Vowing not to excercise

gjulie

I think you'll be successful (based on my experience ).
I started regular attendance at the gym in January, just cardio.
In March I had gained confidence and added some strength training.
It's now July and I feel it has taken me a good few months to come to terms with the need to add into my healthy mix a cleaner, more controlled diet. I have been watching calories since April, but it's taken months to stay focused on better eating. It's only now that I feel I can manage both exercise and a better diet. For some reason I am finding it easier to eat better now, and I think that's for the reason you have said, sometimes it can be too much to change everything in your life.

Good luck! You can do it, pace yourself. Rome wasn't built in a day.

linz1125

I understand...sometimes you have to make changes in little steps. My suggestion is to set goals for when you want to begin working out - say 3 weeks after wou will run for 10 minutes 3x a week, then up it to 15 -20 minutes, and increase it weekly. It's completely understandable that doing it all at once is intimidating. Do what makes you want to succeed.

NoxDineen

Sounds crazy to me. Exercise is about more than just weight loss, it's about your health.

Plus, many people experience an automatic desire to eat healthier once they start working out. Your body will crave proper fuel and your brain will look at that cheeseburger and think "why counteract all that hard work I just did walking/doing yoga/etc?"

Try something lika a berry smoothie (ice, water, frozen berries in your blender) before you exercise and plan your post-workout recovery snack beforehand so you're not voracious and letting that drive impulsive decisions.

I drink a vanilla soy milk, vanilla ice cream flavored whey shake after workouts. I'm a pretty fussy eater and I've never liked healthy stuff until the past few months, but that shake is really delicious.

You don't have to go all out and do a bunch of high impact stuff, but you should try to make little changes to work fitness into your life. Walk more, take your bike instead of driving, do yoga once a week (it'll probably make you want to do more).

mirandamayhem

If you want to lose a few lbs before you start exercising then whatever you want to do...but if you're just making an excuse then good luck with that. Only you know your true intentions with this new "plan" but I don't think I would have ever kept off my weight for over 20 years if I didn't work out. I wouldn't look 10 yrs younger than I am if I didn't work out. I wouldn't have stress relief and confidence from accomplishing things I never thought I could do if I didn't work out. I wouldn't be able to run circles around kids half my age if I didn't work out. And my body wouldn't be NEAR as toned as it is, it would be all saggy and extra skin because of my age and weight loss if I didn't work out...

I go along with this. I'm in the early stages of my weight loss, as you can see. But I've decided that for me, holding off exercising until I've got the food part sorted just isn't happening. Nor is the "I'll give up smoking when I've lost some weight". So I've stopped smoking, and it's making the workouts easier, but I'm also not doing anything ridiculously impossible. I'm cycling, I'm walking, I'm giving the odd dvd a go, doing a zumba class.
BUT, something has switched in my brain. And while for the last 3 years I can say I've been trying to lose weight, I don't think I've really really wanted it enough until now. Not enough to actually work for it.

professorRAT

Why not strength train? It helps maintain muscle mass, which helps you KEEP off what you lose. It also helps maintain bone mass, helps fight certain diseases, and even improves mood! I never had any success until I added strength training. Now I am in better shape at 46 than I was at 26! I NEVER run (hate it), but I do "cardio exercises" (treadmill walking, bike, etc) to add cardiovascular health to the mix and you really only need around 20 minutes 3x a week for that.

>>>>>http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/growingstronger/why/index.html

http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/add-strength-training-to-your-workout.aspx

I think you missed the point. She wants to focus on her eating... strength training (doing it right anyway) requires more nutrition than running- and again, if you're doing it right, you'll be really hungry after.

No, I did not miss the point. If her point is to lose weight, MAINTAIN the weight loss, and add other health benefits then this is good advice. Losing weight without the ability to maintain seems pointless to me, and this will help her with that. I was sharing my experience and giving what I considered helpful advice to help her towards her goal. I think just agreeing with anything people want to try, even if you think it may not be the best approach for them, is also pointless. I provided MY opinion, which just happened to differ from yours. That doesn't mean I missed the point.

ninerbuff

Just some quick info: While dieting alone can result in weight loss, where is the loss from? People who do dieting alone lose more lean tissue than people who exercise. So by volume muscle weighs more than fat (don't derail this thread with argumentation about muscle/fat weight) you'll weigh less with more lean tissue loss, but that doesn't improve how you look. Not to mention that without exercise, your metabolic rate will slow down much faster compared to if you do weight loss with exercise.
It doesn't have to be that time consuming if that's the concern. A few sets of pushup, squats, lunges, etc. every other day (3 times) a week for 30 minutes isn't too demanding.
Hopefully you reconsider losing with exercise. The benefits are just so much better for just a small amount of time.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Dave198lbs

Ignore the negative comments. Some people are ridiculous.

lol...how ironic. you confirm her choice to not exercise and those who say exercise is a better approach are ridiculous.

thats so funny and so sad.

