Someone told me you won't lose fat with excercise.

Unknown

They told me working out will not cause you to lose weight, and that it is 99% diet; eating fewer calories than you burn regularly. Which seems like it goes against what this website says, to me? If it were all diet, my lazy vegitarian butt would be skinny by now.

albinogorilla

they are right

calorie defict = weight loss

you dont have to exercise to eat at a calorie deficit

also, you can exercise until you are blue in the face, but if you eat at a calorie surplus, you will still gain body fat

Fitfortat

Working out is to create a healthy strong body, it won't make you lose weight. It will help but they are right in saying that it mainly is about what you eat. Since you are vegetarian, maybe you are not getting enough protein, without it you won't feed muscle which in turn burns fat. Its hard to say without knowing what you eat and what portions you eat it in.

ssilvey726

I think everyone is going to have their own opinion on this one, but for me, diet is about 70% and exercise is about 30% of the equation. If you eat 3,500 calories a day, but exercise hard for an hour, it's not going to help out all that much.

However, if you eat just enough calories, and don't exercise, you'll lose weight, albeit at a much slower pace than if you worked out regularly.

I'm not much of a gym junky, but I go for a moderately paced walk for about 45 minutes to an hour most days, and that's just enough to get the metabolism moving.

I think it's best to just find a happy medium for you. Some people really enjoy physical fitness, others don't. But I do think you have to do at least enough to get your body buring some calories.

TheAncientMariner

they are right

calorie defict = weight loss

you dont have to exercise to eat at a calorie deficit

also, you can exercise until you are blue in the face, but if you eat at a calorie surplus, you will still gain body fat

To elaborate, if you are eating significantly higher calories than your TDEE, you'll gain. If you aren't eating enough, you'll stall out or not lose at all. They were right though, the bulk of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Make those quality calories count!

GrAlVt

I'm vegetarian as well, and have been for nearly a decade and a half, but that didn't stop me from getting to nearly three hundred pounds.

Exercise simply makes you burn more calories than you would being sedentary. Fat loss happens when the energy you expend isn't matched by your consumption, so chemical signals cause the release and consumption of fat. If, however, you're eating enough to keep pace with your activity, your body isn't going to see any reason to use up its fat stores. So, to lose fat, you need to be eating below your expenditure. Diet is more important in this case (I wouldn't go as saying 99% but definitely a majority), because you can eat below your daily expenditure even if you don't exercise.

However, exercise, both cardio and resistance, are probably best when used in conjunction with a high-protein, calorie deficient intake. The exercise and protein will stave off the breakdown of muscle and other lean mass, which the body may also do to generate energy. The overall calorie deficit is what will make your body shed excess mass.

carld256

Whoever told you this is probably reading Gary Taubes, and they're wrong. Weight loss = calories in vs. calories out, and exercise is definitely calories out.

meerkat70

Well there's the basic equation think - you will lose fat when you're at a calorie deficit. You can create that deficit by just eating better, or you can do it by combining eating well with exercise.

For me, though, the two go together pretty inextricably. I need the exercise to reinforce the healthy eating. The healthy eating supports the exercise. History has taught me I don't lose weight unless I do both things.

I also think getting fitter sets up a healthier long term lifestyle. I think it's easier to maintain your loss once you reach your goal if you keep exercising.

XXXMinnieXXX

For me I find it to be around 50\50 but everyones different! I need both good nutrition and exercise equally to really lose at a good rate! X

CyberEd312

they are right

calorie defict = weight loss

you dont have to exercise to eat at a calorie deficit

also, you can exercise until you are blue in the face, but if you eat at a calorie surplus, you will still gain body fat

Agreed, the exercise is the bonus of improving your overall health and well being... Increasing your cardiovascular fitness and maintaining your lean muscle mass while losing the weight.... Best of Luck.....

