"You can lose weight without working out". YES. But...

Hungry_Shopgirl

I 100% agree that being in a calorie deficit is all it takes to lose weight.

But when I read on the boards people telling others who are struggling to make time to work out "You don't need exercise to lose weight" I cringe a little....mostly because in my own case it all started with exercise.
I started swimming, and wanted to be better at it so I took up C25K, then figured eating better would probably help with both, bringing me to the calorie deficit that put me into the "normal weight" BMI for the first time in my adult life. Even now, exercising is the engine for me. If I'm working out, I WANT to eat well. If not, I don't care.

So perhaps there are other "latent" athletes out there for whom the advice to make time to work out could be the trigger that changes everything, and we're discouraging that by saying "Nah, don't worry about it, just eat less".

Thoughts?

Fitgirllife72

I fully agree. I started formal exercise in my early 20's. I'm in my mid 40's now. I teach my children that exercise is not optional. It helps keep a body healthy along with water and proper nutrition. Unless a person is experiencing a legitimate physical disability I don't understand why one would want to achieve a body that doesn't include the health benefits of exercise. And yes I have worked 12 hour days and dragged myself out of bed at 4 am to workout with a newborn sleeping. I understand life is difficult.

tlflag1620

I can see your point. But for me the weight loss came first. When I was 195 lbs, no, I didn't want to exercise, and doing so was discouraging (at best). Once I lost 50 lbs (through diet alone) I found myself feeling better, having more energy, and looking better (perhaps shallow, but part of my fear of getting into a gym, or doing any exercise outside my home, was what others might think... I suspect I'm not alone in that regard). That's when I started exercising. In some ways I wish I would have started sooner (perhaps would have retained more muscle), but losing the wieght is what gave me the energy and confidence to start down the path of physical fitness.

If someone had told me I needed to start working out first... Well, I never would have gotten anywhere. But I imagine that is a pretty individual matter. A classic chicken:egg scenario

nutmegoreo

When people are struggling, there are usually a variety of reasons. Physical limitations, feeling overwhelmed or confused, financial, time, emotional (such as depression), etc. It isn't always helpful to insist that people must exercise to lose weight. It's a step, but if it's the last thing that they are interested/willing to do, then it's more helpful to support them to take whatever steps they will.

Personally, I eat better when I'm working out. So for me, it makes sense to focus on that first. Other people people won't feel this way, but knowing that they can reduce their calories and start seeing progress can be uplifting for them. Approaches will vary dependent on the persons priorities.

everher

I think posters bring that up so much because some people seem to think they *have* to exercise to lose weight and it's a road block for them. Not everyone is going to exercise routinely. Do I believe it's important for health ? Yes, but it's not necessary for weight loss and you can't outrun a bad diet.

Also, I think for a lot of people trying to change everything (their eating habits and introducing exercise) at once is too much. I know I couldn't do it. I started going to the gym first and ate basically whatever whenever and then a couple weeks later started watching my calories.

jelleigh

I'm like you @Hungry_Shopgirl - exercising makes me WANT to eat healthier. In fact, the energy I get from working out is what I usually need to bother to eat healthy. That being said, I'm glad to have learned that exercise isn't the end-all-be-all to weight loss. Now if I get out of routine, I don't feel like I've ruined everything. I can still feel like I'm being successful sticking to my calorie goal. I still think exercise AND diet is the best approach but if I can only manage to get to one of them, I'm trying to focus on diet.

SusanMFindlay

I think that a lot of people think that "exercise" has to mean going to the gym. And, no, you don't need to go to the gym to lose weight. Or even to be healthy. I think that encouraging people to find ways to add physical activity into their lives is more productive than telling them they must exercise. Maybe they'll incorporate more walking into their routine. Maybe they'll take up cycling or swimming or hiking or start playing <insert sport here> with their friends. All things that improve health and are fun and don't feel like "exercise" even though they accomplish roughly the same thing..

ryry_

That is the beautiful thing about it, for some excercise is the trigger for success and for some its the dreadful demon. Both can still lose weight so its largely individual.

AnvilHead

As one of my high school coaches used to say, "There are athletes and there are athletic supporters" (I don't expect most women to get that joke, lol).

