Is it possible to lose weight without exercise?

2

Replies

  • biggmike44
    biggmike44 Posts: 7
    Lately i haven't been exercising as much due to large workload also because of general laziness. i am focusing on diet right now and making sure i eat a calorie deficit but i am worried that i will not see results as fast than if i were to exercise.
    has anyone experienced weight loss success without exercise?

    Absolutely possible. I got sick and couldn't absorb nutrients or calories at all. I lost a lot of weight quickly.

    The point is, if you stop eating you will lost weight, but also muscle. If you cut back, make sure that you get quality food. Not sure what your diet looks like, but cut back from what you are used to and keep your normal activity and you should lose weight, even if it comes slowly.
  • stefjc
    stefjc Posts: 484 Member
    Yes, all of mine so far.

    I can't exercise. I may be able to shortly... you'll all definitely know if it works this time :)

    My plan has always been to lose enough weight for my blood and joints to forgive me. Then I'll look at cardio for health / fitness and some kickboxing for fun and hypertrophy.
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
    Sure you can lose weight without exercise. You will lose muscle along with fat and be unhealthy.
  • PaulHalicki
    PaulHalicki Posts: 576 Member
    Yes. I lost 70 lb. in 6 months back in 2005. I lost 40 lb. before I felt comfortable exercising. So yeah, you can do it with diet alone.

    Of course diet plus exercise is preferred.
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
    Yup, when i exercise i feel more energetic and lose weight.
    When i don't exercise I lose a little bit less quickly and i feel lazy haha.

    So yeah it's possible! I've lost probably about half of the weight that i've lost so far to non exercise dieting :)
  • HotSouthernMess
    HotSouthernMess Posts: 474 Member
    all good advice! thanks for this post!!
  • Via_14
    Via_14 Posts: 992 Member
    mmm fairly obese that i am, i hated exercise!

    I read that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise so the answer is a definite yes!!

    Make sure you get 2 litres of water per day and eat healthy foods in abundance and like everyone said have a calorie deficit at the end of the day.

    1/2 hour walks are more than enough a day so try and squeeze it in - break it down to 15 15 mins if you have to, im sure the time investment will be worth it!!!

    All the best!!!

    32226198.png
  • Hayaa79
    Hayaa79 Posts: 458 Member
    Yes it absolutely is. Ketogenic Diet. >20 grams of carbohydrates a day etc...
    One doesn't need to do a ketogenic diet to lose weight. Just a calorie deficit.

    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



    Got it Boss :bigsmile: thanxxx
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Yes. I have been losing very steadily for six months (average of 1.6 lb per week) due to following calorie and macro goals on MFP. During about 4 of those months I was exercising quite a bit and during about 2 months I barely exercised at all.

    Obviously it's much better for your body to exercise, but it IS possible to lose weight with very minimal exercise involved too.
  • colortheworld
    colortheworld Posts: 374 Member
    I've lost nearly 25 lbs, half of the weight I want to lose, without exercising more than some 15-20 minutes of yoga sporadically through the week. I'm mostly just lazy and have a sedentary sort of job... I want to tone up eventually but I'm probably going to try and lose another 15 lbs before I really start into it.
  • joshdann
    joshdann Posts: 618 Member
    Yes, all of mine so far.

    I can't exercise. I may be able to shortly... you'll all definitely know if it works this time :)

    My plan has always been to lose enough weight for my blood and joints to forgive me. Then I'll look at cardio for health / fitness and some kickboxing for fun and hypertrophy.
    You're obviously an intelligent person and I refuse to stoop to the level of simply saying you're wrong... that would be arrogant and ignorant. I will say that I disagree with your approach, though. In previous posts, *I think* you are referring to studies that evaluate both physiology and psychology as a whole. While there is nothing wrong with that and I'm sure much valuable information is gained through that method, I prefer to separate the two. If I'm wrong about what you're referring to, please send me some info about the specific studies as I'd love to read them.

