weight loss... Like one pound per week? I'm 166, 5'5", with 1200 calories.
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Replies
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If you are eating in deficit, you will lose weight. Period. Even if you sit on your duff all day long.
Exercise earns you some extra calories to eat back, and it is good for you physically, and mentally... But you could burn 5000 calories a day working out... And if you were eating back more than what you burned, you would still gain weight.0 -
It's different for everyone, in my experience. I recommend aiming to burn 500 calories a day in exercise. And I never eat my 'exercise' calories because that just doesn't work for me. I like to aim for 45 minutes of exercise per day, and I try to eat under 1400 calories. I know from using MFP for over 2 years, if I eat over 1700 cals/day, I'll slowly gain. I'm 52 though, so my metabolism isn't what it would be for a younger person.0
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Exercise as much as you want. What you eat will be way more important for weight loss.
Exercise is for fitness.0 -
Cassidy's right on the money, it's not how long you work out or how many calories you burn while working out, but calories in/calories out.
When you say "with 1200 calories" do you mean you're eating only 1200 a day?0 -
As pointed out, weight loss begins in the kitchen. The "burn" numbers you provided are between 2/5 and 1/2 of a pound per week. Your workouts would need to burn roughly 500 calories/day to lose a pound per week. And many people eat back their burned calories. Good luck to you.0
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and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.0
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RavenLibra wrote: »and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.
The "caloric deficit crowd" doesn't, to my knowledge, disagree that exercise can help you retain muscle mass and improve overall wellbeing. Most of the members of the "caloric deficit crowd" that post here do exercise regularly.0 -
Ha, I didn't know there was such a concept as the "caloric deficit crowd." The notion that a caloric deficit is the source of weight loss is simple nutrition, or really just thermodynamics if you get right down to it. Not an opinion or a stance to be taken.
Any program intended to improve your overall health, whether incorporating weight loss or not, should absolutely include regular exercise.0 -
RavenLibra wrote: »and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.
I have lurked through every corner of this message board (except ChitChat) and I've never seen anyone from "the caloric deficit crowd" assert that exercise isn't good for you. But if the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to lose weight?" the answer is, "Zero," plain and simple.
If the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to be stronger/healthier/feel better (etc)?" then the answer's always going to be different.
Associating weight loss with exercise is an error I made for years - and every time I missed a workout or didn't break enough of a sweat, I freaked out that I was going to gain. Then, one day, my degreed, experienced dietitian told me "I can give you 1,000 reasons to work out, but weight loss isn't one of them. Disassociate the one from the other." It was the best advice I could have ever received. Now I know I have to keep my calorie count in check by weighing and logging. Now I can work out without the anxiety that it's not doing enough for my weight loss. As a result, I've lost more, I've lost it faster, and I've missed fewer exercises because I'm not pushing myself too hard and then quitting out of exhaustion.0 -
There isn't any certain amount of exercise that will let you lose weight; exercises and the calories burned by doing them vary so widely among people. For instance when I run a mile I burn about 100 calories but when my husband runs a mile he burns over 150, since he weighs more, etc. As people have mentioned above me too, calories burned varies widely between exercises themselves - I burn about 200 calories an hour walking at an easy pace but 670 running 9 minute miles for an hour. So it's impossible to answer whether you'll loose weight and how quickly without a ton more information- but if you're really eating 1200 calories a day then you will regardless, even if you're laying on your couch all day, because that's pretty lower than anyone's BMR. In general I would recommend doing research to see what your body burns on a daily basis and find exercises you enjoy and focus on making them a habit for fitness. It all comes down to calories in and calories out though...Good luck!0
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RavenLibra wrote: »and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.
Just want to throw it out there that taking a walk everyday (whether uphill or not) is not enough to maintain muscle mass in a deficit. For that, you've gotta lift.0 -
ManiacalLaugh wrote: »RavenLibra wrote: »and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.
I have lurked through every corner of this message board (except ChitChat) and I've never seen anyone from "the caloric deficit crowd" assert that exercise isn't good for you. But if the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to lose weight?" the answer is, "Zero," plain and simple.
If the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to be stronger/healthier/feel better (etc)?" then the answer's always going to be different.