HappilyLifts

Just another thought. Maybe start to incorporate a little strength training as soon as you can, that way you will start to build some muscle, which will raise your metabolism, which in turn will mean you burn more calories. This was my trainer's advice to me when, after 6 weeks of pure cardio to get used to the gym equipment), she introduced me to dumbbells (nothing major, I started with 2 and 3kgs and am now at 5-7kgs) and body weight exercises like squats, lunges and planks which can be done anywhere/anytime.
The only other thing worth mentioning about this approach is not to get too hung up on the scales. I have only lost 6 pounds since January but I have lost over 30 inches!
This, by the way, is my motivation for the coming months...imagine how many pounds I will lose if I focus on my diet AND keep up my strength training and HIIT! :happy:

RuthSweetTooth

If you walk for 30 minutes a day, like to and from the subway, you are probably getting enough exercise for your legs and heart. You're right, calorie control in the city of some of the best restaurants is probably your big downfall and by logging in, keeping an open diary to your friends, you will lose weight. To get your arms more toned, try using some resistance bands while you are watching TV.

NWCountryGal

I think it's about priorities. Mine used to be eat, sleep, work, eat. Exercise/activity wasn't even in there. I missed a lot but it's better I know now then never. Even playing catch with my landlords pup is something to do now rather than sit at the puter all day or watch tv or whatever I used to do.

A person has to love the lifestyle though, the activity. If they don't it isn't going to be for them. There's a big difference between people that enjoy being active and those that just want to see the scale go down. There are both types of people here and sometimes there is a clash but I for one have to remember just because I love what I am doing, doesn't mean someone else will;)

denise:drinker: :drinker:

HI all,

i'm taking a new go at loss this time around... by not exercising. I've found that trying to become a runner and all round healthy eater at once is too much for me. I've read a lot on willpower that backs this up... Basically it makes more sense to focus on one goal rather than revamping your whole life.

I get so hungry after exercising that if I start an exercise routine without first getting my sugar cravings under control, I'm just setting myself up for failure.

My weight has never been derived from lack of exercising, anyway. its from too much food and general inactivity. A couple runs a week don't help if you're not moving moving moving throughout the day. I'm trying to clean more and generally MOVE MORE rather than go for a run. (Clean house more regularly, take more stairs, stand up at work more frequently, etc)

Also, It's hard to run when you are heavy!! Losing another 10 lbs will make it easier on my joints and I won't be as exhausted when I do run. (I used to run when I was slimmer, and boy does it feel different now!)

Anyone else agree with this? Am I crazy?

Becky3701

you have convinced yourself to be lazy. congratulations.

OMG ignore stupid people, sounds like Bobby is back

Actually not so stupid. Losing weight is a mentality. If she doesnt want to work for it, and just wants it to happen easily, then yes, she is lazy. She might as well go and get lipo. What is earned through hard work is always more appreciated. Sound like to me she is about to starve herself. You do that enough, then yeah...you will lose weight easily.

Oh, and P.S.- I quit smoking two weeks ago, started working out at about the same time, and have gotten rid of all unhealthy things in my kitchen. I go without a microwave, and thus I am learning to cook. I am learning about my nutrition. I made the choice to go to school full time. I know a thing or two about change.

To me, that This week I am going to......seems just too frivolous to me. too much room for failure. But, that is just my opinion. I guess I am in the minority. But good luck. None of this I mean menacingly.

This is not about her being lazy or never wanting to exersise- she said she is pretty active now but wants to lose some weight
before she starts running. Read the WHOLE post before you reply negatively.
*Good luck & do what works for you.

Trechechus

I don't really understand why you wouldn't want to exercise. Being thin doesn't necessarily reflect fitness. I work out not to lose weight, but to keep my body healthy. As I said in my profile, I want to stay young forever, and that means making my body work like hell and that's what I'm prepared to do. I don't stress about food as much as I do working out. I want to be healthy, not skinny.

I am a runner, but that doesn't mean the only exercise I do is run. I bike, I lift, I walk, sometimes I even play around with that stupid rebounder trampoline business.

a_stone_girl_dances

To each his or her own I say! Only you know what's best for you and everyone has an opinion. Best of luck to you!

dwyadygwyad

LOVE your ticker- Shut up, work hard, be patient! My new mantra!! Makes me laugh and rings so true at same time!

