How bad of an idea is this? No exercise..

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lma0423
lma0423 Posts: 78 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started doing mfp a little over 3 months ago. I am 5'6, started off at 200 and am down to 178... I've done it all without exercise. When I do try to work out I end up not losing or gaining so I find it very discouraging... So my question is can I get to my goal weight through diet alone and then when I'm in maintainance I'll start cardio and strength training?
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Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    I lost all my weight without exercise. Since I know that is something I will never keep up forever it didn't make sense to start it.
    If you are not going to stick to it you will gain all the weight you lose even faster.
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    It's definitely possible! It might be a bit harder but it is possible! I was on crutches a few weeks ago and lost weight.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    I started doing mfp a little over 3 months ago. I am 5'6, started off at 200 and am down to 178... I've done it all without exercise. When I do try to work out I end up not losing or gaining so I find it very discouraging... So my question is can I get to my goal weight through diet alone and then when I'm in maintainance I'll start cardio and strength training?

    Yes you most certainly can. Cardio and Strength training is great for minimizing muscle loss while you eat at a caloric deficit although it is not required to lose weight and make your goals.

    Diet is everything. Calorie Intake and Macronutrients are everything.
  • lisav1973
    lisav1973 Posts: 1 Member
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    I thought the same, it's not something I will keep up long term so don't want to get used to eating more and then go hungry when I get bored of exercising, which I inevitably will!
  • suekenneypfalzer
    suekenneypfalzer Posts: 9
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    While I understand that it's definitely possible to lose weight without exercise, you need to remember that moderate exercise has value outside of weight loss. It's important for your heart, bones, etc. - espeically as we age. So I certainly wouldn't think it would be wise to have NO exercise...
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Losing weight is all about the calories, so yes, you can lose without exercise. But you can't really be "fit" without exercise. Ours bodies are meant to move.
  • HaleyAlli
    HaleyAlli Posts: 911 Member
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    That would be okay, but I would suggest at least taking light walks once or twice a week to keep your metabolism going. Otherwise you're going to hit one heck of a plateau...
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    It's definitely possible! It might be a bit harder but it is possible! I was on crutches a few weeks ago and lost weight.

    I lost most of my weight without exercise. If you are very strict with the quality of your food, you may be able to lose the weight quickly. If you aren't as strict but just keep your calories under, it will take longer but it will still come off. I explained why I had to quit exercising and what I did with my diet in the link under my ticker called My Journey. Good luck!

    Edit to add: Once you start losing some weight, the desire to exercise will get stronger. If you can get just 20 minutes of light cardio in, it will help greatly plus it's good for your heart. :)
  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
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    Depends if your goal is just weight loss or something more. Absolutely you can lose weight without exercise. In fact, weight loss is 90% what you eat and 10% exercise.

    HOWEVER! You may be missing out on the opportunity to develop some habits for later. Studies show those that lose weight and have a daily exercise routine maintain that weight loss much more than those that don't. So, you are going to want to add exercise in at some point - the question is when.

    Also, please don't underestimate the health benefits of exercise.

    So the short answer is, absolutely you can lose weight without exercise, and you are right sometimes its easier because you aren't as hungry. However, at some point, you may want to consider adding it in to give you the best chance of maintaining your weight loss as well as better over all health.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    Lots of people do this. If it's working for you, why are you questioning it? Weight loss with a reasonable amount of exercise is a healthier, and probably long term more sustainable approach. But that doesn't make you 'wrong'.

