Does anyone here just do the eating plan (and NOT do much ex

CARNAT22

The reason I ask is that when I lost 42lbs a few years back I didn't do any exercise (other than daily walking - aprox 30 mins) until after I'd dropped 21lbs..

I don't mind working out BUT I am a little concerned that going down to 1200 cals per day + exercising a lot will mean that I put my body into shock (the shock of being healthy again LOL) or that I will begin to build muscle and not lose weight?? I know in theory that eating back my exercise calorie could prevent this but I am not convinced.

1200 cals per day is fine for me and I am just wondering is anyone else has done the 'diet' part WITHOUT exercise and how they are finding it?

jammyone

You're much better off 'burning fat' rather than 'starving the fat'.

A 1200 calorie diet is an extremely low diet and I really wouldn't recommend it - not for a permanent soloution anyway. You're better off eating 200 calories worth of good food and excercising a little (3 x 30 min sessions a week).

Kate_UK

I started out just following the food plan and lost 18lbs, but then my weight started to plateau so I added in exercise. (and was really surprised when I actually started to enjoy it!) When you add exercise to your diary MFP gives you extra calories to eat so that you avoid going into starvation mode and shocking your body.

snockers3112

I've done very little exercise to be honest...I walk to and from work every day...the last couple of weeks I've been to the gym twice a week but haven't gone overboard, burned about 200 calories and then gone for a sauna My theory behind this is when the weight loss slows down I need something else to kick start it again, and that's when I will do more exercise. That's the plan anyway

thektturner

I didn't start exercising until I was used to eating healthy and it no longer felt like a sacrifice. Then I exercised for 3 weeks and hurt my back, so I was out of commission for another 5 weeks.

When I couldn't exercise, I took to calorie cycling and I was losing weight faster than I am now exercising most days. However, my goal wasn't only to lose weight, I also wanted to have muscle and stamina. So, I am keeping at the exercise, but I don't think it's terrible that you don't. If your goal is just to lose weight, then why not do it the easiest way you can?

By the way - you should look into calorie cycling. It works like a charm and only requires discipline in the eating. No exercise required. In fact, it's MUCH easier to keep track of when you aren't exercising, which is why I'm no longer doing it.

CARNAT22

As I say I don't mind working out and I do walk 40 minutes a day anyway. It's just last time I managed to lose a lot of weight without exercise and then factored it in to keep my weight-loss going and tone up.

I guess it's just trial and error so I will find out what works for me.

I started off exercising like crazy (daily walking plus 30 minutes cardio 4/5 times per week and daily sit-ups) but personally I think I need to get the 'eating' part right before I can find a sustainable exercise regime :-(

kwardklinck

After my second baby, I ate about 900-1000 calories per day and didn't exercise at all. I lost all of my baby weight and kept it off for a long time. I was small for a number of years but I wasn't fit. This is better. I weigh 10 pounds more than I did back then, but I'm the same size. I also feel stronger and healthier than I've felt since my teens. I'm 44 years old and don't think I've ever been this fit before. The other thing to consider is that as you lose weight, you will lose fat and muscle. It's going to make you flabby if you don't add some exercise as you lose weight.

meggonkgonk

If you go "down to a 1200 calorie diet" you should be logging your exercise in MFP and eating the additional calories back. So you can choose to exercise and "earn" extra calories. On your home page, there is a number marked "net" this number should read higher than 1200 at the end of everyday

Also- if MFP gives you 1200 calories per day, it likely means your weightloss goal (ie Xlbs/wk) is too high. 1200 is as low as it will let you go (without creating a dangerous deficit). So if you hit it, that means its time for your weightloss goals to slow. A lot of people select 1.5 or 2 lbs when safely they really can only lose about a lb per week.

You don't need to exercise to lose weight- in fact, your diet determines about 80% or more of your weightloss goals/results- but exercise is good for an overall fit and healthy lifestyle.

HEre are a couple of links you should check out to better understand how MFP works:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

Good luck!

tmaksparkie

The reason I ask is that when I lost 42lbs a few years back I didn't do any exercise (other than daily walking - aprox 30 mins) until after I'd dropped 21lbs..

I don't mind working out BUT I am a little concerned that going down to 1200 cals per day + exercising a lot will mean that I put my body into shock (the shock of being healthy again LOL) or that I will begin to build muscle and not lose weight?? I know in theory that eating back my exercise calorie could prevent this but I am not convinced.

1200 cals per day is fine for me and I am just wondering is anyone else has done the 'diet' part WITHOUT exercise and how they are finding it?

I would not recommend it, I have lost 107lbs on a low calorie diet and now I am dealing with the fact of rebuilding my motabalism and that is not easy. I used to eat 1200clas and no exercise and it lowered my burn so bad that anything I ate over 1200 I gained weight my body just would not burn it. So it has been a long 4 months to reverse what I have done. Don't get me wrong I am happy I lost all that weight but if I would have known what it was going to do I would not have done it. I am now eating 1690cals and exercising 6 days week and I burn so many more cals( I have a bodybugg) it is awesome and I feel great. Good luck in what you choose.

Flossycat100

Jammyone, a lot of people on here have been 'prescribed' a 1200-cal-a-day diet plan and by and large, it is working. As of this morning I was 34lb lighter since November. Once I have reached my target weight I will readjust my calories upwards so that I am maintaining rather than losing- simple. I am of course combining diet and exercise but I am not generally eating back my exercise calories, and it works for me. This approach, and my diet, have been cleared by the PTs and nutritionists at my gym.

