Can I lose weight without exercise?

debbieslastdiet
debbieslastdiet Posts: 7
in Getting Started
I just started my diet today and feel really quite motivated ( although suffering from a stinkpoo cold ) but my question is this - I lost some weight last year but swam three times a week so the exercise really helped. I have a pool membership coming up mid February ( after the new year rush ) but am unable to do any other exercise due to a foot injury - I can just about walk - I am allowing myself 1200 cals a day - does this sound realistic?

Deb

Replies

  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    Weight loss is all about calories in, calories out. As long as your intake is less than your output, you'll lose. And that's output regardless of exercise - the calories burned just by breathing and blinking and chewing your food and keeping your heart beating. So yes. You can lose weight without exercise. I have barely exercised at all in the past year of my weight loss and am down 53 pounds! Could I have lost more or eaten more calories if I'd been a dedicated exerciser? Yeah, probably, but that's not where I am able at the moment. Exercise is for fitness. Caloric intake are for weight loss. :):)
  • debbieslastdiet
    debbieslastdiet Posts: 7
    Weight loss is all about calories in, calories out. As long as your intake is less than your output, you'll lose. And that's output regardless of exercise - the calories burned just by breathing and blinking and chewing your food and keeping your heart beating. So yes. You can lose weight without exercise. I have barely exercised at all in the past year of my weight loss and am down 53 pounds! Could I have lost more or eaten more calories if I'd been a dedicated exerciser? Yeah, probably, but that's not where I am able at the moment. Exercise is for fitness. Caloric intake are for weight loss. :):)

    Wow - not an insignificant amount of weight, I feel like a bit of a failure but some days it's so painful I just actually need to sit down - not ideal!
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    I just started my diet today and feel really quite motivated ( although suffering from a stinkpoo cold ) but my question is this - I lost some weight last year but swam three times a week so the exercise really helped. I have a pool membership coming up mid February ( after the new year rush ) but am unable to do any other exercise due to a foot injury - I can just about walk - I am allowing myself 1200 cals a day - does this sound realistic?

    Deb

    <
    lost the weight without doing any exercise at all. Didn't start until after I transitioned into maintenance :smile:
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member

    <
    lost the weight without doing any exercise at all. Didn't start until after I transitioned into maintenance :smile:

    I did basically the same. I did some walking here and there, but didn't get serious about exercise until maintenance. I lost just over 70 lbs in a year by focusing my efforts on my diet.
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
    Oh yeah, calories in - calories out is not all about having those calories out from exercise. Eat at a deficit and you'll lose. I have a medical condition that limits my exercise capabilities and I'm losing pretty steadily. Just keeping my calories at 1210 creates at 6500 calorie deficit per week for me, not exercising, and that's almost 2 pounds per week. I'm not recommending a 1200 calorie diet plan (my doctor had to give me the green light for 1200 per day), I'm just sharing what works for me. And I obviously increase my calories in on days I completed an exercise program. Those days, I eat about 1300-1400, depending on what I burned.
  • PopeyeCT
    PopeyeCT Posts: 249 Member
    Don't feel like a failure!

    There are lots of stories out there about people that have some amazing numbers. That doesn't mean that you're not doing well if you don't match them. Think of it like watching sports on television. Just because you can't beat Michael Phelps doesn't mean you shouldn't play.

    Have you though about seeing a trainer or a physical therapist that might be able to suggest some exercises you could to with your injury?
  • boys4rmine
    boys4rmine Posts: 53
    When I first started on MFP I lost 20lbs in the first 2-3 months just watching what I was eating, so yes.
  • guitarguy310
    guitarguy310 Posts: 32 Member
    Absolutely - keep your calories in a deficit and you're good to go! Slowly get some exercise in when you can to feel ultimately healthier.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    I lost all my weight without exercising except for walking the dogs around the block a few times a week. I joined a gym in August and haven't lost any weight since then but I've gone done a pants size. So, yes, you can lose weight without exercising as long as you're eating at a deficit. And you can wait until February for your pool membership to go through.
  • bloggymomx
    bloggymomx Posts: 72
    You can lose weight without exercising, yes. I've done it when I was injured but you do it at a slower pace. So you will lose weight but toning up is all about exercise. :)
  • Laughter_Girl
    Laughter_Girl Posts: 2,226 Member
    Like others, I have lost weight in the past with a controlled diet and no exercise. This time around though, I have decided to incorporate exercise. I didn't do it to lose more weight but to tone me up during the process. Also, I actually feel a better too.

