Still struggling with this concept?!!??!?!

blissmanifesto

I've got one for you, Ruger2506, since we are both well out of our 20s. Both cardio and serious strength training are important tools for combating the aging process. A lot of what we view as normal aging is actually more like atrophy due to under-use. It's usual for people to lose significant muscle mass as they age, but a committed strength training program can reverse that trend. Almost as important as strength training is a program for maintaining flexible and healthy joints. And of course you already know how great it is to have cardio in your routine. Did you have a time in mind for your future when you think it would be fun to get too weak and breakable and decrepit to have hot sex? Nah, me neither. So I plan to be hitting the weights pretty much from now until the paramedics come to wheel my corpse out of the squat rack at Gold's.

But over and beyond that, there's a good bit of evidence that, while exercise isn't strictly necessary to lose weight, it's absolutely crucial to maintaining weight loss -- probably because of that whole thing where muscle burns more calories than fat, and also because exercising helps you burn more calories in general. I'm not done losing weight yet, but I'm working hard at building muscle for this very reason, because I sure as hell don't want to have to lose all this weigh again.

So just do it already, Ruger! Do it so you can enjoy seeing other guys look at you with envy, so you can be the beneficiary of the delighted sparkle in your lady's eyes when she sees how sexy you've become. Do it because it will improve your life in a thousand little and big ways!

Helloitsdan

I've got one for you, Ruger2506, since we are both well out of our 20s. Both cardio and serious strength training are important tools for combating the aging process. A lot of what we view as normal aging is actually more like atrophy due to under-use. It's usual for people to lose significant muscle mass as they age, but a committed strength training program can reverse that trend. Almost as important as strength training is a program for maintaining flexible and healthy joints. And of course you already know how great it is to have cardio in your routine. Did you have a time in mind for your future when you think it would be fun to get too weak and breakable and decrepit to have hot sex? Nah, me neither. So I plan to be hitting the weights pretty much from now until the paramedics come to wheel my corpse out of the squat rack at Gold's.

But over and beyond that, there's a good bit of evidence that, while exercise isn't strictly necessary to lose weight, it's absolutely crucial to maintaining weight loss -- probably because of that whole thing where muscle burns more calories than fat, and also because exercising helps you burn more calories in general. I'm not done losing weight yet, but I'm working hard at building muscle for this very reason, because I sure as hell don't want to have to lose all this weigh again.

So just do it already, Ruger! Do it so you can enjoy seeing other guys look at you with envy, so you can be the beneficiary of the delighted sparkle in your lady's eyes when she sees how sexy you've become. Do it because it will improve your life in a thousand little and big ways!

I like you!
hugs!

Ruger2506

I'm thinking about ditching the free weights and treadmill and jumping on the Insanity train.

TanyaCurtis

U lose weight even faster with exercise, muscle burns fat way quicker, u can eat even more if u want to, or not to lose weight alittle quicker, u look and feel better, if ur older u will look younger, all the way down to ur skin! Definitely worth every minute of it! I look better now at the weight I'm at because I workout, my clothes fit way better, and I look smaller then I really am. When I didn't workout, at this weight I could barely squeeze into these jeans I got on right now:)

Jarvis95

This is an incredible video from a clinician scientist (a doctor who does medical research) on the health benefits of exercise. It's quite succinct and riveting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

and yes, as you lose weight your allotted daily calories will drop...it's very hard for to go to a restaurant or out for drinks on 1390 cals a day, so i find exercise very useful for planning ahead for when i go out (which i didn't do today and now i'm over my cals :P)

jadedone

There is growing evidence that interval training also helps to reduce belly fat. I'd rather get some exercise so I can look better when I get to goal.

jbuntu

When you lose weight you lose both muscle and fat. The fat is good the muscle is bad. The main goal of exercising is to prevent the muscle loss and maximize the fat loss.
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So they go on a diet again and don't exercise again and they lose the 30lbs again, but this time they lose 5 lbs of muscle - so now their bodyfat percentage is 21% with a lean body mass is 135lbs. And it repeats over and over again like a yo-yo.

This is a really nice write-up, @DocGu. Thank you!

