Can you seriously lose weight without cardio?

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  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited September 2016
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    EssexMFP wrote: »
    ouryve wrote: »
    EssexMFP wrote: »
    Okay so how many calories do I need to consume to lose 1 to 1.5lbs a week? MFP have me 1200 so I don't know where to go from here.

    If you put your numbers and goal into MFP, what did it give you? As a stone overweight lightly active 5'4 middle aged female seeking to lose 1lb per week, it gave me just shy of 1400kcal per day. Similar aged, similarly overweight and fairly sedentary 5'10 husband was given 1600 for the same rate of loss.

    It gave me 1200. Is there a way to make MFP reconsider my goals?

    This is a bug in the system. Can you enter in MFP set to maintain and see what this gives you?

    You can deduct 500 calories from this number and custom set it up. This is to lose 1 pound a week.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    EssexMFP wrote: »
    Okay so how many calories do I need to consume to lose 1 to 1.5lbs a week? MFP have me 1200 so I don't know where to go from here.

    MFP is a calculator, it doesn't provide you with anything it just spits back a number based on what you entered into your profile. You entered into your profile that you wanted to lose 2 pounds per week and your current stats plus activity level and MFP subtracted 1000 from your NEAT because 3500 calories is a pound of fat so 7000 calories in a week is 2 pounds in a week or 1000 calorie deficit per day...which is a very large deficit. MFP refuses to go below 1200 calories as a goal so if it suggests 1200 calories it means you bottomed out and it isn't; actually even giving you an accurate value anymore.

    Take ake your TDEE - 20% for maximum safe loss or subtract 500 calories from your TDEE for 1 pound per week weight loss.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    A simple answer - Yes, you can lose weight without cardio. Without any exercise in fact.
    As repeated above, it's all about the calorie intake. The reason many of us choose to work-out (be it cardio/strength training/whatever) is because it actually gives us more calories to play with. Me personally? I like food. A LOT. I do daily cardio so I can eat more. Simple as that :)
  • duddysdad
    duddysdad Posts: 402 Member
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    The most I have lost was 160 pounds without any exercise. Nothing. All I did was eat at a constant calorie deficit. However I wish I had exercised because I have a low LBM and looked skinny fat with a 21.2 BMI.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    You can lose weight just by adjusting your calories in, yes. Cardio isn't "required" to lose weight, but I find "for myself" it helps me to create the deficit needed to lose weight. I like eating, and I find it easier to burn 500 calories, than I do to eat 500 less calories each day. Without lots of cardio, I personally wouldn't have managed to create the deficit needed to lose the 80 lbs I've lost.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Can you not walk? Walking is ideal for raising TDEE with minimal effort.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
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    I lost 90 pounds before I began to even be able to walk more (bad knees).
    Exercise is beneficial to overall health, and important, so at minimum, try walking more, it really helps.
    Weight loss is from eating less calories than you burn.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Can you not walk? Walking is ideal for raising TDEE with minimal effort.

    He's already disclosed that's not always possible due to agoraphobia.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    VintageFeline wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Can you not walk? Walking is ideal for raising TDEE with minimal effort.

    He's already disclosed that's not always possible due to agoraphobia.

    Apologies, I missed that. Walking on the spot inside is an alternative.
  • savingfatsamira
    savingfatsamira Posts: 30 Member
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    You can, but you might not be satisfied with how your body looks without the cardio.
  • EssexMFP
    EssexMFP Posts: 13 Member
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    savingfatsamira wrote: »
    You can, but you might not be satisfied with how your body looks without the cardio.

    I was under the impression that lifting weights to preserve muscle mass is the best option if you want your body to look good. I also thought doing cardio is more risky for you in terms of losing muscle mass. Ideally I'd do both, but I can only lift weights.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    There are other forms of cardio if it's that critical to your mindset. :)
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    savingfatsamira wrote: »
    You can, but you might not be satisfied with how your body looks without the cardio.

    Yeah this isn't true, strength training is where the good aesthetics come from, cardio is generally just pure calorie burn (depending on type).
    lorrpb wrote: »
    There are other forms of cardio if it's that critical to your mindset. :)

    True that. Whilst i do have my stepper doodad for bonus activity, most of my cardio comes from bodyweight HIIT/Tabata style work, it's more interesting and sustainable long term to me.
    EssexMFP wrote: »
    savingfatsamira wrote: »
    You can, but you might not be satisfied with how your body looks without the cardio.

    I was under the impression that lifting weights to preserve muscle mass is the best option if you want your body to look good. I also thought doing cardio is more risky for you in terms of losing muscle mass. Ideally I'd do both, but I can only lift weights.

    This is true for the most part. Cardio for calories and heart health, lifting for aesthetics and muscle preservation. Of course there are exceptions but that's the general rule of thumb.

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