Is it possible to lose weight on calorie reduction alone?

gottogetinshape
gottogetinshape Posts: 124 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm not planning to do literally no exercise - I take brisk walks and plan to go to a gym class or work out at home as often as I can - but I'm curious to know how much weight, if any, can be lost through calorie reduction alone? I just wondered if there's someone out there more experienced than me who can give me some more information. I've worked out my TDEE (via fitnessfrog.com) based on 'little to no exercise' so I know what my calorie intake needs to be when I'm not working out, i.e. 15/20% less than my TDEE, but can a person lose much weight that way? Sorry if I sound silly - I'm very new to all this! :)

Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • chasetwins
    chasetwins Posts: 702 Member
    Back in 2002 I had joined weight watchers - not sure what the calories were however I lost 36 pounds (about all I needed) without doing a single exercise! It can be done - the exercising not only has health benefits but it allows you to consume more calories than with out which can also have health benefits or perks
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    weight loss = calorie reduction

    so yes you can.
  • catbyrd
    catbyrd Posts: 87 Member
    You can, but if you have a lot of weight to loose your skin will be saggy and not firm at all. The exercise not only has health benefits but allows your body and skin to tone as you lose.
  • 78brownie_wechanged
    78brownie_wechanged Posts: 291
    Short answer is yes
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    Yes. Calorie deficit = weight loss.
  • missymakayla
    missymakayla Posts: 309 Member
    Yes, but if you exercise you will see a better result....
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    calorie reduction along with strength training a few times a week. it doesn't have to be much more
    complicated that that.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • KtotheD78
    KtotheD78 Posts: 58 Member
    At first, yes but eventually, not really...
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    calorie reduction along with strength training a few times a week. it doesn't have to be much more
    complicated that that.

    You do not need to add strength training to lose weight.
  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    A calorie reduction below actual TDEE will always result in weight-loss.

    However, without strength-training or other resistance-type exercises, much of it will be lean-mass (ie: muscle) instead of fat...

    Strength/Resistance training in combination with calories below TDEE will help retain lean mass (not all of it, but a higher percentage) than calorie-reduction alone. This is by-far preferable if you can manage it...
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    I lost 40 lbs previously with no exercise.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Calorie reduction is the only means to weight loss.

    Now if you are talking about FAT loss, thats a different story.

    Without strength training, you will lose fat but will also likely lose muscle mass as a result because you haven't provided the stimulus to your body to "tell" it to hold on to as much muscle as possible. What ends up happening often times is you end up with the "skinny fat" look people on here talk about.

    Cardio is optional but beneficial both for cardio health as well as for allowing for greater leniency.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I love when people say, yes, but...

    There's no but. Yes, you can. Calorie deficit will = weight loss. /end

    This!
  • Marcidy
    Marcidy Posts: 39 Member
    I lost 30 lbs in 2 months by eating 1200 calories per day. I gained it all back though. I've learned that adding exercise is big part in creating a healthy lifestyle.
  • Uhhhlexxxis
    Uhhhlexxxis Posts: 39 Member
    You can, but I personally find it very difficult to maintain a deficit if I'm not actively burning calories.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    At first, yes but eventually, not really...

    Oh, really? Please explain.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    calorie reduction along with strength training a few times a week. it doesn't have to be much more
    complicated that that.

    You do not need to add strength training to lose weight.

    This is correct.
  • Chip436
    Chip436 Posts: 14
    It can be done but you get a different body shape. Some people that don't work on strength and cardio exercises and focus on calorie reduction (not saying it's you, just saying in general) can be classified skinnier, but they may look ill or unhealthy just due to the lack of muscle percentage. Also keep in mind that the added muscles help to lose more calories. So a person weighing 140 but little muscle, and a person weighing 140 but with more muscle, the person with more muscle will lose more calories. Also remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so if you have high muscle density in your body, you might just look better because more of your body is muscle
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    calorie reduction along with strength training a few times a week. it doesn't have to be much more
    complicated that that.

    You do not need to add strength training to lose weight.

