Don't Tell Me You Can't Lose Weight With Exercise
TimothyFish
Posts: 4,925 Member
I've been losing weight lately. It isn't intentional. I've been maintaining my weight for a couple of years now, but over the past few weeks I've noticed a slow but steady decline in my weight. 208 was my goal, then it slipped to 205, which seemed fine, but then it slipped to 204 and this week it is 203. I haven't been counting my food calories, but rather I've been following my normal habits. Bacon and eggs and a banana for breakfast. Whatever Aramark is serving on the "Home" line at work. Something light for supper. And various snacks to round out rest. The thing that has changed is my exercise. I've never really liked riding my bicycle inside, but because of Zwift I don't mind it so much. That means that I have fewer off days for rain or darkness or because I don't want to mess with traffic. It also means that I have more 1,000 calorie workouts. There are no stop signs on Zwift, so I'm putting in more effort during the same amount of time that I put in outside. Burning more calories while eating about the same amount translates in to weight loss.
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OK, we won't tell you that.11
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TimothyFish wrote: »I've been losing weight lately. It isn't intentional. I've been maintaining my weight for a couple of years now, but over the past few weeks I've noticed a slow but steady decline in my weight. 208 was my goal, then it slipped to 205, which seemed fine, but then it slipped to 204 and this week it is 203. I haven't been counting my food calories, but rather I've been following my normal habits. Bacon and eggs and a banana for breakfast. Whatever Aramark is serving on the "Home" line at work. Something light for supper. And various snacks to round out rest. The thing that has changed is my exercise. I've never really liked riding my bicycle inside, but because of Zwift I don't mind it so much. That means that I have fewer off days for rain or darkness or because I don't want to mess with traffic. It also means that I have more 1,000 calorie workouts. There are no stop signs on Zwift, so I'm putting in more effort during the same amount of time that I put in outside. Burning more calories while eating about the same amount translates in to weight loss.
Um, yeah? I didn't think that was controversial. If someone is eating at maintenance then significantly ups their exercise, and doesn't change their eating of course they will lose weight.35 -
Usually when one says things like "don't rely on exercise to make your deficit," they're talking to a significantly overweight person telling them that it will be tough to overcome grossly overeating with exercise to a point where weight loss occurs, and they will not likely reach a healthy weight just through exercise. Context.44
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Is this another advertising ploy for Zwift?
I remember your last post I read was on the same subject.
As for losing weight when exercising while eating at a sedentary level- that is one way to put oneself in a calorie defect.
Cheers, h.16 -
That exercise can build your calorie deficit is never denied, but a lot of the time people here talk about diet and exercise and their relationship in weight loss in a really reductionist way. They go for the snappy, over simplified answer, instead of the less exciting truth that if you want, exercise can be a tool to assist in your weight loss. When pressed, the issue gets explored properly, but there a lot of people answering a lot of questions on this board and I sometimes think their shortness comes from answering the same questions over and over. Which is imperfect really, as newcomers don't know any better yet.6
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I don't think anyone has said that.
I think the point usually made is that if you are overeating by hundreds of calories a day you won't be able to exercise yourself to a deficit.
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Look_Its_Kriss wrote: »I am confused.. i dont think anyone has ever said exercise doesn't cause weight loss..
From time to time I see sayings posted here such as "Weight loss is in the kitchen" "Diet is for weight loss and exercise is for fitness" "Exercise has nothing to do with weight loss" "Exercise makes you hungrier so you eat too much back"
But the posters above making the point about eating more calories than burned are making sense.10 -
Thank you for the information. I will now use the Zwift system to stay healthy!2
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Okay.
I think you miss the point other people make that you think you're arguing against, but whatever.
I wouldn't lose any weight without exercise either. That doesn't mean my diet isn't my first consideration. If I were overeating, I could blow all my exercise out of the water with 10 minutes, a spoon, a jar of peanut butter, and some existential angst.30 -
yeah as everyone has said...You cant out exercise a bad diet, But exercise does help, Of course it does. can allow you to make your defecit even higher, but again if your eating to many calories it wont help you lose weight.
Alot of people on here cant exercise, Whether from being overweight or just a busy life ...And lets admit it some lazy
Those people can lose weight through just a defecit, Which is why its pointed out as the 80% of weight loss or whatever number people throw on it. All the exercise in the world you could fit into a day wouldnt burn off some of the big binges 4 -
People saying stuff like "diet is more important than exercise" are usually speaking in response to a very common attitude that weight loss is primarily about exercise, and a common excuse that people make along the lines of "I don't have time to exercise so I can't lose weight". Well everyone has time to eat less, and anyway, as I have said before, diet has to come first because it is far easier to eat 1000 calories than burn it off.
That's not at all the same as saying exercise doesn't help your deficit. Of course it does.13 -
Yup, that's how CICO works. I'll burn an extra 600 calories or so today enjoying a run. Those calories will be delicious and I'll still be on track.3
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I don't think I have ever seen anyone say that? However, it is usually mentioned that relying on exercise alone is not the best solution, as it's still important to get your diet "right", so to speak. Also, it is mentioned that one doesn't HAVE to exercise to lose weight.0
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In other words, you created a calorie deficit and the calorie deficit resulted in weight loss. That is the entire premise of this site so what exactly is the debate?11
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Erm - that's not really news Timothy, especially in the cycling fraternity. My mileage jumps up enormously when Spring comes around.TimothyFish wrote: »Burning more calories while eating about the same amount translates in to weight loss.
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I relied heavily on exercise to lose weight, more than 20 years. I never did get anywhere, kept banging my head against the weight loss wall. Until I started tracking my intake accurately. I am now at my goal weight and have been for over a year. Get your intake in order, everything else will be pudding.
