But Do I HAVE to go to the GYM?

PrissyPisces

Hello everyone!

So I got through my first week of my "new lifestyle", and have lost 8 lbs without exercising. I'm sure a lot of this was water weight, since I do retain fluid, and ate a diet that contained lots of sodium on a daily basis. (So I believe)

I do know that exercising is healthy, and necessary if I really want to tone my body and maximize my weight loss. However, I am unable to go to the gym at this point, and I don't know when I will be able to. I do own a low impact step aerobics dvd ( with a step), and a Tae Bo dvd that I haven't used yet, but I was wondering, has anyone successfully lost a nice large amount of weight without going to the gym? How about without exercise at all? ( I DO PLAN ON DOING SOME FORM OF EXERCISE, JUST CURIOUS) How much did you lose, and how fast were you able to lose it? What exercises did you do?

toledochic

I have lost weight without going to the gym. I do ride my bike and do T25 though.

PrissyPisces

I have lost weight without going to the gym. I do ride my bike and do T25 though.

Silly me. I forgot to add that I no longer have any exercise equipment, besides my step and mini exercise bike (the one that can fit under a desk lol)

And WOW! Over 100 lbs? That's AWESOME! Congratulations! You ride a stationary bike? And I've never heard of T25. Lol

Ninkyou

You don't HAVE to go to the gym to get fit.

You can do something like walking, which is GREAT exercise. Go to a local park with a track, or hike a nature trail. Walk around the neighborhood. If your neighborhood has a community pool, swim. Use Youtube videos. There's tons of things you can do with no extra cost that will keep you fit and healthy.

shadow2soul

I haven't stepped in a gym in...well since before I got fat in the first place.:laugh:

I go on walks.
Use workout dvd's.
Find workout videos on youtube.
Adjustable dumbbells for strength training.

Before we traded our xbox 360 for an xbox one, I was using:
Just Dance games
EA Sports Active 2.0 (circuit training type workout)

I lost 47.8lbs in 6 months last year while using MFP before getting pregnant. I had lost 24.2lbs on my own before I started using MFP.

DVD's I have:
30 Day Shred (not my favorite)
Rockin' Body
X-TrainFit (do not recommend....dvd's are really drawn out and the amount of talking the lady does makes the workouts longer than they need to be)

ajones1965

Diet is key to weight loss. Weigh your food accurately withy a digital scale. If you are at a deficit you will lose weight regardless of exercise. Exercise is good for general fitness, improved cardiovascular system and weight training is good for maintaining lean muscle mass. lean muscle burns more calories. I don't think you need to join a gym to start with, sounds like you have it covered at home. Maybe consider buying a kettlebell and do that for strength training?

editorgrrl

You lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn. I lost 30 lbs. by doing yoga 3x a month + walking 7,000 steps a day.

Read the Sexypants post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

sabified

When I first started (before MFP) I lost 20lbs with just walking. After I joined MFP I did a few months of just watching my calories, and lost another 20 or so from that (had stopped walking because it was winter). It's definitely possible to lose weight without exercising... exercising helps build the physique you'd probably want... and of course, you don't have to go to the gym to exercise

AnnaChanges

I lost 33 lbs in about 6-7 months without going to the gym or exercising at all due to a leg injury. You can do it without the gym it is about calorie deficit regarding weight-loss. Yet I have to say though that I am not just 5 lbs away from my goal but I feel that my body needs real toning it is not as firm as before so i wish I exercised a bit during my weightloss.
So you can do home exercises maybe get some weights/dumbbells and download Gillian Michael's dvds with them.

PennyVonDread

I exercise at home often. Just dance, stretching, and calisthenics mostly. While I do go to the gym occasionally and run outdoors, I still lose weight on the weeks I only workout at home. I don't have free weights, just a few resistance bands. I don't use dvds or do anything intense, just as long as I work up a light sweat I consider it a day. I think the best exercise is the one you stick with, whatever you enjoy. Diet is about 80% of the weight loss formula, and exercise is helpful but also somewhat incidental. You will lose weight if you watch what you eat and don't exercise, but you won't necessarily out-exercise a poor diet. Ideally you do a little of both, because there are benefits to both habits being changed, but for weight loss, your food intake is your priority.

