To exercise or not to exercise

kaseymei

So I have a dilema.... I find that when I have exercised while dieting in the past that my weight loss was extremely slow compared to just dieting alone. I know that exercise is important not only for weighloss, but other health benefits. However, I feel I need to get some weight off first and then incorporate an exercise plan. Does anyone else have this issue?

mormadu1

You might not be eating enough for your exercise. My progress is slow as well, but I notice nothing comes off no matter how much I diet, I need movement. Any movement is good, walking, dancing, mopping the floor...anything. For years I've had very bad low back pain and have gone to chiropractors and pain management to deal with it. But never got any real relief (as in without meds). Since I started exercising, I have more energy to get stuff done, back pain is starting to alleviate and my mood is even better...just ask the hubs. Its just starts with small steps.

taylor5877

to excercise

rubyautumn4

Excercise! Make sure you're eating enough calories - healthy calories - to help fuel your body.

heybales

So I have a dilema.... I find that when I have exercised while dieting in the past that my weight loss was extremely slow compared to just dieting alone. I know that exercise is important not only for weighloss, but other health benefits. However, I feel I need to get some weight off first and then incorporate an exercise plan. Does anyone else have this issue?

Do you want weight off, no matter what it may be, or fat off?

If just weight, cut off a leg or arm.

If fat, realize as you have proved to yourself already, you make the deficit bigger by exercising, and you actually are counter-productive.

So eat more when you exercise, and except the fact that many aspects of body improvement from exercise do NOT mean weight loss.
But the diet and decent deficit will still be resulting in FAT loss.

lizziebeth1028

EXERCISE!!!!!

rileysowner

Exercise. No question, you should exercise. The reasons have been given. Make sure you eat enough as exercise burns more calories and then you need to eat them as your body will not respond well to a huge calorie deficit. Also read this http://tinyurl.com/cs9gg5w to see the difference exercise can make, especially lifting weights.

californiagirl2012

Exercise does burn although you can't burn off eating too much. You are right that eating less is what makes you lose fat.

You need both: eat less and move more.

You need weight training to keep your lean body mass. Losing fat but not having any muscle is just plain ugly. You don't have to have as many muscles as I do but you need some tone.

YogaNikki

Exercise!! And adjust your calories to make sure you're getting enough fuel I was slow to start with the weight dropping off, so I incorporated weight training. Not only am I starting to cut in a good, girly way, I'm seeing the scale move again Best of luck!!

LesleeBeAlive

Exercise and eat back your calories! Then you will see results. Or check your BMR and eat up to that and eat back your exercise calories. You are probably not eating enough.

TeaBea

EXERCISE .... gets my vote. Here's why

1. When I stop "dieting" and want to maintain my new weight. The "new" smaller me will require fewer calories. I can eat less forever, or I can exercise (& eat those calories back) ... this gives me a little "cushion"

2. I want to lose FAT, not muscle. Working out while losing weight helps me keep existing muscle mass.

3. Exercise makes me feel good about myself, it boosts my mood, and helps me sleep better.

MinnieInMaine

EXERCISE .... gets my vote. Here's why

1. When I stop "dieting" and want to maintain my new weight. The "new" smaller me will require fewer calories. I can eat less forever, or I can exercise (& eat those calories back) ... this gives me a little "cushion"

2. I want to lose FAT, not muscle. Working out while losing weight helps me keep existing muscle mass.

3. Exercise makes me feel good about myself, it boosts my mood, and helps me sleep better.

This ^^^ Plus, I'd rather be fit and strong than skinny

NewChristina

The scale is not a good indicator of fat loss.

You may be like me- when you exercise, you hold water and the scale stays the same or even goes up a bit. Stop exercising and the scale moves down again.

But I know from experience that it's the combination of a good diet, low sodium, and exercise that I am getting fat loss (inches lost). A couple of times I've lost a pants size without the scale moving hardly at all.

mleonards

Exercise. No question, you should exercise. The reasons have been given. Make sure you eat enough as exercise burns more calories and then you need to eat them as your body will not respond well to a huge calorie deficit. Also read this http://tinyurl.com/cs9gg5w to see the difference exercise can make, especially lifting weights.

This!:)

Linda_Darlene

So I have a dilema.... I find that when I have exercised while dieting in the past that my weight loss was extremely slow compared to just dieting alone. I know that exercise is important not only for weighloss, but other health benefits. However, I feel I need to get some weight off first and then incorporate an exercise plan. Does anyone else have this issue?

Do you want weight off, no matter what it may be, or fat off?

If just weight, cut off a leg or arm.

If fat, realize as you have proved to yourself already, you make the deficit bigger by exercising, and you actually are counter-productive.

So eat more when you exercise, and except the fact that many aspects of body improvement from exercise do NOT mean weight loss.
But the diet and decent deficit will still be resulting in FAT loss.

This!
Exercise.

