How long before exercise causes weight loss?

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  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    It doesn't. That is, exercise does not cause a drop in weight. Burning more calories than you take in causes a drop in weight. If you are not in a calorie deficit, then no matter how much you exercise, then you will not lose weight.

    In addition, one workout is not going to cause your body fat to decrease in any noticeable way. If your weight changes after one workout, it will be due to water weight fluctuation, not long term fat loss. Weight loss is a process, not a one-day event.
  • tbright1965
    tbright1965 Posts: 852 Member
    This might make you sad for a moment, but stick with me.

    I can ride my bicycle 40+ miles, eat in a caloric deficit and weight MORE the next day.

    Why? My body is hanging on to water to repair any muscles needing repair after that effort.

    I think I gained 4 pounds over labor day weekend after getting in 85.5 miles worth of cycling and probably being in a 2000-3000 or so calorie deficit.

    Of course. later in the week, I was down those 4 pounds and another pound or pound an a half.

    But as others have said or at least alluded to, it's more about what you eat than your exercise.

    I was working out 4 to 6 days a week and still got up to 265+ pounds. I could lie to myself because I was big, broad shouldered, and looked 30 pounds lighter than I was. People still don't believe that I'm over 200 pounds, and I'm down to 215.

    It took watching what was on the end of my fork. Tracking what I eat and being accurate with the calorie dense foods I ate such as dairy, nut butters, meats, sauces, alcohol, etc.

    I don't weight my spinach, but I do weight milk, cheese, meat, nuts and similar.

    I know it's trite, but it's a marathon, not a sprint. And the biggest lever you have is your fork. Do that part right and you cannot help but to lose weight.

    Don't let day to day fluctuations get to you. Your body will use fat when you consume fewer calories than you burn. Stay the course and take a long term approach with periodic, not necessarily daily checks.

    I check about 1x per week and I'm losing between 1 and 2 pounds each week.

    If I looked everyday, or at least if I panicked over daily fluctuations, nothing good would happen.

    I'm looking at the long term trend.

    It took time to put it on, and to make a lifestyle change, it will take time to both change your habits and to lose the weight. Slow and steady is the long term winning strategy here.
  • tbright1965
    tbright1965 Posts: 852 Member
    Oh, and my food diary is open. I just logged the two hard boiled eggs I had as an afternoon snack. Headed to the gym soon as Thursday is my two-a-day cycle class day....
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,616 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    It doesn't. That is, exercise does not cause a drop in weight. Burning more calories than you take in causes a drop in weight. If you are not in a calorie deficit, then no matter how much you exercise, then you will not lose weight.

    How do you burn more calories than you take in?
  • mburgess458
    mburgess458 Posts: 480 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    It doesn't. That is, exercise does not cause a drop in weight. Burning more calories than you take in causes a drop in weight. If you are not in a calorie deficit, then no matter how much you exercise, then you will not lose weight.

    How do you burn more calories than you take in?

    Mainly by taking in fewer calories (eat less). Exercise can help but it is easily dwarfed by eating. You can easily eat 1,000 calories in a few minutes... it would take well over an hour for most people to come close to 1,000 calories.
  • hroderick
    hroderick Posts: 756 Member
    VUA21 wrote: »
    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.

    Exercise for strength
    Nutrition for health
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,616 Member
    mburgess458 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    It doesn't. That is, exercise does not cause a drop in weight. Burning more calories than you take in causes a drop in weight. If you are not in a calorie deficit, then no matter how much you exercise, then you will not lose weight.

    How do you burn more calories than you take in?

    Mainly by taking in fewer calories (eat less). Exercise can help but it is easily dwarfed by eating. You can easily eat 1,000 calories in a few minutes... it would take well over an hour for most people to come close to 1,000 calories.

    But ... how do you BURN calories?
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    mburgess458 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    It doesn't. That is, exercise does not cause a drop in weight. Burning more calories than you take in causes a drop in weight. If you are not in a calorie deficit, then no matter how much you exercise, then you will not lose weight.

    How do you burn more calories than you take in?

    Mainly by taking in fewer calories (eat less). Exercise can help but it is easily dwarfed by eating. You can easily eat 1,000 calories in a few minutes... it would take well over an hour for most people to come close to 1,000 calories.

    But ... how do you BURN calories?

    You’re missing the point. Your body burns calories just by being alive. It also burns calories through exercise. This does not mean that exercise causes weight loss, because you are only looking at one side of the equation: the output side. You also need to consider the input side: how many calories you eat.

    If your output is greater than your input, then you lose weight. This is true regardless of whether your output includes any exercise or not.

    If your output is less than your input, then you gain weight. This is true regardless of how much exercise you do.

    Exercise does not cause weight loss. Being in a calorie deficit causes weight loss.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,616 Member
    FYI
    Machka9 wrote: »
    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

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,616 Member
    edited September 2018
    And ...

    You can lose weight by ...

    -- eating less
    -- exercising more
    -- eating less and exercising more

    I've done all three at one time or another. :)



    Also ...

    https://theconversation.com/when-we-lose-weight-where-does-it-go-91594
  • WillingtoLose1001984
    WillingtoLose1001984 Posts: 240 Member
    edited September 2018
    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. :(

    You really expect to lose weight after 10000 steps the day after? That's not going to happen. It takes a lot if time, effort and eating less calories. I try to get 10k stepd every day and weight loss is still slow. It takes significant vigorous exercise and less food to see weight loss quickly although you can lose just eating less.

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