That's a good tip- I like the creative goals. More manageable, but still important. Thanks!

TheBraveryLover

Also, It's hard to run when you are heavy!! Losing another 10 lbs will make it easier on my joints and I won't be as exhausted when I do run. (I used to run when I was slimmer, and boy does it feel different now!)

Don't use that as a reason not to run. If that's your current pic, I've seen way heavier people running on a regular basis, just fine.

That being said, I didn't start exercising until I lost 40 pounds from diet alone first. I hated exercise and refused to do it....until a 2 month long plateau came, then I changed that outlook. Now I looooove weightlifting!

dittmarml

There's nothing wrong with getting some weight off first and then gradually building into an exercise program, lots of people do it.

NWCountryGal

I agree. Thing is, I also realized once I got with the activities, that I felt so good that I wanted to eat right. I think like the other gal mentioned as well, they go hand in hand. But like I mentioned before, not everyone is going to enjoy activity/exercise. They are here to watch their ticker go down and that's ok with me. I felt that way in the beginning myself. I just learned some things for me personally, not saying it's for everyone. It's obviously not or everyone would agree on the health and fitness;)

Ignore the negative comments. Some people are ridiculous.

lol...how ironic. you confirm her choice to not exercise and those who say exercise is a better approach are ridiculous.

thats so funny and so sad.

Capt_Apollo

HI all,

i'm taking a new go at loss this time around... by not exercising. I've found that trying to become a runner and all round healthy eater at once is too much for me. I've read a lot on willpower that backs this up... Basically it makes more sense to focus on one goal rather than revamping your whole life.

I get so hungry after exercising that if I start an exercise routine without first getting my sugar cravings under control, I'm just setting myself up for failure.

My weight has never been derived from lack of exercising, anyway. its from too much food and general inactivity. A couple runs a week don't help if you're not moving moving moving throughout the day. I'm trying to clean more and generally MOVE MORE rather than go for a run. (Clean house more regularly, take more stairs, stand up at work more frequently, etc)

Also, It's hard to run when you are heavy!! Losing another 10 lbs will make it easier on my joints and I won't be as exhausted when I do run. (I used to run when I was slimmer, and boy does it feel different now!)

Anyone else agree with this? Am I crazy?

i think you are crazy.

yes, trying to clean up your diet while also becoming a runner can be hard, especially if you are over weight and running is a chore. i mean, i felt like that. so what i started doing for cardio was riding my bike. great low impact cardio that helped build up my endurance and lung capacity and all that fun stuff. plus, i found it funner then running as i could go further and for longer then a run.

but telling yourself that you aren't going to exercise at all is just a way to justify being sedentary. if you don't want to run, try biking, swimming, lifting weights, plyometrics, yoga, walking. something!!!

melhmltn2

I agree to a point. When I started I concentrated on one new thing for 2 weeks and then decided if I needed another week before adding something new. So, I started with giving up soda - I did this for 10 days, added C25K on week 1 for 2 weeks, then went 2 more weeks at week 2 and 3, then added strength training 3 days a week, and have added strength training 5 days and just today started an ad workout for 3 days a week. I believe I need to add things as they fit, it never allow myself to get stuck. I'm always looking for new things and view workouts, reviews, YouTube clas, etc to begin planning my next workout or addition. I also enjoy doing programs that have a set time frame. For example, the C25K is for 9 weeks (although I am beyond that now), JM ripped in 30, shred, 6week 6 pack, etc. these give me a focus and a guideline that I tweak to fit my needs. For example, Ruipped in 30 is for 6 days a week, but I'm only doing it 4 days, so my variation is Ripped in60! LOL

Trivpr

Hey OP, you are not the only person who wants to focus on shedding a few pounds and eating better/less sugar before adding serious exercise. I also live in NYC, and try to be more active during they day - I often walk 15 to 30 blocks to get to a subway station that's much farther down "my line" and be more active during the day, but when I started doing intense cardio/plyometrics I got REALLY hungry for several days and it was much harder (for me personally) to avoid my trigger foods. I do end up walking at least 45 minutes a day anyway, and I do some strength exercises a few times a week just to feel fitter.

I also fully intend to ramp up the exercise in just a few more pounds :-) I used to log plenty of hours on the elliptical and on the weight machines at my fittest. But food is really a big issue for me, and I too have decided to address those issues first.

so in short: you are not alone! feel free to friend me if you like. I rarely comment but I use MFP every day.