Do I REALLLLLY have to excercise?

jenuwine

ok so I am 66kgs, which is about 10kgs too much for my liking. I joined this site over a mth ago and havent had any weight loss. :sad: I'm now calorie counting and do ok at staying under my 1200 limit. For the first time ever I hold myself back from eating mountains of junk - a great achievement.:drinker:
I'd like to have lost the 10kgs by the end of this year (so have about 6mths). My question is do I HAVE to excercise? or will this adjustment to my diet be enough to slowly but surely loose the weight?

If I do HAVE to excercise pls list the bare minimum required.

Ps I work in an office so dont move too much but have a 1.5 yr old and dog so do go out to the park to play, and am a clean freak so spend a bit of time cleaning often too :happy:

HealthyChanges2010

no of course you don't have to exercise!:flowerforyou:

Most ppl that lose weight and keep it off successfully exercise AND change their eating habits. I think once you successfully drop some lbs. (I'm sorry I don't know the lb to stone conversion right off) you'll get the excercise bug and realize you'll feel much better adding it in.

It can help in SO many ways:drinker: More energy, more positive mind set, quicker weight loss, toning, not ending up with so much lose flabby skin after dropping the weight desired because you're toning as you go along.:flowerforyou: Excercising revs up metabolism so your body burns cals throughout the day and keeps your blood sugars more stable. Which can help so much with getting the urge to eat junk or binge.

As always it's up to each of us how we chose to make changes. I began by changing my eating, working out seemed impossible to me at first. Then I started to feel better about myself as I dropped weight and began excercising and have loved it and never stopped since. I will say one thing, I DO wish I had start it from the beginings though!

Wish you the best,
Becca:drinker:

** There was a thread with somone asking this very question on here today and I was looking for that thread to share the link but can't find it right off. It had some great thoughts shared in it about excercising.

SassyMissDasha

You don't "really" have to .. but I suggest to do so, if you want results to be more permanent ..

spaul82478

YES.... eating right alone will not make you healthy.... You need to get that blood pumping for at least 30 min.... I used to think becasue i was a waitress i didnt have too.. BOY WAS I WRONG..... my body was so used to it that I became the heaviest I have ever been. Now at 31 am on blood pressure pills and am trying to avoide diabiteis..all becasue I didnt' work out..... SO to your questionl.. Working out will lower your BMI, and your BP, also your choloestoral.. all things that get tested for when you get life insurace too (may not be somthing that you need to worry about, but I just found out it will affect me ) So, take a half hour a day and get that heart rate up :bigsmile:

PS.. also If your hitting a platue... EAT all your cals if your not exersizing.. your body will go into starvation mode and you will not lose anymore... 1200 is the minimum for anyone JUST A SUGGESTION

OnionCookie

You don't have to but the exercise will make you feel so much better. There are small things you can do to get yourself moving more. Try dancing around the house when cleaning, or parking further away from the store or even just taking the stairs instead of the elevator can do wonders. Just try to move more. Diet and exercise paired together can be so much more beneficial that just changing eating and drinking habits.

bjberry

The exercise page has measurements for house cleaning, so that might help.
Do you have a cell phone with a pedometer on it? Keep that with you as you work, clean, go to the park with kids and dog. It will tell you how many miles or parts of miles you have walked each day.
In other words, just add bits and pieces of exercise into your everyday activities. Then, it doesn't really feel like exercise. That's what I try to do.
- I'm medically retired, but I park fairly far away from the Mall and the Walmart, play hide-and-go-seek and chase games with my 5yo grandson (he runs, I speed walk). I get my exercise so easily this way and have been losing inches and pounds.
Have fun!

missygal

I havent exercised much and have lost a little wait. But think of if I had done more I would have lost more weight. Plus is will make you so feel sooo much better.