1LadyKate

Lionsgate Be Fit has a number of full length videos on it like 30 day Shred:

http://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit

ETA: if you do the 30 days shred make sure you stretch more outside of the time in the video. I didn't and ended up pulling a muscles and injuring my foot.

PrissyPisces

I haven't stepped in a gym in...well since before I got fat in the first place.:laugh:

I go on walks.
Use workout dvd's.
Find workout videos on youtube.
Adjustable dumbbells for strength training.

Before we traded our xbox 360 for an xbox one, I was using:
Just Dance games
EA Sports Active 2.0 (circuit training type workout)

I lost 47.8lbs in 6 months last year while using MFP before getting pregnant. I had lost 24.2lbs on my own before I started using MFP.

DVD's I have:
30 Day Shred (not my favorite)
Rockin' Body
X-TrainFit (do not recommend....dvd's are really drawn out and the amount of talking the lady does makes the workouts longer than they need to be)

Congratulations on the baby AND your weight loss! Can't wait to lose 50 lbs!

chrissyrenee1029

Definitely not. I'd much rather spend the $$$ that would have gone toward a gym membership each month on videos and equipment that I can use at home. Once you're happy with your stash, start adding the $$$ to a "reward" fund for when you reach your goals

JoeCampbell85

I can't answer your questions cause I've always worked out while dieting. I don't do it because it speeds up my weight loss though. It doesn't, I eat back all my exercise calories. It does keep me sane though. It gives me an extra 400-600 calories to eat. It lets me eat more not so healthy food with a fraction of the guilt. You can lose weight effectively without cardio, it's all about the calorie deficit (except in certain medical conditions that may skew this aspect such as PCOS).

PrissyPisces

Diet is key to weight loss. Weigh your food accurately withy a digital scale. If you are at a deficit you will lose weight regardless of exercise. Exercise is good for general fitness, improved cardiovascular system and weight training is good for maintaining lean muscle mass. lean muscle burns more calories. I don't think you need to join a gym to start with, sounds like you have it covered at home. Maybe consider buying a kettlebell and do that for strength training?

Kettlebell is going on my "To Get" list. I forgot about those. You can tell I wasn't living a healthy lifestyle. :laugh:

Shame on me.....:grumble:

cwolfman13

Exercise is not necessary for weight loss. Weight control is all about energy balance...exercise can help in this RE but weight control is largely about consumption. If you're following MFP, your calorie goal already includes your weight loss deficit without any exercise whatsoever.

Diet for weight control; exercise for fitness...oh, and you don't have to go to a gym to workout.

lucasmoten

No, you don't have to go to the gym. About 75% of my weight loss was from calorie reduction. The rest pure running. And I eat back my calories. I have a gym membership, but I have not been for about a year. The gym is great for strength training, access to equipment for recovery, and showers as a hedge for when the power goes out for extended periods of time. But no, you don't need the gym to lose weight. On the contrary, I find its better for gaining weight/strength.

If you can run, swim, or bike, those seem to be the fastest ways to lose weight. Otherwise, walking helps but it will take a very long time in comparison, and I wouldn't advise eating back exercise calories from walking, unless its actually hiking (with hills, for hours, in a park).

Mexicanbigfoot

I don't think you "have" to go to the gym to lose weight.

I cancelled my gym membership a few months ago and it was the best thing I have done in awhile.

I walk at home (free!) and I make sure to be very careful to weight and measure all my food.

There are tons of free videos on YouTube that don't require any costly gym equipment and alot of them allow you to use common household items for resistance.