Contrarian

You've got it! I also like the way you lulled that caribou or whatever to sleep in your lap like that.

RoanneRed

So my TDEE is between 3800-4200 calories. My daily target on MFP is 2300 calories counting my 500 calories burnt via cardio. It doesn't take my strength training calories into account. So by that math MFP is telling me I'm at a 1500-1900 caloric deficit (according to my TDEE).

Additional Strength Training Benefit - muscles pulling on bone (to lift the weight) encourages increase (for younger people) and maintenance of Bone Density!

I'm concerned about the above calculation so you may need to double-check your MFP settings, either:
A) Set daily activity as Sedentary or Lightly Active then log all significant activity as exercise (although I don't count strength training and consider it a bonus in calorie burns)
OR
Set daily activity at a higher level if you are doing a lot of activities every day (eg. active job) and then only log exercise activities that are not part of every day.

Ruger2506

Below is the MFP activity level scale. I ride a desk so #1. would be the correct answer.

How would you describe your normal daily activities?
1. Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)
2. Lightly Active: Spend a good part of the day on your feet (e.g. nurse, salesman)
3. Active: Spend a good part of the day doing some physical activity (e.g. waitress, mailman)
4. Very Active: Spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. bike messenger, carpenter)



Below is the TDEE Calculator. http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html I work out 5-6 days a week (45min/7% incline/3.6 MPH + Strength Training). So #3 would be the correct answer.

1. Little or no exercise (ex: desk job)
2. Light exercise (ex: exercising 1-3 days/week)
3. Moderate exercise (ex: exercising 3-5 days/week)
4. Heavy exercise (ex: exercising 6-7 days/week)
5. Daily exercise (ex: exercising 7 days/week and working a physical job)

One is asking for exercise and the other is asking for activity of daily living. I guess I'm confused.

cmriverside

Below is the MFP activity level scale. I ride a desk so #1. would be the correct answer.

How would you describe your normal daily activities?
1. Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)
2. Lightly Active: Spend a good part of the day on your feet (e.g. nurse, salesman)
3. Active: Spend a good part of the day doing some physical activity (e.g. waitress, mailman)
4. Very Active: Spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. bike messenger, carpenter)



Below is the TDEE Calculator. http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html I work out 5-6 days a week (45min/7% incline/3.6 MPH + Strength Training). So #3 would be the correct answer.

1. Little or no exercise (ex: desk job)
2. Light exercise (ex: exercising 1-3 days/week)
3. Moderate exercise (ex: exercising 3-5 days/week)
4. Heavy exercise (ex: exercising 6-7 days/week)
5. Daily exercise (ex: exercising 7 days/week and working a physical job)

One is asking for exercise and the other is asking for activity of daily living. I guess I'm confused.

The numbers should work out the same....or very close IF you set your MFP to "Maintain my weight" - the difference here on this site is that is does not automatically assume you will exercise daily, and gives you a built-in deficit when you CHOOSE A weight-loss goal.

RoanneRed

I'd suggest you set MFP at Sedentary or Lightly active then log exercise on the days that you do it, then eat back most of the extra calories - depending on how fast you have set weight loss goals in MFP (0.5 vs 1 vs 2lbs per week), this will still leave you in a calorie deficit.

2fit4fat

Ok, so I think I've got it figured out.

So. A person has a BMR. If that person wants to loose weight, they consume a certain % of the total BMR calories to create a daily calorie deficit. This weight loss can be achieved sitting on the couch with no effort/exertion what so ever. Let's assume that calculated daily caloric intake is 1800 calories to loose weight.

The % should come off your TDEE NOT your BMR.

Your BMR is what your body needs to function without doing anything else.

Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure -- or how much your body needs to do all the things you do each day ontop of general functions.

I get up and exercise because it allows me to eat more, it makes me feel good, my body will look better because I've exercised and hopefully it'll help reduce my blood pressure.

Also, the muscle mass I gain from strength training will help me burn more calories to lose weight faster.

this^^^ also when you just cut cals you will lose more muscle weight than if you work out. i personally dont lose anything when i cut cals (even just 300) my body starts freaking out and holding ANYTHING it can. exercise allows me to loose weight and keep up with my kiddos better