How long before exercise causes weight loss?

Woodsmoke

Hey guys, just wondering how long it takes for exercise to show a drop in weight?

I did massive walk yesterday, about 10k, no weight loss this morning! Feeling growchy because I should have lost something this week, and last week my big walk seemed to show up the next day!

Seriously grouchy about this. Feels like I ended up aching this morning for nothing.

TavistockToad

if you're aching this morning then you're probably retaining water to help your muscle repair, which often causes weight gain.

be more patient.

sijomial

You need to seriously address your impatience or it will most likely cause you to give up as it will undermine your confidence in the process.
Stop looking day to day and look ahead in terms of months and years.

For an extreme example I did a 9 hour cycle ride and ended up with a c. 1800 calorie deficit as just couldn't eat enough. Next day my weight was up a couple of pounds. Weight and weight fluctuations aren't just fat.

Exercise is for health and fitness benefits (and hopefully enjoyment!) - it's not "for nothing".

Gamliela

I always find thst when I start new excersize or increase any excersize I get some swelling, which adds water weight and I can see the change in my body shape as well on the day after excersize increased walking steps. I would sure see some swelling after increasing steps to 10,000.

Good on you for adding steps and stay with it!

jdubois5351

Exercise does not in itself cause weight loss. Eating fewer calories than you burn does. So you can exercise all you want to - if you eat too much during the day, you will not lose weight. On the other hand, you can lose weight without exercising at all. Also, patience young padawan - weight loss takes time.

mazdauk

What jdubois5351 said.

snowflake954

Exercise in itself doesn't cause weight loss--eating less does. Watch your intake if you want results.

Machka9

Woodsmoke wrote: »

Hey guys, just wondering how long it takes for exercise to show a drop in weight?

I did massive walk yesterday, about 10k, no weight loss this morning! Feeling growchy because I should have lost something this week, and last week my big walk seemed to show up the next day!

Seriously grouchy about this. Feels like I ended up aching this morning for nothing.

Your massive 10K walk probably burned 400 calories at most.

If 3500 calories is 1 lb ... how much weight do you think you should have lost after a 10K walk?

ACanadian22

I walk this amount...plus a bit more every singe day. It will come off. Be patient It usually burns about 450 calories for me because I do it fast

neugebauer52

I always ask myself the same question: I eat healthy food, so when can I expect to see a thinner me? Funny enough I never asked myself how long it will take until I look heavier after a week of binge eating. I guess it's just a slow process - either way.....

bpotts44

Exercise will not induce weight loss. Weight loss is about diet. To start seeing changes you need to eat at a calorie deficiet over a long period of time.

Gamliela

Still, 400 calories is a lot if mfp tells you you will lose weight eating 1200. 400 extra calories earned from walking means you could choose to eat 1600 that day and still lose weight!

mikeandlindasept15

Many things go into losing weight. Walking is one type of exercise. You may need to add strength, cardio, and/or weights to your routine. Of course, eating healthy is way up there too.

Millicent3015

Are you walking for enjoyment or as a means to an end? Try finding an exercise you enjoy for the sake of it, not because you think it'll cause weight loss. You'll have more chance of keeping at it, and it might tone you up in the process.

jgnatca

Nothing, if you out-eat the calories burned.

Exercise has been the most enjoyable part of my weight loss. Not for the scale, but for fitness, mobility, energy, flexibility, vitality, and strength.

If I’m not losing weight for those health improvements, what is it all for anyways?

cerise_noir

mikeandlindasept15 wrote: »

Many things go into losing weight. Walking is one type of exercise. You may need to add strength, cardio, and/or weights to your routine. Of course, eating healthy is way up there too.

Losing weight comes down to a calorie deficit. Not all that have lost weight were able to include exercise. Exercise isn’t necessary for weight loss. Adding strength/weights isn’t necessary for weight loss, but it is desirable for body composition.

kimny72

You can't assume when you weigh yourself in the morning that whatever change you see was specifically caused by what you did yesterday. Your body is constantly storing fat, burning fat, repairing muscle, digesting food, releasing and attracting water, etc. Myriad things affect which of these things is happening and how fast it's happening. There is no way to connect one measurement on the scale to one cause. Weight loss/gain takes months and years, and weight management takes forever. You need to start taking the long view.

Also, exercise doesn't really "cause" weight loss. It can contribute to your calorie deficit, and that will over time cause weight loss, but only if your eating is also in line. :drinker:

Machka9

I'll just leave these here ...

How Does Fat Leave the Body
https://www.verywellfit.com/how-does-fat-leave-the-body-4165132

Majority of weight loss occurs 'via breathing'
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287046.php

VUA21

Calories for weight.
Exercise for health.

Eating at a deficit is what causes weight loss. Exercise may help with remaining at a deficit, but in itself doesn't cause weight loss.

hesn92

Weight loss does not happen overnight... You need to work on your patience and expectations.

lporter229

Wow. Ok, I am not saying this to be mean, but to honest and hopefully, helpful. If you are expecting to see a noticeable difference in your weight from one 10K walk, then you need to seriously re-evaluate your expectations and your plan here. Weight loss not only takes time and patience, but it also takes a bit of faith. Faith in knowing that if you stick with it, you will see the results you are expecting, it just isn't going to happen over night. We live in a world of instant gratification, which is why so many people fail at this. Weight loss isn't about instant results and there is no way to make it happen that way. You have to develop a plan of eating and exercise that you can sustain and actually enjoy because it is going to take time. If walking 10K feels daunting and leaves you sore, then try walking 5k instead. If eating 1200 calories per day leaves you hungry and grouchy, then eat 1500 instead. The point is, if what you are doing seems too hard, you aren't going to stick with it. Make it easier on yourself and be patient. It will happen, it just takes time, patience and persistence. And reasonable expectations. Wishing you the best of luck!