To elaborate, if you are eating significantly higher calories than your TDEE, you'll gain. If you aren't eating enough, you'll stall out or not lose at all. They were right though, the bulk of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Make those quality calories count!

plfeery

I have dieted before and lost weight for me a significant amount as I am a small person, but lost 30lbs just dieting. However this time I have lost 15lbs in only 6 weeks, am totally watching my calories but also added exercise to my routine for first time in 20years! I have lost more weight in less time and the loss shows more this time with less loss. Both is a good way to go as I am trimming down and losing weight and getting the benefit of cardio at the same time

PureDope

Calories in, calories out. For me however, exercising makes me feel 100x better day to day. If you don't work out, you're not going to gain any muscle and in the end just end up being skinny and weak. The active person looks a whole lot better than the skinny sedentary one. Just my two cents, not trying to knock anybody's choices.

CyberEd312

they are right

calorie defict = weight loss

you dont have to exercise to eat at a calorie deficit

also, you can exercise until you are blue in the face, but if you eat at a calorie surplus, you will still gain body fat

To elaborate, if you are eating significantly higher calories than your TDEE, you'll gain. If you aren't eating enough, you'll stall out or not lose at all. They were right though, the bulk of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Make those quality calories count!

Agreed, What you do in the kitchen will dictate your weight loss... The exercise is going to improve your overall cardiovascular conditioning and If you weight train, it will help maintain your over lean muscle mass.. Exercise while you lose weight has it benefits but has long as you eat at a sustainable deficit (not to large) then you will lose the weight... Best of Luck.....

tenunderfour

Weight loss is all about creating the deficit. Exercise (cardio) will help you create more of a deficit than just diet alone. It's also great for your health! Strength training exercise, while it doesn't burn many calories by itself is great for increasing lean mass and improving metabolism. Lastly, exercise is also great for body recomposition - taking that skinnier you and creating a nice shape.

So yeah you can lose weight/fat with diet alone, but I think you will get better results with exercise + it just feels soooo good!!!

Unknown

I was just confused because on this site, if you're under the amount it gives you, it tells you you need to meet the amount, you know?

tenunderfour

I was just confused because on this site, if you're under the amount it gives you, it tells you you need to meet the amount, you know?

That's because when you set up your account and decide how many lbs per week you want to lose - MFP creates a deficit for you by building it into your daily calorie allotment. Because of this - when you exercise you create an even larger deficit... which is not always good for you. If you eat too little calories it can slow your metabolism.

Unknown

Oh, alright. Thank you. (:

jjelizalde

they are right

calorie defict = weight loss

you dont have to exercise to eat at a calorie deficit

also, you can exercise until you are blue in the face, but if you eat at a calorie surplus, you will still gain body fat

Listen to this guy! Look at his weight loss ticker - he knows what he's talking about!

Agreed, the exercise is the bonus of improving your overall health and well being... Increasing your cardiovascular fitness and maintaining your lean muscle mass while losing the weight.... Best of Luck.....

To elaborate, if you are eating significantly higher calories than your TDEE, you'll gain. If you aren't eating enough, you'll stall out or not lose at all. They were right though, the bulk of weight loss happens in the kitchen. Make those quality calories count!

rainbowbow

A caloric deficit causes weight loss. Whether it be through diet(eating at a deficit), exercise(creating a deficit), or a combination of the two.

LiveEnjoyEndure

It is not just as simple as calories in and calories out. Metabolism has a lot to do with weight loss. If a vehicle uses different kinds of fuel it will run more or less efficiently, depending on the fuel used. The human body is very much the same... If someone eats calories in the form or simple carbohydrates (processed food) then their body will need to expend very little energy metabolising what you eat. If someone eats calories in the form of complex carbohydrates (whole foods) or protein the body has to expend energy metabolising what is eaten to turn it into useable energy (glucose). You might want to read my blog post about metabolism: http://davidjfisher.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/metabolism-you-are-what-you-eat/

Another factor is the after-burn effect of strenuous exercise. When someone exercises in zone 2-3 (Zone 2- 65-85%, zone 3 85%+ of a person's Max Hear Rate - MHR) their body uses stored glycogen in the muscles and liver as they exercise. The body will replace this 'lost' glycogen later. Body fat or food will be used to replace the used glycogen for a number of hours after having stopped exercising (that means using even more calories).

