Anyone lost weight with diet alone??

tiggerhammon

I wouldn't say diet completely alone.
I lost 18lbs on here before discovering I was pregnant and, now, have backed off trying to lose for now.
I work, and my work is active. But, I never picked up weights, went to the gym or ran. I did nothing new besides dieting, but in general my life is very physically active.

kathysyd82

Yes & no - the bulk of my weight loss (just over 20 kilos) was back in 2009. To start with I didn't exercise much at all apart from walking (I had moved interstate and hadn't brought a car with me). However, I had been on medication that had caused me to be constantly hungry (and was eating a lot of junk) which was when my weight shot up. Once I stopped taking that, the weight started to come off quickly to start with, without a lot of effort.

Now, I find I can't lose weight without exercise unless I am on an extreme (and unhealthy) diet - e.g. had my tonsils out 2 years ago and obviously lost weight because you barely eat anything, but as soon as I started eating normally again the couple of kilos I lost went back on.

I think if you have a lot of weight to lose you can lose some without exercise, but as you get closer to your goal/set point it is harder and harder to do it through diet alone.

sazzyhalo

I have gone from 168lbs to 120lbs through diet alone and kept it off long term with minimal effort. At the times when I feel I need to lose a couple of pounds I restrict my calories to 1200ish, probs a little more. The rest of the time I eat whatever I like, generally poached eggs or jam and butter on toast for breakfast, soup and sandwich for lunch, large home cooked meal for dinner (usually some kind of meat/fish with potatoes and veg or a curry/stir fry/chilli etc) and chocolate (a family bar between two of us) and a couple of glasses of wine for dessert). I also go out a couple of times a week for meals, drinks etc. I have no idea how many calories that is, but it's definitely more than 'dieting' calories and I've maintained for a long time now. I genuinely think weightloss is very much down to nutrition, and I think maintaining is down to eating real food instead of junk or diet/low fat foods etc. Also, if you are eating healthy foods, 1200 calories actually gives you a lot to eat daily.

Oh my god! Everyone responding here eats horribly, horribly low calories! I totally understand why most people gain all of their weight back. It isn't sustainable if you have to eat BELOW your BMR to lose weight,

That said, I've lost through lifting weights and diet while trying to get very lean. So zero cardio. I am 65.5 in tall and weighed 133 lbs at the time and got down to 124 in about 2 months eating 1600 cals per day and cheating occasionally on the weekends up to 2500 calories.
I just can't imagine eating only 1200-1400 calories per day long term. That's like a child's diet. I'd rather fast every other day and consume double calories on non fasting days so I at least felt full sometimes.

Sorry if I sound hypercritical, just didn't realize that people really ate that few calories.

Shaylyn1986

I've lost ~180lbs to ~138lbs with diet alone. I went down to ~150 doing weight watchers and the rest was lost gradually over the years. I've maintained my weight for 5 years by staggering my calories by eating 1200 mon-thurs and the weekends eating moderately healthy but not overboard. I hate exercise and tried various forms of it which didn't seem to last. Like many have posted, 1200 is a lot if you're eating the right foods (salads!). Feel free to friend me if you'd like to see my diary.

osothefinn

My first 50 pounds was diet only, but my bloodwork numbers didn't start improving until I added cardio.

karaharrison2012

I have a desk job and do not get much exercise at all. I sit for 9 hours go home and cook do light cleaning and household duties and go to sleep.

SW 187
CW 130
GW 125

Did 1200 cal until I got within 5lbs of my goal and I try to stick to 1200-1500 daily.

Rai007

so excited to read these stories

ThePuddingPrince

When I lost my first 40lbs or so it was done solely through calorie restricting.
The more weight you lose the harder it is to get by with no exercise, at least from my perspective.

Having said that if you eat in a deficit, 99% of the time you will lose weight, regardless of how sedentary you are.

eleanorblack

53lbs so far with no exercise (well, I walk to work and for the school drop-off etc and do active stuff at weekends but no structured exercising).

I do not like exercising at this weight. But when I get to 80 lbs lost (hopefully by the Spring) then I intend to get back into swimming and gym classes for the second 80lbs :-)

nomorebingesgirl2014

Bump

jac_84

20% exercise 80% diet

Tonigirl519

I've done both....weightloss is 80% in the kitchen and 20% in the gym or something like that. So I agree that you can lose with diet alone...however to maintain and keep it off and to look as healthy exercise is key....

jojom126

I was able to lose my first 33 lbs without any extra exercise but now I am going to the gym 3 times a week. I think my body is stabilizing at no extra effort.

ALNoog

I did before..I lost 89 pounds and didn't really work out.... I only went From a 22 to an 18 in pants if it was a loose 18 ...but from an xxl shirt to a s/m shirt..... And from a C cup bra to an A cup bra and down a size in shoes.....

This time ive lost 35 pounds and been working out and have gone from a 24 to a 20 in pants already but only from an xxl to an xl shirt.... And to a B cup.


I have a friend that works out like crazy and eats pretty badly and she's 195 (higher than I was when I previously lost) and she's a size 8 pants....