ONLY losing weight through exercise?

allroundthesun

Over the past few months I have noticed that the ONLY way I can lose weight is by exercising (running, specifically, since it's my exercise of choice).

I can eat 1200/1300/1400/1500/1600 calories for weeks - I've tried all of those numbers to make sure I'm not putting myself into starvation mode, and tried varying them to "kickstart" my metabolism - and I will not lose so much as a pound without exercise (I don't have access to a gym, and during parts of the summer it was much too hot to run, so I wasn't getting exercise for a couple of weeks at a time on a few occasions).

However, as soon as I start exercising, I drop weight fast (I still have to eat healthfully of course). I ran for the first time in ages on Friday night and lost a pound over night; the first weight I'd lost since I last exercised.

Obviously I know that exercise is a crucial part of weight loss and a healthy lifestyle and that losing weight without it will usually mean a lack of toning, but is it "normal" to ONLY lose weight via exercise even if you're eating so that you have a significant calorie deficit? Anyone else experience this?

Thanks!

melholden10

i'm the same only lose weight if i do alot of excercise and even then i still lose it really slowly its annoying but i generally feel i have to excercise to keep myself sane i'm sooo grumpy if i don't excercise i suppose its just one of those things

nokittyno

You should try to (unless you already are) incooperate weight lifting into your routines. I've found my weight is it's most stable since i;ve actually CUT out running so much and did a 3 day split of weight lifting, cario inbetween each day, so to say cardio 2-3 times a week, weights 3.

It's almost as if you're muscles are constantly in search for some energy, and in repairing themselves revving up your metabolism. It is also true it seems, that when you lift, as well as cardio, you can get away with not exercising a day, and your caloric intake is a bit higher due to the muscle.. (So i've read).

I was on vacation for a week, and ran lightly.. due to heat, unfamiliar location, and Bears..lol. I came back from eating like crap(not a gaurantee) of Tostitos and Alcohol every night to actually lose like a pound.. Where if I was at home doing the same, AND exercising you bet i'd go up.

Another point is, if you really know your calories per day, (I recommend this site for an accurate calculation:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981
and
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womans_lean_sexy_bible.htm
For training).

-you could probably go the rest of your life in a small deficit, and never exercise.. and maintain your weight strictly through diet alone. But of course that would be absurd, as cardio is the healthy diet for the heart, and weights for the muscle, mind and such..

My two cents..