Oh yeah, googling Zwift! Lol6 -
TimothyFish wrote: »I've been losing weight lately. It isn't intentional. I've been maintaining my weight for a couple of years now, but over the past few weeks I've noticed a slow but steady decline in my weight. 208 was my goal, then it slipped to 205, which seemed fine, but then it slipped to 204 and this week it is 203. I haven't been counting my food calories, but rather I've been following my normal habits. Bacon and eggs and a banana for breakfast. Whatever Aramark is serving on the "Home" line at work. Something light for supper. And various snacks to round out rest. The thing that has changed is my exercise. I've never really liked riding my bicycle inside, but because of Zwift I don't mind it so much. That means that I have fewer off days for rain or darkness or because I don't want to mess with traffic. It also means that I have more 1,000 calorie workouts. There are no stop signs on Zwift, so I'm putting in more effort during the same amount of time that I put in outside. Burning more calories while eating about the same amount translates in to weight loss.
Well.....added exercise creates a calorie deficit if you don't change your eating habits, which it sounds like you have not. Of course you're losing weight.
Exercise is just a tool. The reason you are losing weight is because you area eating in a calorie deficit.4 -
You changed your CO without changing the CI whilst in maintenance.
The exercise alone didn't do it, eating less than you burnt did.4 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »Okay.
I think you miss the point other people make that you think you're arguing against, but whatever.
I wouldn't lose any weight without exercise either. That doesn't mean my diet isn't my first consideration. If I were overeating, I could blow all my exercise out of the water with 10 minutes, a spoon, a jar of peanut butter, and some existential angst.
Of course you can lose weight without exercising but it's much harder to lose weight just exercising
Many disabled people lose weight by calorie restriction only
I've lost lots weight several times on vlcd meal replacements no exercise0 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »Okay.
I think you miss the point other people make that you think you're arguing against, but whatever.
I wouldn't lose any weight without exercise either. That doesn't mean my diet isn't my first consideration. If I were overeating, I could blow all my exercise out of the water with 10 minutes, a spoon, a jar of peanut butter, and some existential angst.
Of course you can lose weight without exercising but it's much harder to lose weight just exercising
Many disabled people lose weight by calorie restriction only
I've lost lots weight several times on vlcd meal replacements no exercise
Which is why you keep putting it back on id imagine.
People need to stop complicating it...YES exercise helps make a defecit YES its possible to lose with just exercise but its still more benefical to do a calorie defecit. More so a defecit and exercise. Its simple i feel like everyones argueing the same point just worded different. No one can honestly think any of thats not true?
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you are still eating less than you burn.4
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I don't think anyone has ever said that you can't lose weight with exercise. But the fact remains that you are taking in fewer calories than you are expending...i.e you're eating in a deficit. If you ate to compensate for additional activity, you wouldn't lose weight despite the exercise...which is what most people are alluding to when they say things like "diet for weight management, exercise for fitness."
It's pretty obvious if one spends any time in the gym that there are many...and I'd even say most people who think the fact that they are exercising should mean they should be losing weight...they think the exercise is what should cause them to lose weight...but years go by and nothing changes...because they haven't addressed their diet.7 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »Okay.
I think you miss the point other people make that you think you're arguing against, but whatever.
I wouldn't lose any weight without exercise either. That doesn't mean my diet isn't my first consideration. If I were overeating, I could blow all my exercise out of the water with 10 minutes, a spoon, a jar of peanut butter, and some existential angst.
Of course you can lose weight without exercising but it's much harder to lose weight just exercising
Many disabled people lose weight by calorie restriction only
I've lost lots weight several times on vlcd meal replacements no exercise
I think you misunderstood me.
I was supporting the idea that you can lose weight without exercise. I got very little exercise when I first started losing weight.
Additionally, creating a deficit through exercise alone takes a lot of effort and not everyone can do it. If you're not keeping a check on intake, exercise won't matter.3 -
A calorie deficit can be created through diet and/or exercise...any deficit will get you there.
While I agree that the people who say that diet is for losing weight and exercise is only for fitness are ridiculously over-simplifying; the basic premise that it's easy to out-eat that exercise if you're not paying attention is true.3 -
A calorie deficit can be created through diet and/or exercise...any deficit will get you there.
While I agree that the people who say that diet is for losing weight and exercise is only for fitness are ridiculously over-simplifying; the basic premise that it's easy to out-eat that exercise if you're not paying attention is true.
It's not oversimplication. It's offering perspective. How many people post asking for help, making a riduculously specific laundry list of exercises they do every day and saying they "eat healthy, watch carbs" and don't lose weight. As soon as I start reading the minutiae of it, I walk away from the thread. Thankfully, there are more patient veterans around who will ask the OP "how many calories are you eating?" Exercise more often than not doesn't produce the expected results because the individual doesn't put their calorie expenditure up against their intake and understand how the pieces fit together.7 -
As a skinny guy trying to bulk up even a TINY amount, my issue isnt working out. Its eating enough. I've logged my calorie/protein intake for 4 days now. And not once have I passed half my daily intake (3400). As a result, when my body needs to replenish the energy and calories it expended in my workout, if there's not enough readily-available calories in my body, it takes it straight from the muscles I'm working hard to build. I assumed everyone with an inkling of knowledge about working out and muscular hypertrophy knew about this.1
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Someone with 10 pounds to lose can lose weight pretty easily by increasing their exercise and keeping their eating the same. Someone with 100 pounds to lose is going to have a hard time creating a deficit solely through exercise.3
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Someone with 10 pounds to lose can lose weight pretty easily by increasing their exercise and keeping their eating the same. Someone with 100 pounds to lose is going to have a hard time creating a deficit solely through exercise.
As long as they're willing to keep that same level of exercise forever, yes.1
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