Associating weight loss with exercise is an error I made for years - and every time I missed a workout or didn't break enough of a sweat, I freaked out that I was going to gain. Then, one day, my degreed, experienced dietitian told me "I can give you 1,000 reasons to work out, but weight loss isn't one of them. Disassociate the one from the other." It was the best advice I could have ever received. Now I know I have to keep my calorie count in check by weighing and logging. Now I can work out without the anxiety that it's not doing enough for my weight loss. As a result, I've lost more, I've lost it faster, and I've missed fewer exercises because I'm not pushing myself too hard and then quitting out of exhaustion.
*Applause0 -
ManiacalLaugh wrote: »RavenLibra wrote: »and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.
I have lurked through every corner of this message board (except ChitChat) and I've never seen anyone from "the caloric deficit crowd" assert that exercise isn't good for you. But if the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to lose weight?" the answer is, "Zero," plain and simple.
If the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to be stronger/healthier/feel better (etc)?" then the answer's always going to be different.
Associating weight loss with exercise is an error I made for years - and every time I missed a workout or didn't break enough of a sweat, I freaked out that I was going to gain. Then, one day, my degreed, experienced dietitian told me "I can give you 1,000 reasons to work out, but weight loss isn't one of them. Disassociate the one from the other." It was the best advice I could have ever received. Now I know I have to keep my calorie count in check by weighing and logging. Now I can work out without the anxiety that it's not doing enough for my weight loss. As a result, I've lost more, I've lost it faster, and I've missed fewer exercises because I'm not pushing myself too hard and then quitting out of exhaustion.
^^^Such fantastic advice that we all need to hear sometimes - even though many of us know better, it's so easy to get in the habit of mentally beating yourself up for missing a workout, when really, if weight loss is the goal, it is all about what you eat. Thank you for the reminder!0 -
@ManiacalLaugh that was the greatest thing i've read! this should be something everyone reads when starting out.0
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While I love the idea of disassociating exercise from weight loss, I still have to disagree somewhat. If I push myself to do 30 minutes of cardio each day, doesn't that increase my calorie defecit for the day? As long as you are not eating back those exercise calories, it can absolutely lead to more weight loss. Simple calories in/calories out (and exercise should be a part of those calories OUT).
If I eat 1,200 calories and sit on the couch all week, I won't lose as much as if I eat those same 1,200 calories and exercise for 30 minutes a day.0 -
Ladybird1103 wrote: »While I love the idea of disassociating exercise from weight loss, I still have to disagree somewhat. If I push myself to do 30 minutes of cardio each day, doesn't that increase my calorie defecit for the day? As long as you are not eating back those exercise calories, it can absolutely lead to more weight loss. Simple calories in/calories out (and exercise should be a part of those calories OUT).
If I eat 1,200 calories and sit on the couch all week, I won't lose as much as if I eat those same 1,200 calories and exercise for 30 minutes a day.
The problem with associating exercise to weight loss is this: You may indeed burn a couple hundred calories doing 1/2 hour of cardio. Big whoop; 200x7 = 1400/3500 = .40 extra pounds per week. Continue to eat 1200 (disregard all added activity) and lose additional "weight" in the form of fat+lean muscle mass.
Besides, I work half an hour for 200 calories that I can eat in seconds flat. To keep the weight off I have to track what goes in my mouth, plain and simple.
Exercise has so many health benefits, but if it's just "for weight loss" then I can quit anytime after I get to goal. Been there, done that. I treat exercise like a lifestyle change.....I plan to use it (this time) for fitness and MAINTENANCE.0 -
Ladybird1103 wrote: »While I love the idea of disassociating exercise from weight loss, I still have to disagree somewhat. If I push myself to do 30 minutes of cardio each day, doesn't that increase my calorie defecit for the day? As long as you are not eating back those exercise calories, it can absolutely lead to more weight loss. Simple calories in/calories out (and exercise should be a part of those calories OUT).
If I eat 1,200 calories and sit on the couch all week, I won't lose as much as if I eat those same 1,200 calories and exercise for 30 minutes a day.
Exercise can be a great way to increase a calorie deficit. But that's a completely different thing that asking how much exercise is "enough" for weight loss. 0 minutes is enough for weight loss if one is in a calorie deficit.0 -
Ladybird1103 wrote: »While I love the idea of disassociating exercise from weight loss, I still have to disagree somewhat. If I push myself to do 30 minutes of cardio each day, doesn't that increase my calorie defecit for the day? As long as you are not eating back those exercise calories, it can absolutely lead to more weight loss. Simple calories in/calories out (and exercise should be a part of those calories OUT).