    You are definitely not a failure, and you certainly don't want to re-injure yourself by doing something you shouldn't. However, since you have lower body injury, you may want to try doing some upper body movements. Arm exercises with hand weights, water bottles, cans, etc. still counts for exercise. :wink:

    Wishing you all the best.
  • amwood89
    amwood89 Posts: 165 Member
    Yep! Chances are though that you won't like the body you're left with from just diet alone.

    I lost 50lbs from doing very little exercise & I was left with a body that I hated more than the fat one I had before!!

    I started exercising properly after 50lbs & started introducing strength & cardio into my daily routine & I'm so pleased with the results! Still improvements to be made but it's miles better than the one I had before doing exercise!

    I've only lost a further 10lbs since working out but I'd say it's improved my figure & shape by 80%.

    Good luck with your loss :)
  • jmxxiiii
    jmxxiiii Posts: 231 Member
    I've lost over 50 lbs without ever stepping foot in a gym. I'm active in my daily life and diet is everything.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Weight loss reuslts are very much about diet rather than exercise.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yes...I lost my first 15-20 Lbs without exercise. Exercise simply increases your body's calorie requirements due to increased activity...therefore, you can eat more and still lose weight when you exercise and/or you can use exercise to make your calorie deficit bigger. Also, exercise is just goof for you in general and pretty much necessary for overall health and well being.

    When you put in your goals in MfP, MFP gives you a calorie goal that is a deficit from your theoretical maintenance. MFP doesn't take into account any exercise until you actually do it and log it...to account for that activity, you get additional calories to "eat back" when you exercise with MfP. So, as you can see...with MFP, exercise isn't used for weight loss...it's all in your diet and exercise is for fitness.
  • debbieslastdiet
    debbieslastdiet Posts: 7
    Thank you guys for some really encouraging remarks - exercise is - I find - really good for my mental health as toning so I'll get in the pool as soon as everyone else from new year gets out :) in the mean time I'll crack on with the healthy eating!

    Deb
  • Alwayssohungry
    Alwayssohungry Posts: 369 Member
    Do what you know you can maintain every day. This is a long term change. All I did was move more and eat less. I do at least 10000 steps a day most days. If you can't maintain your exercise plan you'll get discouraged very quickly. I knew before I started that I didn't have the time or the will to join a gym or "go" anywhere to exercise. I knew my schedule would not allow me to join a class or set up a set exercise schedule. I can always eat less, so I did not base my changes on too much activity. I told MFP I was 'lightly active' so I was given a lower daily calorie goal. If I want more food I get off my butt and earn it. 10,000 steps for me equals about 275 more calories per day. I move I eat, I don't move I don't. It's tough because the days I don't move and am being a couch slug I really want some snacks to munch.
  • lilacghost
    lilacghost Posts: 17 Member
    This was such an encouraging thread to read! It's not that I hate exercising, I'm just so out of shape that exercising is very hard and painful. People are always saying that heavy people need to exercise, but there comes a point but your body just can't do it that easily anymore.

    I just made an intro post wondering if I should focus on healthy eating for now and once I lose a bit of weight, start moving more. Exercise is just so hard on a bigger body with aches and pains and shortness of breath and seemingly infinite amount of other issues!
  • debbieslastdiet
    debbieslastdiet Posts: 7
    This was such an encouraging thread to read! It's not that I hate exercising, I'm just so out of shape that exercising is very hard and painful. People are always saying that heavy people need to exercise, but there comes a point but your body just can't do it that easily anymore.

    I just made an intro post wondering if I should focus on healthy eating for now and once I lose a bit of weight, start moving more. Exercise is just so hard on a bigger body with aches and pains and shortness of breath and seemingly infinite amount of other issues!

    There must be plenty of people out there I guess that - for whatever reason - can't exercise and it must surely be better to eat a healthy diet with no exercise than to do nothing at all. I know that I'm probably going to need a small op on my foot this year but I have a real need to lose some weight and get as healthy as I can in the meantime.
  • emmalouiserichardson
    emmalouiserichardson Posts: 9 Member
    My advice to you would be to take up swimming - it's low impact, will support you and you can build up your pace. For best results, do front crawl.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
    In a word: Yes. I've lost my weight so far without doing much exercise at all.

    I had a bariatric doctor tell me that it was far more important when starting out to focus on what your eating, and the exercise can be added in later on.

    I'm not saying don't ever exercise because it will definitely help keep your metabolism up. But realize your parameters. At this point if you have to choose one thing to focus on, your food intake should be your primary focus.

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