Good luck on your journey!! :happy:

AlyssaJoJo

<--- Lost all my weight so far using work out dvds/downloads/and active video games. While I know soon we'll finally get a gym membership - I also know it isn't NEEDED for what I want when it comes to my weight loss goals. You can completely do it with out a gym. And later one when you can get a gym membership then you can do that... or not. It's up to you.

PrissyPisces

Definitely not. I'd much rather spend the $$$ that would have gone toward a gym membership each month on videos and equipment that I can use at home. Once you're happy with your stash, start adding the $$$ to a "reward" fund for when you reach your goals

That sounds like an awesome plan! Shopping anyone? LOL!

PrissyPisces

I can't answer your questions cause I've always worked out while dieting. I don't do it because it speeds up my weight loss though. It doesn't, I eat back all my exercise calories. It does keep me sane though. It gives me an extra 400-600 calories to eat. It lets me eat more not so healthy food with a fraction of the guilt. You can lose weight effectively without cardio, it's all about the calorie deficit (except in certain medical conditions that may skew this aspect such as PCOS).

Which I do have. Smh

JeralynSh

I lost all my weight in my own home. I have a treadmill and stationary bike. They've paid for themselves already and if I had a gym membership, I'd still be paying dues or a fee of some sort. And I walk outside, too. That's free!

PrissyPisces

Glad to hear that many of you are successful by working out at home. I always wondered if I was doing enough when I just did step aerobics.

hipsterkhris

Last October I wanted to clean up my body, so I decided to live on a Vegetarian diet for all of October. Went straight from steak and bacon to greek yogurt and chickenless chicken. In this month, I lost 20lbs, without ever stepping foot in a gym. I didn't even count calories at first, but one day I decided to and realized I had been severely under eating.

It's definitely possible.

GuineaPiglet

You absolutely don't have to go to the gym. Personally I find the gym motivates me and drains all the funds I would have spent on...say....fast food, but you can get plenty of exercise with no cost to you. Walking is GREAT. You can strength train with objects you have lying around the house.

You can lose plenty of weight without exercising at all, but heart health and body composition really do matter.

TutuMom41

I do not go to the gym. I have some free weights. I do some yoga with my kids and a pair of sneakers and walking or jogging is always free and can be done at the spur of the moment any and every day

pythonsweb

I did pretty good so far all I have used was the 30 day shred and running, dont need equip for the dvds you can use handweights but can prob modify them and do it without them

PrissyPisces

Last October I wanted to clean up my body, so I decided to live on a Vegetarian diet for all of October. Went straight from steak and bacon to greek yogurt and chickenless chicken. In this month, I lost 20lbs, without ever stepping foot in a gym. I didn't even count calories at first, but one day I decided to and realized I had been severely under eating.

It's definitely possible.

I am a pescetarian, but am getting turned off by fish. I'm learning that I don't like fish as much as I thought I did. I MAINLY liked it because it was fried. Sad huh? But I think I am leaving fish behind. I'll be an ovo-lacto vegetarian until further notice.

Odinisgod

IMO it's actually easier to lose weight without excersizing (personally, I'd rather just not eat an extra 300 calories, than burn 300 calories with exercise). The purpose of exercise isn't really to lose weight; it's to improve health and fitness. It's important (almost everyone SHOULD be exercising), but for different reasons than just losing weight.

PrissyPisces

Last October I wanted to clean up my body, so I decided to live on a Vegetarian diet for all of October. Went straight from steak and bacon to greek yogurt and chickenless chicken. In this month, I lost 20lbs, without ever stepping foot in a gym. I didn't even count calories at first, but one day I decided to and realized I had been severely under eating.

It's definitely possible.

I am a pescetarian, but am getting turned off by fish. I'm learning that I don't like fish as much as I thought I did. I MAINLY liked it because it was fried. Sad huh? But I think I am leaving fish behind. I'll be an ovo-lacto vegetarian until further notice.

Thought you were being silly when you said chickenless chicken, but that's REAL. Wow. Lol Never would've thought....

ReenieReenie05

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