If I eat 1,200 calories and sit on the couch all week, I won't lose as much as if I eat those same 1,200 calories and exercise for 30 minutes a day.
Yes, but 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise is maybe (depending on your weight etc) only going to give you an extra 100-200 calories or so burned. In a week, that's less than a quarter of a pound on the low end and less than half on the higher. It's not really enough to make a substantial difference weight-loss wise, which is why controlling your intake is a much more logical step than relying on increased exercise output.
I run about 40 miles per week (so about 6 hours per week of fairly intense exercise, plus a couple of strength sessions and I aim to walk 4 miles per day or so as well.) Even that, if I ate what would be maintenance level calories without the exercise, might only be enough to get me a pound a week if I were trying to lose. It's just so much harder to try to increase calories out to a level where you're losing as much as you'd like than it is to just decrease the calories in.
Ultimately, someone who's doing a 30-minute video or whatever every day is increasing their calories out, of course, but probably only by a serving of yogurt or a couple of Oreos, you know?0 -
ManiacalLaugh wrote: »RavenLibra wrote: »and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.
I have lurked through every corner of this message board (except ChitChat) and I've never seen anyone from "the caloric deficit crowd" assert that exercise isn't good for you. But if the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to lose weight?" the answer is, "Zero," plain and simple.
If the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to be stronger/healthier/feel better (etc)?" then the answer's always going to be different.
Associating weight loss with exercise is an error I made for years - and every time I missed a workout or didn't break enough of a sweat, I freaked out that I was going to gain. Then, one day, my degreed, experienced dietitian told me "I can give you 1,000 reasons to work out, but weight loss isn't one of them. Disassociate the one from the other." It was the best advice I could have ever received. Now I know I have to keep my calorie count in check by weighing and logging. Now I can work out without the anxiety that it's not doing enough for my weight loss. As a result, I've lost more, I've lost it faster, and I've missed fewer exercises because I'm not pushing myself too hard and then quitting out of exhaustion.
One of the best posts I have ever read on here.0 -
ManiacalLaugh wrote: »RavenLibra wrote: »and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.
I have lurked through every corner of this message board (except ChitChat) and I've never seen anyone from "the caloric deficit crowd" assert that exercise isn't good for you. But if the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to lose weight?" the answer is, "Zero," plain and simple.
If the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to be stronger/healthier/feel better (etc)?" then the answer's always going to be different.
Associating weight loss with exercise is an error I made for years - and every time I missed a workout or didn't break enough of a sweat, I freaked out that I was going to gain. Then, one day, my degreed, experienced dietitian told me "I can give you 1,000 reasons to work out, but weight loss isn't one of them. Disassociate the one from the other." It was the best advice I could have ever received. Now I know I have to keep my calorie count in check by weighing and logging. Now I can work out without the anxiety that it's not doing enough for my weight loss. As a result, I've lost more, I've lost it faster, and I've missed fewer exercises because I'm not pushing myself too hard and then quitting out of exhaustion.
Great way to word this.0 -
I'm 5'2" 160. If i overeat my calories, then I try to burn back down to 1200-1300, if I'm at a deficit (rarely cause i feel like crap) then obviously I won't or I'll just end up eating them back. Has been working just fine for me0
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Exercise can be a great way to increase a calorie deficit. But that's a completely different thing that asking how much exercise is "enough" for weight loss. 0 minutes is enough for weight loss if one is in a calorie deficit.[/quote]
Yes agree! I fully realize that I can lose weight by managing my diet alone, without exercise. And I also agree that exercise should be about more than just weight loss. Personally I'm doing couch to 5k (which is only about 30 minutes of excercise a few times a week) but I'm working towards a fitness goal of being able to run for 3.1 miles (and then hopefully more), and also building some strength in my muscles as I run.
Also, if it means I can drink 2 glasses of wine with dinner on a Friday night, I have no problem working in some extra calorie burn into my day to do that
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Ladybird1103 wrote: »Exercise can be a great way to increase a calorie deficit. But that's a completely different thing that asking how much exercise is "enough" for weight loss. 0 minutes is enough for weight loss if one is in a calorie deficit.