AnvilHead

You can't out-exercise your fork.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit. And scale fluctuations will sometimes mask fat loss, for various reasons. Retaining water after exercise is one of those reasons.

LKArgh

Woodsmoke wrote: »

Hey guys, just wondering how long it takes for exercise to show a drop in weight?

I did massive walk yesterday, about 10k, no weight loss this morning! Feeling growchy because I should have lost something this week, and last week my big walk seemed to show up the next day!

Seriously grouchy about this. Feels like I ended up aching this morning for nothing.

Why do you think that a single walk will result in weight loss? Regular exercise contributes to overall health and fitness, and also will give you a bit more room for eating an extra treat without going over your calorie goals. But a single day of exercising will not really make a positive difference short-term, same as a single day of overeating will not ruin your weight loss.

BrianSharpe

To put it in perspective if I walked 10K (I hover around 200 lbs) I'd burn an additional 372 calories ( .30 x weight in lbs x distance in miles).

Weight loss comes from consistently consuming fewer calories than you expend over a period of time snd it's not linear. Be patient, be consistent and log your food consumption to ensure that you're eating at a modest caloric deficit that can be sustained.

Woodsmoke

I think I left some details out. I'd managed to keep a deficit all week but not as much as I wanted, so I calculated the exercise (walking) I needed to burn off those extra calories from the week.

According to the mfp exercise calculator, I more than did that. I do walk every day, I just wondered if a big walk like that would show up sooner rather than later.

VUA21

AnvilHead wrote: »

You can't out-exercise your fork.

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit. And scale fluctuations will sometimes mask fat loss, for various reasons. Retaining water after exercise is one of those reasons.

^^^^^ This. Also, really amazing workouts tend to leave people with really amazing appetites, this includes me. Post run, I want to eat everything!!!!

jgnatca

Later. It shows up later with consistency.

You might notice a temporary gain as enthusiastic exercise causes the muscles to swell with extra water (water weight) for a few days.

JorrunFulhelm

Woodsmoke wrote: »

I think I left some details out. I'd managed to keep a deficit all week but not as much as I wanted, so I calculated the exercise (walking) I needed to burn off those extra calories from the week.

According to the mfp exercise calculator, I more than did that. I do walk every day, I just wondered if a big walk like that would show up sooner rather than later.

You are likely just not waiting long enough to see the results of your work! Every body works differently and every body burns fat differently. When I got started and even now I only weigh in once a month! Week to week is too often and has too many variables for me personally. This is a journey, not a sprint! Slow down and keep yourself consistent. Your body isn't a slot machine that you put "work" coins into and "fat loss" just pops out!

hesn92

Woodsmoke wrote: »

I think I left some details out. I'd managed to keep a deficit all week but not as much as I wanted, so I calculated the exercise (walking) I needed to burn off those extra calories from the week.

According to the mfp exercise calculator, I more than did that. I do walk every day, I just wondered if a big walk like that would show up sooner rather than later.

Weight loss just doesn't work that way... it happens over time... expecting weight loss to show up over night because you had a big calorie burn yesterday will just lead to disappointment. Be consistent and your weight will go down, but it doesn't happen in neat, equal increments like you want it to.

IHaveMyActTogether

lporter229 wrote: »

Wow. Ok, I am not saying this to be mean, but to honest and hopefully, helpful. If you are expecting to see a noticeable difference in your weight from one 10K walk, then you need to seriously re-evaluate your expectations and your plan here. Weight loss not only takes time and patience, but it also takes a bit of faith. Faith in knowing that if you stick with it, you will see the results you are expecting, it just isn't going to happen over night. We live in a world of instant gratification, which is why so many people fail at this. Weight loss isn't about instant results and there is no way to make it happen that way. You have to develop a plan of eating and exercise that you can sustain and actually enjoy because it is going to take time. If walking 10K feels daunting and leaves you sore, then try walking 5k instead. If eating 1200 calories per day leaves you hungry and grouchy, then eat 1500 instead. The point is, if what you are doing seems too hard, you aren't going to stick with it. Make it easier on yourself and be patient. It will happen, it just takes time, patience and persistence. And reasonable expectations. Wishing you the best of luck!

Was going to post a different version of this. But basically what she said. It takes a lot longer than you think, sustained effort over time. Not a week, either. Or a month.

Just as you didn't gain weight by sitting down and eating one afternoon, you aren't going to lose weight walking and eating well one afternoon.

One woman on youtube lost 80lbs in a year. She suggested staying off the scale for months at a time, because it took her 6 months to see any results. She went from over 200lbs to model thin in a year, but six months of hard work and dieting without seeing results.

You expect change in one day.

If you want great results, prepare yourself for the long haul. And you can do it, if you take the advice of porter229 the woman quoted above.

LilmissNm

Oh dear if you're expecting to lose the weight that quick, I'm sorry you are in for some disappointing times. Weight loss takes time and is dependent on your food intake rather than exercising. Take a deep breath and take it steady rather than jumping on the scale every day use your clothing as an indicator of how well you are doing. Give yourself a week or so then if you must try the scale but remember there will be times when you naturally put on a little weight. Slow and steady.