    Just with regards to this, though:

    "When I do try to work out I end up not losing or gaining so I find it very discouraging... "

    How long a period of working out are you talking about? If it's less than a month, you're likely being discouraged by the water gain associated with the first phases of exercise (when the muscles take on water to enable them to store glycogen), rather than a weight gain as such.
  • jessbennett1986
    jessbennett1986 Posts: 243
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    If you are losing that is awesome! Remember though, cardio is great to keep you heart healthy and strength training helps you have lean muscle and strong bones. You don't want to be 80 years old and in a wheelchair because you decided strength training was too discouraging. Good luck!
  • GreenGettingLean
    GreenGettingLean Posts: 252 Member
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    You can certainly lose weight without exercise - my stepmom lost over 100 lbs without ever setting foot in a gym! However, she often complained of still feeling flabby even at her goal weight, and she eventually gained most of it back. I think exercise is important because healthy lifestyles are a two-part equation. If one half of the equation is getting totally ignored, it can be verrrry easy to let the other half start to slip as well.

    Have yout tried "non-gym" exercises, such as swimming or walking? Or perhaps asking some friends or family to exercise with you so it's also a social event? The best exercise is one that you love to do and look forward to doing, otherwise it will eventually become a chore.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    It can be done, however; I think far far far too much emphasis is put on scale weight and not on measurements and bodyfat. If you are weight training or doing cardio and you add a small amount of weight due to an increase in lean body mass that's not bad. So your scale doesn't go down as fast or at all for a week or two, not a horrible thing. Conversely, losing lots of weight each week is no good if you're losing a higher percentage of muscle due to the calorie deficit and low activity.
  • jbug100
    jbug100 Posts: 406 Member
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    It can be done. I guess it depends on your primary goal. Weight loss was my initial primary goal, but as I started to see muscle and feel the benefits of excercise, I cared less and less about the scale, and more about overall fitness. It may have slowed weight loss temporarily, but now I feel like a metabolic machine. I will always vote in favor of excecise and nutrition together.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    While I understand that it's definitely possible to lose weight without exercise, you need to remember that moderate exercise has value outside of weight loss. It's important for your heart, bones, etc. - espeically as we age. So I certainly wouldn't think it would be wise to have NO exercise...

    exactly this!
  • Loverj79
    Loverj79 Posts: 65 Member
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    i hate exercising..but i found other ways around it. on days i really just cant get my self to do it i play the WII, clean my house or play with my five year old, and i am saying that to say that every thing you do helps to burn cal.
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
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    I don't do anything except going about my day: gardening, tidy house, reading, grocery run, etc. My plan is to start up a strength routine but haven't got around to it but do some walking regularly in lieu of that. Maybe do zumba which looks fun, but you can lose without exercise--it's more about fitness than weight loss. Eating healthy is key.
  • aimeeturner
    aimeeturner Posts: 225 Member
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    If your goal is only to lose weight, yes it is possible to achieve your goal without exercise. However, for me, my goals involved a little more than just getting to a goal weight. I want to live a very healthy life overall. I want my heart to be as strong as it can be, being that it is the most vital organ in my body. As far as working out and not seeing results, I will say this - I worked out for 13 years and actually gained weight during those years. Looking back, I can see that I was not really pushing myself to continue working harder. I was working out about three days a week, not really breaking much of a sweat. My workouts are completely different now. I continue to strive to push myself to the next level. If I can say anything to encourage you, it would be to really give your workouts your best effort. This will help with your weight loss and strengthen your heart.
  • MummaSue
    MummaSue Posts: 242 Member
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    I think the answer is yes, but it'll take longer. I am not a "natural" exerciser, although I think if I can just do a little here and there it's good for not only weight issues but heart and general health/fitness. So today I took up the Friday challenge of 15 minutes of steps, it wasn't too bad, a bit boring (if I do it again I either need to do it in front of the TV or put my iPod on) but it got my heart rate up and I burned 200 or so calories - can't be bad. Also I love swimming though I only get to the pool infrequently. Good luck with your weightloss and do let me know how you get on :O)
  • Louise12
    Louise12 Posts: 389 Member
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    first of all welldone on your weight loss!! i agree that you can defintely lose weight just based on your diet .. but having some exercise is good for your general health. I would also like to say that sometimes it can be soo easy to get caught up in exercise and it can be quite addictive so its nice to hear of your success of no exercise as i sometimes forget that diet is the main key in losing weight - not excessive exercise..

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