Yes agree! I fully realize that I can lose weight by managing my diet alone, without exercise. And I also agree that exercise should be about more than just weight loss. Personally I'm doing couch to 5k (which is only about 30 minutes of excercise a few times a week) but I'm working towards a fitness goal of being able to run for 3.1 miles (and then hopefully more), and also building some strength in my muscles as I run.
Also, if it means I can drink 2 glasses of wine with dinner on a Friday night, I have no problem working in some extra calorie burn into my day to do that [/quote]
I know *you* realize that -- but it isn't clear that OP does. Which is why the responses took the direction that they did.0 -
As far as weight loss goes, a digital food scale is much more important than a gym membership. Does that mean you shouldn't workout? Absolutely not, exercise is really important for your overall health. You want to stop huffing and puffing while walking up stairs, do some cardio. You want to stop struggling while carrying the groceries into the house, do some strength training.0
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Thank you. I have been TRYING to think along those lines but I really needed to also hear it from someone else. Please thank your dietitian as well.ManiacalLaugh wrote: »I have lurked through every corner of this message board (except ChitChat) and I've never seen anyone from "the caloric deficit crowd" assert that exercise isn't good for you. But if the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to lose weight?" the answer is, "Zero," plain and simple.
If the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to be stronger/healthier/feel better (etc)?" then the answer's always going to be different.
Associating weight loss with exercise is an error I made for years - and every time I missed a workout or didn't break enough of a sweat, I freaked out that I was going to gain. Then, one day, my degreed, experienced dietitian told me "I can give you 1,000 reasons to work out, but weight loss isn't one of them. Disassociate the one from the other." It was the best advice I could have ever received. Now I know I have to keep my calorie count in check by weighing and logging. Now I can work out without the anxiety that it's not doing enough for my weight loss. As a result, I've lost more, I've lost it faster, and I've missed fewer exercises because I'm not pushing myself too hard and then quitting out of exhaustion. CHEERS!
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ManiacalLaugh wrote: »RavenLibra wrote: »and of course it depends on the exercise... taking a walk on flat terrain...not going to be as challenging as a walk up or down a hill... walking TO the elevator is exercise... walking up the stairs is exercise... beyond the caloric deficit crowd's assertions... exercise will help you retain muscle mass and improve your over all sense of well being as you lose weight.. it is all about doing something FOR yourself... 30 minutes is a good start... as you progress and exercise becomes a "habit" your thinking will change... and you will seek out new challenges... just stick with it until it does become a habit. and don't get stuck in a routine... switch things up to keep it fresh.
I have lurked through every corner of this message board (except ChitChat) and I've never seen anyone from "the caloric deficit crowd" assert that exercise isn't good for you. But if the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to lose weight?" the answer is, "Zero," plain and simple.
If the question is "How much exercise do I need to do to be stronger/healthier/feel better (etc)?" then the answer's always going to be different.
Associating weight loss with exercise is an error I made for years - and every time I missed a workout or didn't break enough of a sweat, I freaked out that I was going to gain. Then, one day, my degreed, experienced dietitian told me "I can give you 1,000 reasons to work out, but weight loss isn't one of them. Disassociate the one from the other." It was the best advice I could have ever received. Now I know I have to keep my calorie count in check by weighing and logging. Now I can work out without the anxiety that it's not doing enough for my weight loss. As a result, I've lost more, I've lost it faster, and I've missed fewer exercises because I'm not pushing myself too hard and then quitting out of exhaustion.
+1 to dissociating weight and exercise, additionally because the flip side is also true: You can exercise and increase your fitness without losing weight.
I've been obese (a point or two into the obese BMI zone) most of my adult life. A dozen years ago, I started being pretty active (rowing 4-6 times/week in season, taking a couple of spin classes weekly, and at times mixing in various other things like aerobics, biking, walking, swimming & more). I became fitter, but stayed just as heavy. Fitness is a good thing, of course, but it was easy to out-eat my activity level and stay fat.
Only when I started eating at a calorie deficit did I lose weight. Now I'm at a healthy weight (BMI 20-point-something), but haven't dramatically changed my activity level.
Fitness is great, and so is a healthy weight. Both are good health objectives separately, but synergistically better together.0
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