I've always enjoyed exercise and playing sports, and I consider it an integral part of being healthy. My wife is a perfect counterpoint - she never played sports as a kid, didn't do team sports in high school, is one of the most non-athletic/non-competitive people I've ever met, and absolutely hates any kind of exercise. If you told her that she had to exercise to lose weight, she would gladly Just Stay Fat, with no hesitation whatsoever. She'll increase her NEAT/daily activity by parking a little further from the store, walking every aisle of the store instead of just the ones we actually need to shop in, taking the stairs instead of the escalator, etc. - but if it comes to actual exercise for the sake of exercise, she is 100% O-U-T out. Not gonna happen, period.

I'm completely with you that exercise is a great thing to do for a lot of reasons and it can help create the caloric deficit for weight loss - but I also accept that there are some people in the world who just do not like exercise, for whatever their reasons are, and they're not going to do it. There are also people with physical conditions which prevent or severely limit their ability to exercise. Those are the people who need to hear "Nah, just eat less" because it's the only way they're going to be successful at weight loss.

[ETA:] Conversely, people who think they're going to lose all their weight just by exercising more also need to hear "Nah, eat less". Because in 99.9% of cases, you can't out-train a bad diet. Exercise helps, but if you're expecting to shed pounds while stuffing your face and doing some 30-minute exercise videos a few times a week, that's not going to happen.

Therealobi1

rkg1966 wrote: »

Hungry_Shopgirl wrote: »

I 100% agree that being in a calorie deficit is all it takes to lose weight.

But when I read on the boards people telling others who are struggling to make time to work out "You don't need exercise to lose weight" I cringe a little....mostly because in my own case it all started with exercise.
I started swimming, and wanted to be better at it so I took up C25K, then figured eating better would probably help with both, bringing me to the calorie deficit that put me into the "normal weight" BMI for the first time in my adult life. Even now, exercising is the engine for me. If I'm working out, I WANT to eat well. If not, I don't care.

So perhaps there are other "latent" athletes out there for whom the advice to make time to work out could be the trigger that changes everything, and we're discouraging that by saying "Nah, don't worry about it, just eat less".

Thoughts?

I absolutely HATE to work out so I WILL NOT make time for it. I will stick with my calorie deficit to lose weight and I will eat adequate protein to help spare my muscles. So, it's 100% diet for me 0% exercise.

And what about exercise for keeping you healthy. No time for that either?

leanjogreen18

I think those responses are to folks who try to change a ton of things at once and or are pressuring themselves to do a lot. I don't think anyone says "don't exercise" I think they are informing them they don't HAVE to, at least not at first. Some come on the boards thinking they must workout for hours to lose weight.

kermax39

I dont exercize, iv lost 54lbs. I walk to the shops and walk the dog, look after my toddler and work....I.dont really stop all day. So theres no chance in hell im getting up at 4am to do a run or wasting precious evenings at the gym when I dont need to. U dont need exercize to lose weight or to be healthy.

trigden1991

kermax39 wrote: »

I dont exercize, iv lost 54lbs. I walk to the shops and walk the dog, look after my toddler and work....I.dont really stop all day. So theres no chance in hell im getting up at 4am to do a run or wasting precious evenings at the gym when I dont need to. U dont need exercize to lose weight or to be healthy.

"I don't exercize"
but
"I walk to the shops and walk the dog"

So you do exercise...............

Hungry_Shopgirl

nutmegoreo wrote: »

When people are struggling, there are usually a variety of reasons. Physical limitations, feeling overwhelmed or confused, financial, time, emotional (such as depression), etc. It isn't always helpful to insist that people must exercise to lose weight. It's a step, but if it's the last thing that they are interested/willing to do, then it's more helpful to support them to take whatever steps they will.

Makes sense! Thanks for helping me see the other side of the coin.

CurlyCockney

Hungry_Shopgirl wrote: »

I 100% agree that being in a calorie deficit is all it takes to lose weight.

But when I read on the boards people telling others who are struggling to make time to work out "You don't need exercise to lose weight" I cringe a little....mostly because in my own case it all started with exercise.
I started swimming, and wanted to be better at it so I took up C25K, then figured eating better would probably help with both, bringing me to the calorie deficit that put me into the "normal weight" BMI for the first time in my adult life. Even now, exercising is the engine for me. If I'm working out, I WANT to eat well. If not, I don't care.

So perhaps there are other "latent" athletes out there for whom the advice to make time to work out could be the trigger that changes everything, and we're discouraging that by saying "Nah, don't worry about it, just eat less".

