can i exercise for 30 minutes a day and lose weight

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twistygirl
twistygirl Posts: 517 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, I want to eat between 1200-1350 calories a day and I only want to exercise for ONLY 30 minutes a day not a second more. In the past I have exercised my weight off running 8 miles a day 4 in the morning and 4 at night I lost a ton of weight but couldn't keep it off (I did look great) Now I don't want to spend more than 30 min. exercising. Can I lose a lot of weight doing this? Have anyone else tried, I am not looking for fast weight loss just steady weight loss, 1- 2lbs a week? And I don't want to spend an hour a day exercising. Thanks

Replies

  • tessjordan88
    tessjordan88 Posts: 201 Member
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    It can be done! You just have to retrict your daily calories to well below your BMR. Use the BMR calculator on the tools tab.
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
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    MFP can calculate how many calories you should eat per day. Say you wanted to lose 1 pound a week (which is recommended) then MFP will calculate how many calories you should eat per day given this goal. For instance, if your calorie intake is calculated to be 1350 per day in order to lose 1 pound per week, and you stay within that total, then yes, 30 minutes a day is fine for exercise. Just make sure you always eat at least 1200 calories a day.

    30 minutes of exercise goes far.. I only exercise that amount of time some days, but it can burn 250 calories.
  • Dawn_2013
    Dawn_2013 Posts: 170
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    Agreed. It can be done, but unless you want cellery for lunch and dinner you have to make those 30 minutes count! And regardless, take a day off or your body will adapt to the regime. To keep the weight loss at max, change up the 30 minute activity:flowerforyou:
  • twistygirl
    twistygirl Posts: 517 Member
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    I have been changing up my exercise but I haven't lost very much weight. If I walk it seems like I have to walk atleast an hour to get results. I use my treadmil the Wifit stationary bike rowingmachine also I am lifting weights I am becoming a fat toned version of myself. thats why I was wondering if it is possible to lose the weight with 30 minutes or do you just maintain with 30 minutes even the exercise books shape, fitness seems to say 45minutes or more.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I stick to 1200 and exercise 30min..i dont have an issue losing..I just started to increase my walking but thats more for a personal goal...if you want i can send you a message with my typical menu for a day
  • jmsanwi
    jmsanwi Posts: 1
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    Congrats myastyme! 73 pounds! I am interested in y our typical day's menu. How'd you do it? :wink:
  • whyflysouth
    whyflysouth Posts: 308 Member
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    If losing weight is what you're after, you could do 0 min/day of exercise and STILL lose weight as long as you eat below your maintenance calories. So yes, w/ 30 min/day you can lose weight. The key is calories in is less than calories burned, you burn calories just by getting up and walking throughout your house, to your car, standing, sitting, etc so as long as you eat less than you burn, you will lose weight.

    Losing weight, and maintaining cardiovascular fitness are 2 different things, those books that say 45 min or more usually assume that you will NOT change your diet. Given that you eat just what you used to eat you might need over 45 min/day to create enough of a caloric deficit to induce long term weight loss, but if you eat under what you used to eat, you'll get the deficit that way.

    Think of calories like money, you make money, and you spend money. If you make more money than you spend, the extra will go towards savings in the bank (our bodies are our bank accounts storing our money as fat). If you spend more than you make, you bank account will dwindle away to zero. You make money by eating, and you spend it by moving. If you want to lose weight you need to spend more than you make, you can do this either by buying more things on a daily basis (e.g. exercising/moving more) or making less money (eating less). If you do both you get double the effect but you don't have to do both. I've lost more weight from cutting back on my calorie intake than from doing exercise. Actually, in the short term, exercise makes me heavier (I assume that's water retention in the muscles maybe).
  • st27
    st27 Posts: 101
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    Yes you can lose weight that way. Just make sure you go at a faster pace so you burn more calories.
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
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    I had a trainer tell me, you eat to lose weight, you exercise for good health! If you follow a healthy diet, 30 minutes will be fine!
  • JoyJulRay
    JoyJulRay Posts: 99 Member
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    I WORK OUT TWO TIMES A DAY FOR 30 MINS, IN THE 30 MINS I CAN BURN 300 TO 400 CAL. SO IN A DAY I CAN BURN UP TO 600-800 CALS . I TRY NOT TO EAT MORE THEN 1300 CALS. A DAY. THIS IS MY FIRST FULL WEKK SO WILL WEIGH FRI AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS
  • twistygirl
    twistygirl Posts: 517 Member
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    Now you know I want that thanks a whole lot and congrats on your loss
  • loopybec2002
    loopybec2002 Posts: 313 Member
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    I have been here since July 1st and have seen a weightloss of around 2lb per week. I do exercise 3 times a week usually between 30 mins to an hour I have changed my diet and drink lots more water than I used to at least 1.5 litres a day. So yes it can be done.

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