ChellieIrish

Hi there :flowerforyou:

I'm still on the fence about whether or not exercize is a necessity mainly because I have had a healthy lifestyle in the past minus the exercize and stayed a good weight by just watching what I ate

I think again from previous times when I did workout that exercize helps you to tone up a lot more, diet alone won't do that

Try and make gentle adjustments and build it up you might even get the fitness bug :bigsmile: When I was working I had an hour lunch break and used to try and get a 10/15 mins walk in a couple of times a week Maybe some of your colleagues in work would join you too ... I found that the chat among friends during that time on our walks made it enjoyable :bigsmile:

Here are a couple of links that show some ideas of how to add movement to your lifestyle :flowerforyou:

http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Health/Fitness-Exercise/Exercise-Tips-for-Your-Work-Lifestyle.html

http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/bn_fitness_addsteps.htm

mhotch

You eat to lose weight, you exercise for good health!

alwardt

If I did not exercise, I would have to go to bed hungry to stay within my allotted calories. Since I really enjoy eating, exercise I must.

NOLA_Meg

Exercise is beneficial for your heart, lungs, joints, bones, and brain to name a few. You need weight-bearing exercise to prevent chronic diseases and osteoporosis. It can also help with boosting mood, alleviating stress, and helping your memory. You can be a "healthy weight" and still develop heart disease, diabetes, and other problems. Also, it will be more and more difficult to maintain your weight in the future as your metabolism slows down with age. I think as long as you are active in the park and at home cleaning as you mention, you might have a more active lifestyle that will help you lose weight and stay healthy, but I would be conscious about staying active and maybe adding walking or gardening or some other activity to keep from being sedentary.

chgudnitz

NO, you don't have to.

But why wouldn't you WANT to?

rcatr

i think exercise has gotten a bad rap. for some people it has become a chore, ya know?

if it becomes this healthy, enjoyable thing you do for, say, 30 minutes to 1 hour a few times a week to ensure strong bones and muscles and heart health, i think it takes on a whole new meaning. these are long term! how awesome is that.

the short term, for you - 6 months - residual benefits - is accelerated weight loss.

aippolito1

Unless you want to be skinny fat, have no muscles or strength, then yes, you have to. But, no one is holding a gun to your head, making you do it. Also, let me just point out... if you're not exercising, but staying within your calories and haven't lost weight, your diet needs tweaking.

- Less sodium, more water
- More veggies & fruits
- Eat all your protein
- Eat enough fiber
- Ratios should be 50% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat
- Fiber should be set at 25g.

funkyspunky871

I'm now calorie counting and do ok at staying under my 1200 limit.

There's your problem, I believe. Under 1200 calories? The minimum is 1200 calories. You should be getting more than that. You actually have to eat to lose weight. Weird, huh? Try eating more. And, no, it's not necessary to exercise at all. But, if you have a lot to lose, exercise will help you tone back up.

sroseber

I hate exercising too, at least exercise that feels like exercise. I do try to take my dog for a minimum 20 minute walk and the calories you burn cleaning and playing with the kids counts too (as long as you are joining in the playing and not just watching them play). I've discovered that I like to play golf with my husband and daughter. I try and do that as often as possible (usually not as much as I would like) and every time we can we walk the course rather than taking a cart (only do this if it's REALLY muddy or we're in a hurry). Burn lots of calories doing that. So my suggestion is to find something active to do that's not what you consider "exercising" and get active and burn some calories doing that and having fun. I also have an elliptical in my living room and when I've not been able to get active for a couple days doing other stuff I try to get on there while I watch a TV show or two...it still seems like "exercise" to me but at least I'm distracted by the TV shows.

I've lost two lbs now (started Sunday) mostly by just changing my eating habits but a few dog walks too. I know from previous experience once I lose a little I'll have more energy and motivation to try and get some other exercising in too. Probably some ab work, I strangely don't mind it that much and love what it does for my waistline and the fit of my clothing. Good luck with whatever path you choose but as others have said eat AT LEAST 1200 calories, no less or your body will think it's starving and won't let go of the weight.

jessicajoy87

Yes, there are more things than just weightloss that exercise helps you with. Thats why youshould exercise no matter your weight.