Thoughts?

I don't know if it's just my perceptions, but I don't see anything wrong with telling people who "are struggling" to make time to work out that they don't need to do so in order to lose weight. After all, why make things more difficult for people who are already struggling?

I don't exercise, and if I was told on here that I had to in order to lose weight I'll admit I would probably have given up, so what might trigger exercise for some would trigger giving up for others. Fortunately, the kind of people who insist on exercise (and I'm not classing you as one of them OP!) don't tend to stay for long.

Most comments I've read on here have said calories for weight loss, exercise for health. And even though I don't exercise, I totally agree with that.

RickyBrodieFitness

Personally I think people associate exercise with weight or fat loss far to often. What about general health and wellbeing at the top of your priority list? Exercise can be as little as a 20 minute walk a day and will completely change your lifestyle if done consistently! Too many excuses due to lack of education and thinking that a bootcamp and intense workout needs to be done.

Hungry_Shopgirl

Thanks everyone for your input. At the end of the day I guess losing weight is gonna significantly improve people's health even without exercise, so if they don't want to do it they shouldn't feel like they have to.

For me feeling "athletic" for the first time ever felt like such a positive, encouraging change I want everyone to experience it too, but I think I see where the advice is coming from.

JustMissTracy

rkg1966 wrote: »

Therealobi1 wrote: »

rkg1966 wrote: »

Hungry_Shopgirl wrote: »

I 100% agree that being in a calorie deficit is all it takes to lose weight.

But when I read on the boards people telling others who are struggling to make time to work out "You don't need exercise to lose weight" I cringe a little....mostly because in my own case it all started with exercise.
I started swimming, and wanted to be better at it so I took up C25K, then figured eating better would probably help with both, bringing me to the calorie deficit that put me into the "normal weight" BMI for the first time in my adult life. Even now, exercising is the engine for me. If I'm working out, I WANT to eat well. If not, I don't care.

So perhaps there are other "latent" athletes out there for whom the advice to make time to work out could be the trigger that changes everything, and we're discouraging that by saying "Nah, don't worry about it, just eat less".

Thoughts?

I absolutely HATE to work out so I WILL NOT make time for it. I will stick with my calorie deficit to lose weight and I will eat adequate protein to help spare my muscles. So, it's 100% diet for me 0% exercise.

And what about exercise for keeping you healthy. No time for that either?

Um...I said I HATE to exercise...not that hard to understand. I can't make it anymore simple for you to understand.

I'm not stupid at all, so you don't need to simplify anything. You also said it's 0% exercise for you.....you really don't have time for your health, never mind weight loss? Diet is for weight loss, exercise is for your health and physical well being. Im just curious, because you "hate" exercise, does that mean you just won't ever worry about those things?

red99ryder

There is nothing wrong with exercise . We do have to remember its hard to out exercise what you eat . How much we eat plays a more important role during weight loss than official exercise . I also agree with you that if your exercising you probably are concerned with your diet as well . So for fitness they go hand in hand . Some also say to keep things simple at first , so maybe getting our eating under control first is a good idea . thinking that i have to exercise and control my diet to lose weight might be too much for some people

Good luck

rybo

I think everyone should exercise for the health benefits. Now I'm not saying that needs to be done conventionally with going to a gym or following videos. Lots of exercise can be gotten through enjoyable hobbies and activities, walking, gardening, kayaking, disc golf, anything that keeps you moving and not sedentary.

girlgroves

I think for some people "exercise" is too formal a term for what they could physically do (or mentally want to do)when they first start a weight loss journey. I exercise a lot now that I've lost my weight - I love all of it, and can see and feel the huge benefits in terms of fitness, health, emotional health, body shape and confidence. Being able to push my body and achieve new things is what is making maintenance so much easier and more enjoyable.

But I do know I wouldn't have been able to physically do most of the stuff I do now before I lost the weight. I did commit to walking for half an hour every lunchtime though - like some other posters above, I didn't consider that 'exercise' at the time - just moving more - because it didn't involve pulling on some trainers and getting out the lycra! My exercise levels have only increased as I've lost weight - I now run, life weights, go to classes, but 'moving more' is what started it all off.

LiminalAscendance

rkg1966 wrote: »

Hungry_Shopgirl wrote: »

I 100% agree that being in a calorie deficit is all it takes to lose weight.

