Diet or exercise?

bcattoes

"A smaller marshmallow is still a marshmallow"

Losing weight and losing fat are not the same thing.

If that is the OP in the profile pic, she looks nothing like a marshmallow and has little fat to lose.

OP your plan sounds fine. With so little to lose you should expect a slow rate of loss. Just stick to your plan and have patience.

TheBitSlinger

The only way to lose weight is to have a deficit of calories. Period. You can create calorie deficits in two ways: 1) eating less, and 2) moving more. What choose to do is down to your priorities.

JoRocka

"A smaller marshmallow is still a marshmallow"

Losing weight and losing fat are not the same thing.

it

explains "Skinny fat" quiet well.

SkinnyMsFitness

Not to sound like an *kitten*, but you want to lose more weight by discontinuing exercise? If you want to be 'healthy' while losing weight, yes, you need both. This is a lifestyle...not so much a diet. It's all about eating in moderation and burning some cals. Easy concept. Try switching up your routines...changing your caloric intake...

Vivian06703188

I disagree that carbs are more important than calories. I am one of those people who can cut their carbs drastically and have no benefit whatsoever. But I will drop pounds rather quickly controlling my calories. I am disabled and have to restrict my exercise. I do what I can and count that even though what I count most people would not. Exercise is exercise and for me if I do it, it counts. I am a true believer that exercise is important even critical to how you will look as a finished product. I am doing everything for a healthier me with that in mind I take one day at a time.

ninerbuff

Is it still effective to lose weight with dieting alone and no exercise? I do a brisk walk for 50 minutes 5 days a week, but that's all as it's my journey to and from work each day, will I still lose weight ifI stick to a low calorie diet of around 1200 - 1500? As I have been doing this for about 4 weeks now and lost next to nothing.

Doesn't look like you have anything left to lose.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

first question - yes (diet over exercise)
second question - no - calories aren't as meaningful as low carbohydrate methods. cut carbs to under 50 grams of carbs a day. start there. let your appetite dictate your calories but keep your carbs under 50 grams (net) a day.

Lol, good thing you didn't ask if she was diabetic or not.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

eazy_

"A smaller marshmallow is still a marshmallow"

Losing weight and losing fat are not the same thing.

Ooohh I loved that quote! Such an eyeopener for me ! Diet AND exercise it is!!

MinnieInMaine

You're actually right on track!! With only a stone (14 pounds) to lose, a healthy weight loss rate is 1/2 a pound per week. After 4 weeks you've lost 2 pounds (according ot your ticker) so Congratulations!

Keep eating right and exercising and be patient.

grampajimmy

You bet you will! and you will build muscle where there usedto be fat! The best part is the way you will feel, physically as well as mentally. I walk or Bike (stationary) 5 days a week. Took me a while to build up the stamina to "work out", but now I feel great and I feel good about myself. More is better than lwess, but you must let your body tell you how musch is enought. It knows.

nxd10

I lost 38 pounds with diet and a daily walk. Now I'm walking more and swimming a little, having overshot my weight goal.

Maintaining weight loss does require around an hour a day of exercise according to research. But walking counts.

And exercise - including walking - makes it easier to stick to your calories because you get more of them.

SJVZEE

I lost the majority of my weight with no exercise. However, you're walking-which is exercise, so not really understanding this thread :huh:

fatfudgery

Never understood this new obsession with "thigh gap"

Oh, I understand it: it looks hot. as. hell.

brynnsmom

I think if it came down to one or the other, than diet. Exercise for me just enhances the benefits of a healthy diet.

Bernadette60614

Exercise can take place anywhere...not just the gym.

Try, though, to push yourself a little each time..it doesn't have to be uncomfortable, but try picking up the pace a little each week.

princessrisariri

I suck at finding time to exercise as I work 12hour shifts and swap from days to nights it is hard enough to watch what I eat.

I try to do some mat-weight work/dvds/video game workouts a once a week, have done a little better recently but its hard to remember!

I get lifts to and from work and spent 12hours there sat at a PC, I am about as sedentary as it gets.

However I have managed to lose some weight, and as long as I keep in my calorie goal (1500-1200) I lose 1-2lbs a week.

So you can get some weight loss by just dieting

Then again I went from what must have been around 3000+ cals of junk a day to around 1500 throwing in the odd healthy thing so that will come into it..

Tricepticon

You really should do both. If you maintain a extreme caloric deficit (I would call anything under 1500 a day extreme) your body will attempt to find calories else where. The first place it will look at is unused lean muscle mass, not fat. This has the effect of slowing your metabolism, which is a good thing if your starving on a desert island, not so much if your trying to lose fat. If you want to force your body to catabolize fats over muscle mass then you have to use the muscle. Obviously your diet is the most important factor, but weight training and exercise are also very important.

Lleldiranne

second question - no - calories aren't as meaningful as low carbohydrate methods. cut carbs to under 50 grams of carbs a day. start there. let your appetite dictate your calories but keep your carbs under 50 grams (net) a day.

:noway:

My SIL is diabetic, type 2. To help her reduce carbs to keep it in control, my brother eats a low carb diet as well. He has not lost any weight at all on it. I think he may have gained, in fact. Low carb diets work when they are also lower calories, mostly BECAUSE they are lower calories. Restricting carbs significantly and letting your appetite dictate calories will only work if it dictates a lower calorie amount than what you're burning.

You still can't escape thermodynamics.

edited for clarity

noexcusesjustresults2014

Natashaskedd wrote: »

Is it still effective to lose weight with dieting alone and no exercise? I do a brisk walk for 50 minutes 5 days a week, but that's all as it's my journey to and from work each day, will I still lose weight ifI stick to a low calorie diet of around 1200 - 1500? As I have been doing this for about 4 weeks now and lost next to nothing.

Your caloric deficit is all that matters for weight loss.

Exercise will help you improve your physical fitness regardless of weight.

sarastewart13

Sarauk2sf wrote: »

Yes you can lose weight with just diet, However, without strength training you risk loss of muscle mass. I would recommend both (and cardio if you want to improve cardiovascular health or to help with creating a deficit).