Why should i exercise?

Flozeurin
Flozeurin Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
From what i understand you lose weight from a calorie deficit. Have a 1,000 kcal deficit a day and you will lose weight.

When i exercise, i have to actually eat back the calories i lose .

Now, i know exercising is good from a health point of view, but from a strict "losing weight" point of view, what exercising actually does?

Just need someone to explain it to me, im sure theres something there..

Thank you.
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Replies

  • Hellavaloosa
    Hellavaloosa Posts: 57
    I'm not sure that you do need to exercise purely from a weightloss point of view.

    However!! Exercising makes me feel AWESOME!!!! And I can eat more chocolate cake if I go for a run. :tongue:
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    I found my posture improved and my muscle tone improved, both these things affected the way I carry myself and actually made me look slimmer.
    Plus... I like food. I can eat more if I go for a run. So I go for a run a lot!
  • bushidowoman
    bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
    It makes me look better, be able to wear smaller clothes, be able to get away with eating a few more treats, makes me stronger, gives me more energy, improves my mood...and overall just makes me a sexy beast.
  • Shadowsan
    Shadowsan Posts: 365 Member
    Exercising:

    Improves your bodys ability to break down fat as a fuel source, even at rest

    Builds muscle which increases your resting metabolic rate

    Improves your blood pressure by causing adaptation of blood vessels to help open them up

    makes you feel good.

    There are lots of others, but i'll just list a few. :)
  • Marks281172
    Marks281172 Posts: 127 Member
    If you want the number on the scale to be lower then yeah just sit around and eat less. If you want to look good, feel good, be stronger, faster, fitter, healthier, happier.. AND still get to eat nice things.... exercise :)
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i do cardio so i can have beer.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    If you want the number on the scale to be lower then yeah just sit around and eat less. If you want to look good, feel good, be stronger, faster, fitter, healthier, happier.. AND still get to eat nice things.... exercise :)

    Exactly.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    If you want to lose mostly fat, rather than muscle, strength training can help you to maintain as much muscle as possible while you are losing weight.
  • Marks281172
    Marks281172 Posts: 127 Member
    i do cardio so i can have beer.

    Nailed it :)
  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
    I loathe exercise. Hate it with every fibre of my being, but even I'm finally facing up to the fact I can't avoid it. The closer you get to your goal the harder the weight is to shift - exercise helps succeed where calorie deficit alone fails.

    Plus, what's the point of being skinny if you're still unhealthy and feel cr*p?
  • cahilfoley
    cahilfoley Posts: 5
    By sitting around dormant on a very low calorie diet you cause your resting metabolism to drop dramatically in an attempt to match the reduced calorie intake which will eventually lead to a plateau in weight loss no matter how hard you cut calories.

    Dieting moderately and exercising to burn the extra calories creates the same caloric deficit without causing the body to reduce your metabolism which will lead to greater and more sustainable weight loss in the long term.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    I loathe exercise. Hate it with every fibre of my being, but even I'm finally facing up to the fact I can't avoid it. The closer you get to your goal the harder the weight is to shift - exercise helps succeed where calorie deficit alone fails.

    Plus, what's the point of being skinny if you're still unhealthy and feel cr*p?

    you know, this is a poor attitude to have, as it will eventually lead to failure. find an exercise you DO like, and do it.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    You don't have to eat back all of the calories you burn..... Not exercising is a huge mistake, and a good way to end up skinny fat. I think you can only lose so much weight by diet alone.

    Plus, the reason that I keep going with the healthy eating and the working out 6-7 days a week is because it makes me feel so good!! NOT because of the weightloss..... And if you're making a lifestyle change (which, btw, is the ONLY way to obtain lasting weightloss) - eating right and exercise are KEY!
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    It makes me feel good, the sweat dripping off my face means that I have worked hard and that alone makes me feel good about myself
  • vfnmoody
    vfnmoody Posts: 271 Member
    i do cardio so i can have beer.
    i walk for pie
  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
    I loathe exercise. Hate it with every fibre of my being, but even I'm finally facing up to the fact I can't avoid it. The closer you get to your goal the harder the weight is to shift - exercise helps succeed where calorie deficit alone fails.

    Plus, what's the point of being skinny if you're still unhealthy and feel cr*p?

    you know, this is a poor attitude to have, as it will eventually lead to failure. find an exercise you DO like, and do it.

    I've taken up climbing. The only exercise I don't hate.
  • Flozeurin
    Flozeurin Posts: 3
    Hehe, i know exercising is overall good for the body. I dont mind exercising. I was looking for a more scientific explanation to what exactly does exercising do to your body in term of weight loss.

    I just need to know why im doing what im doing thats all. For example i just found out you cant try to focus fat loss in a specific part of your body, it has to come off overall.
    Exercising:

    Improves your bodys ability to break down fat as a fuel source, even at rest

    Builds muscle which increases your resting metabolic rate

    Improves your blood pressure by causing adaptation of blood vessels to help open them up

    makes you feel good.

    There are lots of others, but i'll just list a few. :)

    Something like that... thx Shadowsan.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    You absolutely need to exercise from a weight loss point of view. Especially if you plan to keep it off. Restricting calories alone will help you lose weight but only for a little bit until the starvation response kicks in and your body holds onto its fat reserves and you eat muscle slowing down your metabolsim. When you exercise it boosts your metabolism and also allows the ffod you do eat to go towards things like muscle repair and glycogen storage. If you don't exercise your body just says 'Well, we're not going to need this any time soon. Might as well store it as fat.'

