People who don't have much to lose: do you exercise?

ajc1309

I'm 150lbs and want to lose 20lbs but I'm not sure I'll be able to do it without exercising. I currently don't have time to get to the gym and I have previously lost weight using my stationary bike but I've never tried to lose weight by just cutting calories. Is it possible when I only have 20lbs to lose?

jemhh

Yes, it is possible. Just cut your calories a bit.

courtneyfabulous

It is possible but it will take longer and you might not retain as much muscle (meaning you could lose both fat and muscle, ideally you would want to prioritize losing fat and retain muscle by exercising). Make sure you hit your macro goals, particularly getting enough protein- not just eat the right calories.

There's no need to go to a gym to exercise though, check out YouTube for free at home body weight exercise videos, there's some great ones that only take 20 minutes (some even less). You could even get some dumbbells to do free weight exercises at home. Fitnessblender is a great channel with all types of exercise videos - hiit cardio, free weights, lower body exercises, upper body, abs, yoga, Pilates, etc.

Try to do some of that or at least get walks in. Exercise is valuable for many reasons, and helpful to weight loss.

I wouldn't log the exercise in your diary and eat back the calories though, the calories tend to be overestimated and you won't be burning all that much with short workouts anyways- it's more to preserve muscle, keep your metabolism from slowing, and keep hormonal levels optimal.

Therealobi1

Yes you can
But it's better to add some in if you can.

SingingSingleTracker

ajc1309 wrote: »

I'm 150lbs and want to lose 20lbs but I'm not sure I'll be able to do it without exercising. I currently don't have time to get to the gym and I have previously lost weight using my stationary bike but I've never tried to lose weight by just cutting calories. Is it possible when I only have 20lbs to lose?

Yes, you can lose in the kitchen only. I would include exercise to maintain as much muscle as you can as when you lose those 20 pounds it will come from glycogen stores, water, fat, and muscle. No need to go to the gym. Do body weight exercises at home as well as use that stationary bike again.

goldthistime

A few hand weights might be a good idea.

RoxieDawn

No time to exercise, find 10 minutes here or there, if you can do that 3 times a day, you have put in 30 minutes of activity that you have not been doing already.

MsRuffBuffNStuff

I fluctuate between 144 and 149 on purpose, due to muscle gains and fat loss (I keep my gain window small, because I'm terrified of getting fat again). Exercise gives me the ability to take better control of my body and overall fitness, but for simple weight loss, it can be done completely with diet. You'll have to cut your calories pretty low, but I lost 100 pounds that way.

Machka9

It is possible to lose weight without exercise, but I'd rather include exercise.

Francl27

There's absolutely no way I'd be able to not gain without exercise (I'd still like to lose 10 pounds, which is probably never going to happen as I can hardly maintain as it is). I'd be hangry all the time.

Chadxx

You can definitely lose the weight without exercise but exercise is obviously good for you and some resistance training will help preserve muscle as you lose weight.

victoria_1024

It's mathematically possible but you'd have to be more careful with calorie intake. I'm short, so losing the last bit of weight would've meant 1200 calories a day which was not ok with me. I included exercise along the way and I'm in maintenance now, still exercising regularly. Honestly I couldn't maintain at 125 lbs without incorporating exercise either because my maintenance calories would be way too low.

ryry_

It is possible but I prefer to excercise so I can eat more. If you are able to make it work and stay in a deficit you will lose weight just fine.

If you don't want to have to do 'cardio' why not try a step goal with a pedometer? Get 10,000 steps a day that would likely move you into 'Lightly Active' territory and give you a couple hundred extra calories to play with.

ogtmama

I find it difficult to maintain a deficit without at least walking.

mitch16

It's definitely possible...

...but I like to exercise for a few reasons: 1) stress release/it makes me feel good 2) fitness/don't want to be skinny fat 3) I get to eat more if I exercise.

cqbkaju

It is possible to "lose weight" without exercise but usually bad idea.
You will often lose as much (or more!) weight in muscle as as you do in body fat, say 5 lbs of fat and 5 lbs of muscle.

That means your body fat percentage will actually go UP if you start to regain the weight you lost.
You would put back on 10 lbs of fat and your base metabolic rate would be lower due to losing 5 lbs of muscle. This usually makes the net calorie deficit even lower.
This is the set-up for the "skinny-fat" look people talk about these days.

This begins a terrible cycle of "losing weight", starting to put it back on and then having an even harder time getting rid of the new "weight."
Without understanding "why" these people will often say they can't "lose weight" or "keep the weight off" like they are special snowflakes; as if the laws of thermodynamics don't apply to them.

Thinking of "losing weight" is the wrong way to do it. Try to cut your body fat and/or build muscle instead.
You should exercise to make sure you are not just "losing weight". You can lose *weight* without exercise, but you will often pay a price (from muscle mass) in the long run by trying to do it the easy way.

Besides, if you weight train (for instance) it is more forgiving if you have an off-day with your diet.
Instead of a 1200 calorie diet, you could have a 1400 calorie diet and and get 200 calories worth of weight lifting in. You will look better and feel better.

I have about 5 lbs to go before I am back to 9% or 10% body fat and I work out at least 4 days per week.