CentralCaliCycling

There is only one answer as long as you can move - exercise is life.

bblich02

So I have a dilema.... I find that when I have exercised while dieting in the past that my weight loss was extremely slow compared to just dieting alone. I know that exercise is important not only for weighloss, but other health benefits. However, I feel I need to get some weight off first and then incorporate an exercise plan. Does anyone else have this issue?

exercise and nutrition go hand in hand girl! you don't have to go extreme, just baby steps! i have my tips at ifiloseweight.com

hope this helps!

trud72

EXERSICE! :drinker:

olong

Here's what works best for me... on days I exercise, I make certain I eat my protein grams back (which is different than eatting my calories back). On days I don't/can't exercise, I work on my calories, while, once again, focusing on eatting my protein grams. I have protein set at 30% of calories.

bcattoes

Muscle is heavier than fat and when you don't exercise while dieting you lose more muscle than when you do exericse. So, you lose more weight, but not more fat.

If you are overweight, losing weight is great for your health. But exercise has health benefits beyond weight loss.

Exercise!!

CyberEd312

Exercise!!! and Fuel your body for that exercise!! :drinker:

PaveGurl

The scale is not a good indicator of fat loss.

You may be like me- when you exercise, you hold water and the scale stays the same or even goes up a bit. Stop exercising and the scale moves down again.

But I know from experience that it's the combination of a good diet, low sodium, and exercise that I am getting fat loss (inches lost). A couple of times I've lost a pants size without the scale moving hardly at all.

This x100.

The scale is bollox. Measure. Take before and after pictures. Check the fit of your clothes.

angusmike

Exercise, make it a habit; get an accurate scale.

glyndalin

Keep in mind that the scale is a very small piece of the picture. In July, I "only" lost 6 pounds, but the body fat percentage dropped 6%. I lost 16 pounds of fat and gained 10 pounds of lean mass by that calculation. Did it look like "slower weight loss" because of exercise if I just looked at the scale? Sure! In fact, some weeks, it even looked like I was gaining. But don't focus on the "fast or slow". Focus on "health." Thin and unhealthy may be better for self-esteem, but it's not any better than heavy and unhealthy as far as your body is concerned. IMHO and preaching to myself. ;P

ChapinaGrande

OP, I feel your pain. Since April, the only weight I've lost is the week I didn't get to go to the gym. I've been toying with the idea of forgetting the gym because it's really making me depressed to work my wazoo off and have no result. Thank you everyone for the responses. I will keep on keepin on.

sharleengc

I tend to lose slowly no matter if I exercise or not. Actually, I lose in phases - like 2-4lbs one week then nothing for a month and repeat. This is the same whether I exercise or not.

I try to exercise every day but I have found that sometimes I just get tired of it and have to mix it up or take a break. As long as I stay within my calorie goal, with or without exercise, I still loose consistantly (for me anyway).

Remo_Williams

Get a measuring tape!!!

There are weeks when I have GAINED weight on the scale, but LOST 1/4" from my waist. This is the ultimate win!!!

If I didn't have the tape, I would have been discouraged.

RavenhairedWoman

I think that exercise is very important. When I don't get enough movement in my day (I work a desk job) my body feels it and craves exercise. Even if you just walk for 15 to 30 minutes a day it is very important. I really enjoy belly dancing as a fun way to burn a bunch of calories.

Jeebs71

Exercise. Strength train before CV, I try to do a 40 min strength, then 20 min CV. I've found weeks where I haven't lost any weight according to the scales, yet have lost cms on my waist and hips. Can definitely see a difference in my face/body and exercising makes me feel better, fitter and I certainly sleep better. My advice is definitely exercise, but also ensure you eat back your exercise calories. I found the exercise calorie values on MFP were very high, so I bought a fitbit, which accurately measures your calories burnt and syncs with MFP to tell you exactly how many calories you have to eat back. A bit expensive yes, but I think it has been worth every penny. I also have a protein shake after exercising, as I wasn't getting enough protein from my diet (when I say diet I mean food in general). I am not dieting as such, but have changed my eating habits to eat healthier which I want to continue for the rest of my life. Someone I know is on a weight loss merry go round (loses weight, puts it back on, loses it again etc) but never exercises and the amount of saggy skin is not too attractive. Strength training definitely helps tone everything up.

Suezyq47

I lost 36 lbs without exercising and found it was easier to just concentrate on my diet alone rather than trying to figure out how much to eat with exercising. Weight loss is 80-90% what you put in your mouth and exercise helps weight loss but mostly maintains your muscle during weight loss. It is probably best to diet and exercise, but I found it really hard to manage both in the beginning. I say whatever works best for you to lose weight, then do that.

LottieLou13

So I have a dilema.... I find that when I have exercised while dieting in the past that my weight loss was extremely slow compared to just dieting alone. I know that exercise is important not only for weighloss, but other health benefits. However, I feel I need to get some weight off first and then incorporate an exercise plan. Does anyone else have this issue?

What?.... :huh:

I started my journey in March this year, I did 1 month of exercise before being told not to due to medical reasons. 3 months later I could exercise again. Now I'm feeling better than ever, I'm healthier and fitter....and my body looks a whole load better.

But at the end of the day this is your personal journey and only you can do it.