Exercise help!

catsbfit
catsbfit Posts: 41 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

So im wondering if exercise makes a big different for weight loss? Or is it only food that makes a difference? So basically if I exercise more will i lose more? Or doesn’t it really matter? Do you have to exercise? Thanks

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Much easier, and more complex. You lose weight in a consistent calorie deficit. For most people, exercise contributes less to the calorie deficit than eating less does.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    You do not have to exercise for weight loss, but if you do the calories you expend will contribute to the "calories out" side of your equation. You won't automatically lose more if you exercise, you still have to keep that cals in/cals out math in line.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Weight loss = eating fewer calories than you burn.

    You burn a lot of calories just being alive. Enough that you don't have to exercise to lose weight.

    Most people (in the world, not here) don't consider walking to be exercise. But if you do more than just a little of it, the calories add up.

    Anybody who's asking this question isn't going to be capable of the kind of huge calorie burns that will have a meaningful effect on weight. What I mean is if you're doing 50 miles bike rides, that makes it dead simple. But if you're doing a HIIT class, it's not enough calories to tip the scale.

    So focus on the food you're eating.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    A calorie deficit will lead to weight loss. Exercise can help contribute to that deficit (but keep in mind it can also add to hunger in some people). It is great for health, fitness, and body composition.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    exercise = basic good health
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    catzzm9768 wrote: »
    Hi,

    So im wondering if exercise makes a big different for weight loss? Or is it only food that makes a difference? So basically if I exercise more will i lose more? Or doesn’t it really matter? Do you have to exercise? Thanks

    Exercise in and of itself does not induce weight loss...if it did then people without weight issues who exercise regularly for their health and fitness would just wither away.

    Exercise isn't necessary for weight loss...weight loss happens when you consume fewer calories (energy) than your body needs to maintain the status quo. Exercise can make things easier by increasing your energy expenditure and contributing to your calorie deficit from diet or by allowing you to eat more and still accomplish the same thing eating less without exercise.

    By and large, exercise isn't a huge contributor to energy expenditure...for example, I burn around 1800 calories just being alive...on a typical bike ride I burn 400-500 calories depending on the ride.

    A calorie deficit is most efficiently accomplished with diet...exercise doesn't always happen...you will miss workouts because life happens and you also need rest days. It's much more efficient to eat 500 calories less your maintenance than it is to go burn 500 calories everyday with exercise.

    Regular exercise does contribute greatly to overall health.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    While you don't need to exercise to lose weight, if you don't exercise, your future self will regret it.

    Furthermore, with regular exercise, I feel better mentally and physically, and I sleep better.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Exercise can help create/sustain a caloric deficit, which is what is necessary to lose weight. But there are a few considerations:

    1) Exercise calorie burns are often overstated, sometimes highly so.

    2) It's very easy to out-eat your exercise - burning 500 calories can take an hour or two of working out, but you can very easily eat 500 calories in less than 5 minutes.

    3) Different people are affected differently by exercise - some find that it makes them hungrier, some find that it blunts their appetite. Google the word "runger" (hunger from running) for an idea. The poster above me unequivocally stated that "proper cardio tends to reduce how much you want to eat", which is not at all a universal truth.

    Your primary concern should be with your calorie intake, because that will be the biggest driver of creating the deficit you need for weight loss. Exercise is a good idea for a number of reasons, but it's not necessary for weight loss - all that's necessary is to consume less calories than you expend. But exercise can have a very significant effect upon your overall health and your body composition.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    I'm a short person. If I didn't exercise, I'd need to eat 1360 calories a day just to lose 1/2 a pound a week. I CAN do that, but it isn't fun. Instead, I exercise and eat more like 1600-1700, and still lose.
  • wmd1979
    wmd1979 Posts: 469 Member
    Grambo54 wrote: »
    "So im wondering if exercise makes a big different for weight loss? Or is it only food that makes a difference? So basically if I exercise more will i lose more? Or doesn’t it really matter? Do you have to exercise? Thanks"

    let me answer your questions! yes exercise, specifically cardio (running, walking uphill, biking at a good pace, circuit training in the gym) will make all the difference for weight loss. food makes a difference but how much of a difference depends on what/how much you eat. Proper cardio tends to reduce how much you want to eat. If you exercise more, you will lose more, generally. yes exercise matters alot. No you dont have to exercise. Depends on what you want to achieve, and how fast, how motivated you are and how strict you can be with diet alone.

    I don't suppose you happen to have a source for this claim, do you?

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