But when I read on the boards people telling others who are struggling to make time to work out "You don't need exercise to lose weight" I cringe a little....mostly because in my own case it all started with exercise.
I started swimming, and wanted to be better at it so I took up C25K, then figured eating better would probably help with both, bringing me to the calorie deficit that put me into the "normal weight" BMI for the first time in my adult life. Even now, exercising is the engine for me. If I'm working out, I WANT to eat well. If not, I don't care.

So perhaps there are other "latent" athletes out there for whom the advice to make time to work out could be the trigger that changes everything, and we're discouraging that by saying "Nah, don't worry about it, just eat less".

Thoughts?

I absolutely HATE to work out so I WILL NOT make time for it. I will stick with my calorie deficit to lose weight and I will eat adequate protein to help spare my muscles. So, it's 100% diet for me 0% exercise.

I don't know which is a more disappointing reflection on current society: The fact that someone could be so passionately against something so beneficial to their health (complete with liberal use of caps), or that others on this forum apparently agree with you.

crzycatlady1

We all need to find what works for us, and what's sustainable. For me-that was not exercising. I had no problems losing around 50lbs and I'm still having no problem, now almost 4 years into maintenance. I'm more active in my every day activities but I don't intentionally set aside time to exercise. It's what works for me and I've hit my weight and health goals doing it this way. To each their own

crzycatlady1

trigden1991 wrote: »

kermax39 wrote: »

I dont exercize, iv lost 54lbs. I walk to the shops and walk the dog, look after my toddler and work....I.dont really stop all day. So theres no chance in hell im getting up at 4am to do a run or wasting precious evenings at the gym when I dont need to. U dont need exercize to lose weight or to be healthy.

"I don't exercize"
but
"I walk to the shops and walk the dog"

So you do exercise...............

I think people are defining the term exercise differently. To me-walking the dog, walking while doing errands etc is just being active in your every day life and not 'exercise' per se.

red99ryder

LiminalAscendance wrote: »

rkg1966 wrote: »

Hungry_Shopgirl wrote: »

I 100% agree that being in a calorie deficit is all it takes to lose weight.

But when I read on the boards people telling others who are struggling to make time to work out "You don't need exercise to lose weight" I cringe a little....mostly because in my own case it all started with exercise.
I started swimming, and wanted to be better at it so I took up C25K, then figured eating better would probably help with both, bringing me to the calorie deficit that put me into the "normal weight" BMI for the first time in my adult life. Even now, exercising is the engine for me. If I'm working out, I WANT to eat well. If not, I don't care.

So perhaps there are other "latent" athletes out there for whom the advice to make time to work out could be the trigger that changes everything, and we're discouraging that by saying "Nah, don't worry about it, just eat less".

Thoughts?

I absolutely HATE to work out so I WILL NOT make time for it. I will stick with my calorie deficit to lose weight and I will eat adequate protein to help spare my muscles. So, it's 100% diet for me 0% exercise.

I don't know which is a more disappointing reflection on current society: The fact that someone could be so passionately against something so beneficial to their health (compete with liberal use of caps), or that others on this forum apparently agree with you.

i think to each his own , we are a big world with lots of different people . Nothing wrong with that and i would hate to think we are all the same .

dragon_girl26

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

trigden1991 wrote: »

kermax39 wrote: »

I dont exercize, iv lost 54lbs. I walk to the shops and walk the dog, look after my toddler and work....I.dont really stop all day. So theres no chance in hell im getting up at 4am to do a run or wasting precious evenings at the gym when I dont need to. U dont need exercize to lose weight or to be healthy.

"I don't exercize"
but
"I walk to the shops and walk the dog"

So you do exercise...............

I think people are defining the term exercise differently. To me-walking the dog, walking while doing errands etc is just being active in your every day life and not 'exercise' per se.

And I would agree with you.
Unfortunately, this is kind of the problem on the forums sometimes. Some call this type of thing exercise, others don't..
So she, and others here, say they don't exercise.
Then apparently people who don't exercise, and those who support that choice, are shamed for it.
No wonder newbies get frustrated here sometimes.

snickerscharlie

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

trigden1991 wrote: »

kermax39 wrote: »

I dont exercize, iv lost 54lbs. I walk to the shops and walk the dog, look after my toddler and work....I.dont really stop all day. So theres no chance in hell im getting up at 4am to do a run or wasting precious evenings at the gym when I dont need to. U dont need exercize to lose weight or to be healthy.