    You don't *need* to...

    ...but you should...

    ...for many various other reasons.
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 684 Member
    calorie reduction along with strength training a few times a week. it doesn't have to be much more
    complicated that that.

    You do not need to add strength training to lose weight.

    This is correct.

    this is also correct!
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    A calorie reduction below actual TDEE will always result in weight-loss.

    However, without strength-training or other resistance-type exercises, much of it will be lean-mass (ie: muscle) instead of fat...

    Strength/Resistance training in combination with calories below TDEE will help retain lean mass (not all of it, but a higher percentage) than calorie-reduction alone. This is by-far preferable if you can manage it...

    Agreed. The is exactly the reason why most girls can't do pull ups or push ups: too much cardio and not enough protein.
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    You will lose weight with calorie reduction alone. But you will just become a smaller you. Your shape won't change.

    To change your shape you need to lift weights and they need to get progressively heavier so they continually challenge your body to adapt.
  • kevinrbarger
    kevinrbarger Posts: 87 Member
    Absolutely! When I first started this I wasn't exercising at all and ended up losing a ton. Well, not literally, but figuratively.

    Then my doc made me watch this short vid on youtube called 23 1/2 Hours which is all about the health benefits of walking 30 minutes a day. That seemed doable, and I started that. I saw an immediate increase in the amount was losing. Whereas I was losing about 2lbs a week on average, I started losing about 3. And that was just from a 30 minute brisk walk every day!

    So, yes, you can definitely lose weight by not doing anything. But if you do do something, even something really simple, the increase in the amount lost can be dramatic!
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
    Yes. I lost most of my weight without ever exercising.

    If you want to significantly reduce your body fat percentage, though, you're going to need some exercise- resistance training in particular.
  • gottogetinshape
    gottogetinshape Posts: 124 Member
    Thank you ALL so much for your answers! Although I am not so big, I need to lose FAT so I need to work out as well as reduce my calorie intake, don't I? Thanks a lot, I knew you'd have words of wisdom for me and I really appreciate it. Most people mention strength training rather than cardio, is that right? THANKS AGAIN! :)
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    Yes.

    Not "yes, but...."

    Just yes.
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    calorie reduction along with strength training a few times a week. it doesn't have to be much more
    complicated that that.

    You do not need to add strength training to lose weight.

    You don't *need* to...

    ...but you should...

    ...for many various other reasons.

    Agreed, but OP asked about losing on calorie reduction alone. Has lifting become the new vegetarianism?

    Also.. go away. :wink:
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
    A calorie reduction below actual TDEE will always result in weight-loss.

    However, without strength-training or other resistance-type exercises, much of it will be lean-mass (ie: muscle) instead of fat...

    Strength/Resistance training in combination with calories below TDEE will help retain lean mass (not all of it, but a higher percentage) than calorie-reduction alone. This is by-far preferable if you can manage it...

    Agreed. The is exactly the reason why most girls can't do pull ups or push ups: too much cardio and not enough protein.

    This is so wrong.

    "Girls" can't do pull ups or push ups because our bodies don't favor upper body strength, not to mention that we have 50% less strength for the same amount of body mass as compared to men. It's called a difference in sex hormones, less testosterone in particular. As far as I know, you can't increase your testosterone by doing less cardio and eating more protein.

    Females have to work harder for push ups and pull ups than men do, and they're less likely to be encouraged do do that extra work. That's why most women can't do them, it has nothing to do with running too much or eating too much salad.
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
    Thank you ALL so much for your answers! Although I am not so big, I need to lose FAT so I need to work out as well as reduce my calorie intake, don't I? Thanks a lot, I knew you'd have words of wisdom for me and I really appreciate it. Most people mention strength training rather than cardio, is that right? THANKS AGAIN! :)

    Resistance training is important to reduce the amount of muscle mass you loose during weight loss, but if you don't like lifting weights, cardio is better than nothing.

    There are also programs that combine the two, like crossfit and insanity and other HIIT based programs. Just set some fitness goals, try a bunch of different things, and find out what you like.

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