    I hold that the biology of the matter dictates that a caloric deficit is what generates fat loss. More activity, especially strength training (and a high protein diet) has been proven to preserve LBM and largely offset many of the physiological changes that normally accompany overall weight loss while generating a larger caloric deficit and thus more fat loss than diet alone. Psychology and willpower dictate that most people will in turn eat more calories in this situation, reducing their overall deficit to a point that it may equal what they could generate through diet alone. Those who find a way to maintain a majority of the larger deficit they generated through exercise will lose more weight than those who do not... and those who only diet. Physiological changes occur in response to a long-term caloric deficit, whether it was generated through diet alone or diet plus exercise. The Minnesota Starvation Experiment is perhaps the most useful study in this regard.
  • samedame
    samedame Posts: 36
    I always lose weight best when I do not exercise. I simply take the calories below my maintenance calories, usually I go around 900-1200 per day and the weight comes off. Too much exercise makes me tired and hungry.
    I like light walking and stretching, as in "it isn't actually exercise" but I am moving around, just for feeling more energy. Today it was nice out and I walked around outdoors. Just chilling, no change of clothing.
  • spookiefox
    spookiefox Posts: 215 Member
    I completely agree about the psychological part, but the physiological part has been measured and proven many, many times. The human body "machine" needs fuel (calories) to run. It needs even more when it is under physical stress. it has to get that fuel from somewhere. If demand exceeds supply, it simply must take from storage. Of course there are many factors that alter the rate at which those things happen, but fuel requirements are still fuel requirements. If the human body could do work without fuel, we'd never need to eat at all ;)

    THIS.
  • Jimaudit
    Jimaudit Posts: 275
    I have a neuromuscular disease which affects my back so am extremely limited in performing most exercises...I have been able to lose about 40lbs so far by restricting carbs after 3pm and fruit after 2pm. Eating around 1800 cals per day so not starving by any stretch.
  • spookiefox
    spookiefox Posts: 215 Member
    This is a great diet plan for very limited exercise. It really works and it is not expensive at all!

    Brand new way to diet and it is extremely helpful and easy step-by-step to follow.

    Click here to go to the website to fully understand how it works.
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    Hello, oh utterly UNinteresting new person with something to sell!

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  • crevices
    crevices Posts: 226 Member
    like said previously losing weight is possible obviously (i lost all of my weight without any exercise) but it really only changes the scale. if you want to lose the fat and tone up then obviously you'd want to exercise.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    Sure you can lose weight without exercise. You will lose muscle along with fat and be unhealthy.
    That's not entirely true. One doesn't have to be fit and exceptionally strong to be healthy. Case in point, a friend of mine lost over 100lbs and is confined to a wheelchair. Her health is great and she did no exercise (with the exception of wheeling her chair around at even 100lbs heavier) to lose it.

    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
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Yes.

    Just like it is possible to graduate highschool without actually learning math or knowing how to read. You can find sneaky ways to get around it.

    You'll have your diploma, but end up regretting that you only did half the work, because you'll be ill-equipped to handle the future.

    Just like your diploma is just a piece of paper saying you finished - it isn't a good way to determine someone's understanding of basic knowledge - the number on the scale only says what you weigh at the end - and there will be absolutely no guarantee regarding what your new body will look like.

    If simply weighing less, because of health factors, is your goal - yes - you can totally lose weight without exercising. But if your goals also include a strong, beautiful, well shaped functioning body - then at some point, you will need to incorporate the exercises that will give you the shape you want as well as the number :)

    :flowerforyou:
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    A person can eat the same amount they always have and add exercise, and weight loss will occur. I don't understand why some people are so insistent that this is not the case.

    Because it's not.

    I used to put away easily 4000 or more calories on any given day. I would have had to add several hours a day of high intensity exercise to lose weight without changing my eating habits. Totally unrealistic. "possible" yes, but completely unrealistic and unsustainable. On the other hand, cut those calories, and I could sit on my rear all day and drop pounds.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    I always lose weight best when I do not exercise. I simply take the calories below my maintenance calories, usually I go around 900-1200 per day and the weight comes off. Too much exercise makes me tired and hungry.
    I like light walking and stretching, as in "it isn't actually exercise" but I am moving around, just for feeling more energy. Today it was nice out and I walked around outdoors. Just chilling, no change of clothing.

    Exercise makes you tired and hungry because 900-1200 calories a day isn't enough to fuel a person sitting around all day, let alone getting exercise.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Things that make you go hmmmmm.....

    The labels that everyone here reads on their food to find what percentage of their daily needs are being cared for - are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    If you are running low on energy and strength - then your focus is next. You probably arent getting everything you need if you are eating less than half of what the FDA says is a standard daily calorie intake.