When talking about losing weight what is really meant is reducing the percentage of fat in the body, right? Not trying to lose water, or muscle or bowel contents. From personal experience my scale weight can vary as much as 6 lbs in a 24-hour period depending on what exercise I do and what I eat, drink and bowel motions. [I weigh daily, before and after toilet and exercise]. I personally look at my average weight on a monthly basis now rather than daily or even weekly changes.

Someone will lose weight using a calories in-calories-out mentality and whilst maintaining a calorie deficit. Although, without a well planned diet and exercise plan it is easy to quickly gain weight once the 'diet' stops. What is needed is a sustainable diet and exercise regime rather than a lose weight quick 'fad'. I would highly recommend doing exercise which, makes your heart beat fast (65% MHR or above). Also making general lifestyle changes to burn more calories as part of a daily routine. Cycling / walking instead of driving, stairs instead of lifts/elevators, standing instead of sitting etc...

BUT more than anything else enjoy the process ... it's about being alive, not punishing yourself (diet & exercise) so you have a 'body' that impresses a bunch of people who don't even care about you!

carld256

You can influence the equation, but the basis of it, eat less, exercise more, lose weight, still holds true over and above any optimization based on specific foods or exercise.

UrbanRunner81

Whoever told you this is probably reading Gary Taubes, and they're wrong. Weight loss = calories in vs. calories out, and exercise is definitely calories out.

not if you eat over your calories. If you eat more than you burn then you gain.

TheVimFuego

Whoever told you this is probably reading Gary Taubes, and they're wrong. Weight loss = calories in vs. calories out, and exercise is definitely calories out.

Yes, yes, calories are still important (something nobody disputes) but what if the composition of the meals fundamentally affects your ability to either burn fat or put it on? Just maybe, huh? Worth a little investigation? Maybe? Or do we all just treat this as a maths problem? And struggle, feeling deprived, stressed and malnourished ...

80% nutrition, 20% exercise ... Exercise is important, nutrition is critical.

TheVimFuego

<snip>BUT more than anything else enjoy the process ... it's about being alive, not punishing yourself (diet & exercise) so you have a 'body' that impresses a bunch of people who don't even care about you!

Amen, I like your blog, nice pics, almost makes me want to move back the UK

Have you read The Primal Blueprint?

Railr0aderTony

they are right

calorie defict = weight loss

you dont have to exercise to eat at a calorie deficit

also, you can exercise until you are blue in the face, but if you eat at a calorie surplus, you will still gain body fat

Exactly

nekoxvampyx

you dont have to exercise to lose weight, but it helps speed up the process and helps you have that tone fit look

Nataliaho

Outside of the weight-loss equation. Exercise is just incredibly important for your health.

lilojoke

They told me working out will not cause you to lose weight, and that it is 99% diet; eating fewer calories than you burn regularly. Which seems like it goes against what this website says, to me? If it were all diet, my lazy vegitarian butt would be skinny by now.

You need a balance of both exercise and healthy diet to lose body fat. They go together!

Christine1110

From what I've heard diet is 70% and the more mucsle you gain....the more calories you will burn. If you keep your diet in check you will lose weight....with weight training will help you burn more....and cardio will help you live longer : )

mcarter99

You can "lose" a pound by not eating a large pizza or by running 35 miles. Most of us would much rather just not eat the pizza, so approaching it from the kitchen perspective makes more sense.

coraliethomas

Sure you can lose weight with diet alone, and you might even lose it faster - in the beginning. However, once you reach your goal, you still wont be happy with yourself. If you want that healthy, toned and defined body, it requires a good blend of cardio and strength training.

Healthy, well built muscles burn more calories than untoned and unhealthy ones do... so the more you workout the more weight you eventually start to lose.