How much is exercise contributing to my weight loss?

summer92008

I'm 5'6'' tall, 20 years old, and weigh 145 lbs.

So far I have lost 4 pounds over the past 3 1/2 weeks.

I try to stay around 1,200 calories but some days go up to MFP recommended 1,500 calories a day (MFP says this is how many I can eat/day to lose 1 lb. per week). I am dong fine with that. Not really hungry much at all.

I also walk 5-6 days a week (4-5 miles a day, 350-450 cal. burned/workout).

How much are these walks contributing to my weight loss? I thought about toning down the walking to 3-4 days a week because I'm afraid I will get burnt out. Would I still lose just as much without exercising since I'm eating at a deficit or is the exercising helping because it is burning extra calories? Most people say exercising is just to get fit, but it also burns calories, so it is important to actually losing weight, too, isn't it?

brizzeem

I think it's important to realize where the numbers actually come from. The cals you eat, goals, etc are theoretical (calculations) that need to be applied to you over a long enough period of time for you to justify them to your body. Also food calories are not 100% accurate (even if you weight them) so that is also a source of error.

If you find that you're losing weight (4 lbs over 3.5 weeks is great fyi) then keep at it and even more-so you can start tweaking things as you see fit but keep in mind in order to truly understand that impact it should be over an extended period of time (3+ weeks).

rsclause

I think exercise is an important part of the whole equation. I "feel" like it helped speed up the weight loss. Whether it was burning more calories, metabolism increase, muscle building or just in my head. Now I am maintaining and feel great. I exercise for the fun of it now because I don't need the weight loss anymore.

thavoice

I'm 5'6'' tall, 20 years old, and weigh 145 lbs.

So far I have lost 4 pounds over the past 3 1/2 weeks.

I try to stay around 1,200 calories but some days go up to MFP recommended 1,500 calories a day (MFP says this is how many I can eat/day to lose 1 lb. per week). I am dong fine with that. Not really hungry much at all.

I also walk 5-6 days a week (4-5 miles a day, 350-450 cal. burned/workout).

How much are these walks contributing to my weight loss? I thought about toning down the walking to 3-4 days a week because I'm afraid I will get burnt out. Would I still lose just as much without exercising since I'm eating at a deficit or is the exercising helping because it is burning extra calories? Most people say exercising is just to get fit, but it also burns calories, so it is important to actually losing weight, too, isn't it?

3.5 weeks of walking around 20 miles a week. 20 miles a week of walking is approx You burn around 70 cals/mile walked so you are burning roughly 1400 calories a week by walking.

3.5 weeks x 1400 = 4900 calories burned over that time....as a good GUESTIMATE.

It most likely has helped you, as walking isnt going to hurt your weight loss.

So in that time you burned around 5000 calories walking. If everything else stayed the same in terms of your calories then it helped you with about 1.5 lbs.

Again..this is just a rounded figure.

..and dont forget walking/exercise is good for your health, physically and mentally. Not only does it get you up and moving, it gets you away from food!

Exercising also does allow you to eat a few more calories as well i fyou wanted to.

MeganAnne89

I'm 5'6'' tall, 20 years old, and weigh 145 lbs.

So far I have lost 4 pounds over the past 3 1/2 weeks.

I try to stay around 1,200 calories but some days go up to MFP recommended 1,500 calories a day (MFP says this is how many I can eat/day to lose 1 lb. per week). I am dong fine with that. Not really hungry much at all.

I also walk 5-6 days a week (4-5 miles a day, 350-450 cal. burned/workout).

How much are these walks contributing to my weight loss? I thought about toning down the walking to 3-4 days a week because I'm afraid I will get burnt out. Would I still lose just as much without exercising since I'm eating at a deficit or is the exercising helping because it is burning extra calories? Most people say exercising is just to get fit, but it also burns calories, so it is important to actually losing weight, too, isn't it?

I would definitely recommend upping to your recommended 1,500 because based on a quick calculation that's pretty much what your BMR is and you don't want to net less cals than that since that's what your body requires in order to function properly. And when you exercise, are you eating back any cals that you've burned off? (although keep in mind that MFP exaggerates the amount of calories that you've burned. When I'm on the elliptical for 40 minutes it tells me I've burned like, 350 cals but when I go to the gym and input all my info in the machine, it takes me 40 mins to burn only 200 calories). Because if you've eaten 1,500, and then you go exercise and burn 200, you can eat that 200 back in order to still net your 1,500 recommended amount.

And it's hard to say exactly how much they're contributing but any exercise helps. You want to find a balance of both cardio and strength training to both get rid of excess fat and work your muscles.

Anniebotnen

Of course the calories burned during exercise are helping you lose weight, if the walking is helping you create a calorie deficit. If you eat all your exercise calories back, then the walking may not contribute to your deficit, but you would be able to eat more calories for the same deficit as if you didn't walk. If that makes sense. And it's good for your health.

nikkohli

First off all--your hard work is paying off! 4lbs in 3.5 weeks is wonderful. I would love to lose almost a lb a week

I find exercise important not just for physical fitness but because it helps me make great choices- after I work out, I feel more motivated to eat in moderation and not splurge on a whole pack of Oreos! Also, I love the "me" time--as someone else mentioned, it is a great factor in mental health as well as physical.

summer92008

No, I try to not eat back my exercise calories. I track my calories burned by MapMyWalk App which tracks how far and fast I walk and calculates calories burned by my height and weight. So I'm assuming these are right? I don't know. But I want those burned calories to be put into my deficit. If I was going to eat them back, I just wouldn't walk at all. However, some days I will be a little more hungry than others and eat more into the 1,500 calorie range. But I never go over that. Ever. Except on cheat days, which I try to have one of every 2 weeks. And on those days I don't eat more calories than my calculated maintenance calories.

MeganAnne89

No, I try to not eat back my exercise calories. I track my calories burned by MapMyWalk App which tracks how far and fast I walk and calculates calories burned by my height and weight. So I'm assuming these are right? I don't know. But I want those burned calories to be put into my deficit. If I was going to eat them back, I just wouldn't walk at all. However, some days I will be a little more hungry than others and eat more into the 1,500 calorie range. But I never go over that. Ever. Except on cheat days, which I try to have one of every 2 weeks. And on those days I don't eat more calories than my calculated maintenance calories.

Okay.

To be honest the main thing that I focus on is, "am I hungry right now?" And if I have a day where I've only eaten about 1200 and I'm full, then I won't eat any more. So if you're the same way, then that seems to be fine with me.