    Best of luck! :flowerforyou:
  • mammamaurer
    mammamaurer Posts: 418 Member
    technically.... yes you can do it with out.



    also bacon:flowerforyou:
  • stefjc
    stefjc Posts: 484 Member
    Joshdan, we aren't disagreeing, I think. Just focussing on different areas of the whole weight loss science arena.

    As I said, my husband is an engineer and posting with you is like talking to him. I am aware that we seem to be disagreeing, yet I don't disagree with what you post - until, like him, you separate the thing that, in my opinion/training etc, makes the human machine different from the mechanical one - psychology.

    Your last post is correct, I cannot separate the psychology, and that is, as I see it, the root of our seeming disagreement.

    Nothing wrong with it, and I hope I am not frustrating you as I enjoy the exchange of info from different perspectives.

    Good luck with your continued weight loss :D
  • shadus
    shadus Posts: 424 Member
    Lately i haven't been exercising as much due to large workload also because of general laziness. i am focusing on diet right now and making sure i eat a calorie deficit but i am worried that i will not see results as fast than if i were to exercise.
    has anyone experienced weight loss success without exercise?

    Yeap. I've lost >150lbs exercising and not exercising much at all over the years. With exercise you can eat significantly more but you spend more time of course doing exercise (which can be a good or bad thing depending on your life.) Without it you have to watch your calories much more strictly but you can still lose weight.

    With or without exercise the math is the same. 500 calories per day per lb per week. Done.
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
    I havent been to a gym once since I started.

    My only exercise is my job, walk to and from work, and the very occasional walk on my days off.

    Many members here exercise as they have sedentary jobs like working in an office, or because they want to tone or SIMPLY because they love it! But its not really my thing and I cant afford a gym membership so I just stick to walking when the mood takes me.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    I am losing 2 pounds a week mostly by calorie deficit.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    With or without exercise the math is the same. 500 calories per day per lb per week. Done.

    Please do not expect your weight loss to be mathematically consistent. This is scientifically impossible, but a wonderful guideline. :flowerforyou:
  • floop1207
    floop1207 Posts: 194 Member
    i'm not able to exercise much at all due to CFS and fibromyalgia. 'exercise' for me is sometimes managing to walk around the supermarket then i have to rest again when i get home.

    i've only lost 10lbs so far in about 8 weeks so it seems like its taking forever but right now, changing the way i eat is all i can do to have any impact on my weight.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    A person can eat the same amount they always have and add exercise, and weight loss will occur. I don't understand why some people are so insistent that this is not the case.
    If someone is already eating well over their TDEE (say a 1000 calories a day) then adds exercise (with a 500 calorie burn), they would still be in a 500 calorie surplus. You don't lose weight on a surplus.
    So that would depend if they were on maintenance calories for statement to be true.

    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
  • shadus
    shadus Posts: 424 Member
    A person can eat the same amount they always have and add exercise, and weight loss will occur. I don't understand why some people are so insistent that this is not the case.
    If someone is already eating well over their TDEE (say a 1000 calories a day) then adds exercise (with a 500 calorie burn), they would still be in a 500 calorie surplus. You don't lose weight on a surplus.
    So that would depend if they were on maintenance calories for statement to be true.

    The right way for the original poster to say it would be: If you don't change your diet you need to modify your exercise to exceed your surplus if you wish to lose weight.

    When you consider how many calories it takes to lose a lb and how much exercise that equates out to... you're far better off reducing your intake a bit and exercising at a long term maintainable level. I can gain 100lbs/year... no joke, I've done it twice. That is in the neighborhood of ~1000 calories a day average more than I need to maintain weight at a given point. If I wanted to lose weight on that intake level I would have to do 1500 calories worth of extra exercise a day to lose 1lb a week.

    In (unrealistic) perspective...

    300lbs, 10m mi, calories burned per mile 227, time required for 1500 calories... about 7 mi which would take 70m...

    225lbs, 10m mi, calories burned per mile 170, time required for 1500 calories... about 9 mi which would take 90m...

    150lbs, 10m mi, calories burned per mile 113, time required for 1500 calories... about 14 mi which would take 140m...

    To put those run times in perspective, the US Army PT run if memory serves me, lowest passing grade is about 8m15s/mi... and those boys are in good shape typically.

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