"I don't exercize"
but
"I walk to the shops and walk the dog"

So you do exercise...............

I think people are defining the term exercise differently. To me-walking the dog, walking while doing errands etc is just being active in your every day life and not 'exercise' per se.

But for some very sedentary people (whether by choice or physical limitations) what you consider normal *would* constitute exercise for them.

The beauty of losing weight is that it's not exclusively for the able-bodied. Anyone in any physical condition can lose weight. And some, when they do, might find that they are then able to get some 'exercise' going (even just short walks occasionally) that would've been out of the question previously.

I do agree though, that although not required to achieve weight loss, exercise of any kind plays an important part in overall wellness.

neldabg

I'm only bothered when people just write, "You can lose weight without working out" without going into further detail.
First off, I feel like the difference between formal exercise versus activity is not clarified enough. People can choose to adopt an active lifestyle so that that a set workout is not necessary if they don't really want to set time aside for it. The first couple months I was losing weight, I did a lot of DVD programs to help with the CO portion of the equation. I didn't truly see/understand the difference and impact of non-formal exercise until I got a Fitbit. I found out that it was easier and more fun just to incorporate activity into my life. I do a lot of yoga, and I still do video programs or workouts every once in a while for fun, but for the most part, I'm content getting my heartbeat up by taking short walks throughout the day, taking stairs, shopping inefficiently, etc. It adds up pretty quickly, and I hit 20k+ steps a day quite often these past couple months without feeling like I put forth a ton of effort. I feel good, and it all feels very sustainable.
Also, if a person is short and light like me, their TDEE for a sedentary lifestyle is not that high to begin with, and for weight loss, that number will be even lower. While portion control is not impossible, it can be more difficult to have a tiny portion of favorite foods, especially with holidays and parties. Staying active not only keeps a person in good health, but it also helps improve their quality of life so that they can enjoy more of the fuel needed to keep them alive.

kermax39

trigden1991 wrote: »

kermax39 wrote: »

I dont exercize, iv lost 54lbs. I walk to the shops and walk the dog, look after my toddler and work....I.dont really stop all day. So theres no chance in hell im getting up at 4am to do a run or wasting precious evenings at the gym when I dont need to. U dont need exercize to lose weight or to be healthy.

"I don't exercize"
but
"I walk to the shops and walk the dog"

So you do exercise...............

I dont call that exercize.....thats a,normal part of a 40 year old working mothers daily routine. How many exercize calories can I eat back for going to the shop to buy milk?

snowflake954

Being older than most of you, I can say that exercise is more important to me. I have OA and if I don't move I stiffen up. This has been going on for 20 yrs, but it's only since I started MFP, 3 and a half years ago, that I became inspired to do more by all you dedicated folks. I found that pushing myself to do more made me feel so much better. Not everyone likes formal exercise--and that's OK. My pool and gym are already chock full.

zyxst

snickerscharlie wrote: »

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

trigden1991 wrote: »

kermax39 wrote: »

I dont exercize, iv lost 54lbs. I walk to the shops and walk the dog, look after my toddler and work....I.dont really stop all day. So theres no chance in hell im getting up at 4am to do a run or wasting precious evenings at the gym when I dont need to. U dont need exercize to lose weight or to be healthy.

"I don't exercize"
but
"I walk to the shops and walk the dog"

So you do exercise...............

I think people are defining the term exercise differently. To me-walking the dog, walking while doing errands etc is just being active in your every day life and not 'exercise' per se.

But for some very sedentary people (whether by choice or physical limitations) what you consider normal *would* constitute exercise for them.

My take from what that poster said is that walking her dog isn't "exercise" because she does it everyday and doesn't have to put on special clothes and drive to a gym. And I'm sure if she logged that as exercise, certain MFPers would ride her for it.

Just to point out, many here would say that poster should include anything she does every day in her daily activity setting (ie: lightly active) rather than separately log walking the dog. Me, I walk 10 hours a day and have my activity set to moderately active. Yes, all that walking is exercise, but I do it daily and include it in my activity setting. I do walking videos 3-4 times a week and log those as exercise.

General comment - if people don't want to exercise, they don't need to. It doesn't make them less healthy or care less about their health. It just means they don't exercise.