    A great book to read is 'Smart Exercise' By Covert Bailey
  • Kagami_Taiga
    Kagami_Taiga Posts: 124 Member
    From what i understand you lose weight from a calorie deficit. Have a 1,000 kcal deficit a day and you will lose weight.

    When i exercise, i have to actually eat back the calories i lose .

    Now, i know exercising is good from a health point of view, but from a strict "losing weight" point of view, what exercising actually does?

    Just need someone to explain it to me, im sure theres something there..

    Thank you.

    If you only get your deficit from what you're eating (or not eating) you could very likely end up eating your muscles too. So instead of being slim and fit looking you could look like someone who is ill.

    I'm not completely sure about this part but, I believe exercising is the only way you can lose your visceral fat, this is the fat around your internal organs. This is really bad stuff, so you generally don't want too much.

    Also, you don't have to eat back all of the expended calories.
  • roguestates
    roguestates Posts: 223
    Exercising:

    Improves your bodys ability to break down fat as a fuel source, even at rest

    Builds muscle which increases your resting metabolic rate

    Improves your blood pressure by causing adaptation of blood vessels to help open them up

    makes you feel good.

    There are lots of others, but i'll just list a few. :)

    YES, especially important is the making you feel good psychologically. Great motivator because calorie deficits make people grumpy/hangry.

    Physically, why wouldn't anyone want to feel strong and powerful in their own body?

    It also allows me to eat more, so why not?
  • Restybaby2012
    Restybaby2012 Posts: 568 Member
    I think exercise of almost any kind is exhilarating. combining exercising with calorie crunching compounds the exhilarating feeling of doing something, of being in control or at least the illusion there of.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    I do not exercise so I can be skinny, I exercise because it makes me healthier, which means I will be around longer to help the people that I love and love me back.

    I am in my mid 40s. I have copd as well as genetically high cholesterol. Running helps with my lung function AND my cholesterol issues.

    And the endorphins I get from working out are way better than what I ever got in a bottle of vodka. My skin looks way better and I just feel amazing over all.

    There is a reason the NFL started the Play 60 program for kids. When did our generation become so lazy?
  • Kagami_Taiga
    Kagami_Taiga Posts: 124 Member
    From what i understand you lose weight from a calorie deficit. Have a 1,000 kcal deficit a day and you will lose weight.

    When i exercise, i have to actually eat back the calories i lose .

    Now, i know exercising is good from a health point of view, but from a strict "losing weight" point of view, what exercising actually does?

    Just need someone to explain it to me, im sure theres something there..

    Thank you.

    If you only get your deficit from what you're eating (or not eating) you could very likely end up eating your muscles too. So instead of being slim and fit looking you could look like someone who is ill.

    I'm not completely sure about this part but, I believe exercising is the only way you can lose your visceral fat, this is the fat around your internal organs. This is really bad stuff, so you generally don't want too much.

    Also, you don't have to eat back all of the expended calories.

    Forgot to mention, strength training preserves muscles.
  • peter236uk
    peter236uk Posts: 140 Member
    i do cardio so i can have beer.

    Good man
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i do cardio so i can have beer.
    i walk for pie

    dude, you need to run for pie.
  • star87cc
    star87cc Posts: 63
    I have reached the weight I was when I first met my fiancé however I'm a size smaller in clothes because I am more toned, its not all about the scale numbers I have found, plus it has helped me push myself further in many aspects as its such a feel good mood enhancer!
  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
    i do cardio so i can have beer.
    i walk for pie

    dude, you need to run for pie.

    *titter*
  • ball858
    ball858 Posts: 395 Member
    If i just lost weight i'd have lots of loose skin, where as because I exercise aswel I have toned and kept the elasticity of my skin.

    I also exercise to make my inside healthy (ie. Heart / Lungs and reduce visceral fat) my starting resting heart rate was about 86 bpm its now 56 bpm.
  • alzaman5925
    alzaman5925 Posts: 64 Member
    I've officially been on MFP for around 45 days now and I've lost just over 8lbs. During that time I've been keeping a detailed log each day of my calorie deficits and my calorie burns from exercise on an offline spreadsheet.

    What I've discovered is that about a THIRD of my calorie deficit is as a result of exercise. Without it I would literally have only lost around 5lbs in 45 days rather than over half a stone. That makes a huge difference to me! And so far I am absolutely losing a pound for every 3,500 calories I cut down on, and I think the exercise has helped keep my metabolism at a healthy level whilst I'm on a relatively low calorie diet.

    Aside from all the physiological benefits of exercise, you will not initially notice just how far it will aid you when it comes to creating a greater yet healthier calorie deficit, but I would say that you should give it a go trying to incorporate it into your daily routine. It will be a great investment for your body somewhere down the line.
  • healthchick
    healthchick Posts: 75 Member
    Exercise is fantastic, it has the ability to make you feel great, shape your body, and a great way to make new friends. Maintaining a diet of 1000 calories will potentially lead to frustration, and deprivation which may result in binge eating and weight gain.

    In my opinion the weight loss journey is all about finding a balance between what you enjoy and "enjoying living".

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