I can't help noticing that your goal is to bulk up and I would just say that different things work for different people. If 1200 cals was so dangerously low, we would all be struggling to lose weight and suffering from muscle wastage, which I can assure you is not happening.

deidrec

I am in an odd spot. I have a foot problem (several actually) and I live in constant pain. Exercising is difficult but I know it will get easier as I lose weight and take pressure off my foot. I am doing some yoga and crunches but I admit I'm doing very little. So for now I am using just the diet plan and I've lost almost 10 lbs. That is with several cheating days. I can't beat myself up with this. I've started to eat whole healthy foods and that is a big change for me. As I continue on my slow but fairly steady pace I will probably add moderate exercise - like walking - but for now I'm simply eating better and I feel good.

erickirb

I would recommend exercise to everyone. If you are on a 1200 cal diet and you exercise you get to eat those calories. So say you burn 400 cals, you now get to eat 1600 (1200+400) to net 1200 (1600-400), and you must eat all 1600, in this case, in order to meet your goal weekly weight loss you chose when setting up your profile.

CARNAT22

Thanks for the input everyone.

I have no intention NOT to exercise at all - I just wanted to shift a little bit of weight before I add in a full on exercise plan (I find the idea of calorie counting AND full on exercising a little too overwhelming to be honest and need to get my head around healthy eating first of all)

I am on 1200 cals per day as I want to lose 17lbs (so not a vast amount of weight) and I plan to do this 1lb per week whioch put me at 1200 cals. I do walk for 40 minutes per day... So even without work-outs I am doing something regualrly?

As I say when I lost 42lbs before I did some weightloss first and then exercised regularly....

I know that our bodies beneift most from healthy eating and exercise but just wanted opinions!

LauraMcGanity

I didn't start exercising until I was used to eating healthy and it no longer felt like a sacrifice. Then I exercised for 3 weeks and hurt my back, so I was out of commission for another 5 weeks.

When I couldn't exercise, I took to calorie cycling and I was losing weight faster than I am now exercising most days. However, my goal wasn't only to lose weight, I also wanted to have muscle and stamina. So, I am keeping at the exercise, but I don't think it's terrible that you don't. If your goal is just to lose weight, then why not do it the easiest way you can?

By the way - you should look into calorie cycling. It works like a charm and only requires discipline in the eating. No exercise required. In fact, it's MUCH easier to keep track of when you aren't exercising, which is why I'm no longer doing it.

What do you mean by calorie cycling? Can you explain it in a bit more detail or provide a link so I can read up on it? Thanks!

loupammac

If you do exercise, make sure your net calories are larger than 1200 calories. You should be fine with that

Elle408

I didn't do any exercise and regret it. As a result i'm now very near goal and not particularly happy about it because despite the fact that i'm smaller, i'm still as wobbly and flabby as I was before. Have recently started walking and when I get back to work in 4 weeks plan to head back to the gym to do some strength training.

jammyone

Jammyone, a lot of people on here have been 'prescribed' a 1200-cal-a-day diet plan and by and large, it is working. As of this morning I was 34lb lighter since November. Once I have reached my target weight I will readjust my calories upwards so that I am maintaining rather than losing- simple. I am of course combining diet and exercise but I am not generally eating back my exercise calories, and it works for me. This approach, and my diet, have been cleared by the PTs and nutritionists at my gym.

I can't help noticing that your goal is to bulk up and I would just say that different things work for different people. If 1200 cals was so dangerously low, we would all be struggling to lose weight and suffering from muscle wastage, which I can assure you is not happening.

I'm sorry but there is no need for a 1200 calorie diet. If you're eating healthy and you're excercising (even just lightly) you will lose weight at a healthy rate on 1800 calories. While I'm bulking now (on a 3500 calorie diet), I will be stripping myself of fat come summer - but I will be doing it safely and healthily.

You do NOT need to go as low as 1200 calories. I could prescribe myself a 20 calorie diet and it would *work* - but realistically it's not healthy - have some sense.

meggonkgonk

:high fives ^^that guy:

CARNAT22

jammyone - thanks for your reply.

However as a woman at just 5ft 1in I really do not think 1200 calories is too low for me - many, many healthy eating plans will allow you 1200 calories per day (depending on certain factors of course)

The fact that I am short, not vastly overweight, lead a sedantry lifestyle etc mean that for me 1200 cals will work.

If I was more active in general (and indeed when I do undertake regular exercise) then my cals will go up.... I have no intention to fall below 1200.

Obviously being a bloke and wating to put on weight means your goals and objectives are different :-)

Bakkasan

I am having hip issues and have no pool to swim in till spring, so I am dieting only and keeping myself between 1700-2200 cals per day and being honest about it. I have lost 28 lb since my doc's ok 7 weeks ago. I am able to walk without much issue for about an hour now so that excuse is almost gone... lol.

rlysrh

Well I don't have a very big weight loss goal but for the past month I've just been doing the eating plan of 1200 calories a day without much exersize. I normally walk for about 40 minutes most days anyway, and so far its working fine for me. But then again I do have a relatively small goal to start with so I don't mind losing the weight quite slowly.