LittleSpy

To lose weight? No. To be healthy? Yes.

I also believe you're not eating enough. If you're within 10kg of your goal weight, you should probably be creating very small calorie deficits and expecting to lose weight very slowly (like 1/2lb or around 1/4kg a week). If it comes off a little faster, that's great, but making sure your expectations aren't too high is always a good thing.

I hated exercise with a passion 8-9 months ago. I may have even still hated it 5 months ago but I did it. But now I can *honestly* say I CAN'T WAIT to go to the gym tonight (which I'll be doing after working 13 hours at 2 jobs -- how's that for proof of an amazing increase in energy -- one of the many benefits of consistent exercise-- eh?). I did the same thing yesterday. I'm not even tired when I get home after days like this. I seriously feel like a freaking superhero who's superpower is everlasting energy at this point. :laugh:

mworld

Bare Minimum I think you should be doing for exercise:

Walking/jogging/bicycling/swimming
Pushups- 4 times a week.

Alanna234

hey like everyone else has said , i think exercise is definitely needed to be healthier but maybe not to lose weight .. but with your question its made me have a few of my own.
Is it true or a myth :
If your severely overweight the last 10lbs (or so) are the hardest to lose? If this is true ... what about ppl who are not very overweight? Im not really fat .. im a size 12 (uk) 8/10(u.s) But I was getting a little belly and my thighs have always been quite heavy... so im 75kg? i think. Most ppl have thought me a bit mad to want to drop a dress size but it was more about being healthy for me.
Im just wondering to get down to the size i want to be .. is it going to be even harder? And take twice as long as someone who is heavier?

lsmith78

Like you, I thought that if I stayed within my 1200 calorie limit that the weight would come off easily w/out exercising. I am coming to find out now that, for me, that along with eating better and staying w/in my calorie range, exercising is beneficial to helping me lose & keep off the weight. I'm not a huge fan of exercising but nowadays, when I dont have evening plans, I get off work, change clothes, put my daughter in her stroller and walk around our neighborhood for about and hour or so at least once or twice a week. It's not only good for my body, but it helps me to release the stresses of the day as well. I used to think that after having my daughter that since I was always up and running around doing things for her and now, chasing her around the house and all, that this would be all the exercise that I needed to lose the weight.....not so much. I actually lost all of my baby weight (I gained 26 lbs when I was preggo) after I had her in Jan '09 and after I went back to work in March 09', I gained like 5-7 lbs. I suggest exercise as a means for you to be healthy and to assist you in your goals of losing the weight and keeping it off.


Best of luck to you, :flowerforyou:

chrisdavey

Unless you want to be skinny fat, have no muscles or strength, then yes, you have to. But, no one is holding a gun to your head, making you do it. Also, let me just point out... if you're not exercising, but staying within your calories and haven't lost weight, your diet needs tweaking.

- Less sodium, more water
- More veggies & fruits
- Eat all your protein
- Eat enough fiber
- Ratios should be 50% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat
- Fiber should be set at 25g.

Very well said. You can lose weight dieting alone but if you want to lose fat then I recommend some exercise as well

jenuwine

WOW th you so much everyone for your responses. with regarding to 'staying under my 1200 limit' I hate when I put my thingies into MFP and the font goes RED cause I've gone over...so I shouldnt worrry bout that? you all think I should eat more??? I'll give that ago - but as suggested I'll 'eat more' wisely by adding more vegies into the diet.
I'll also try the min 30 mins excerice per day. I have a treadmill so I'll walk fast on that while I watch TV :-) then I'll do streches and balance ball sit ups etc for a further 10 mins for toning.

On a mission! once again thanks so much - I'll report back to let you all know how I go

bubbie

Yes, exercise, especially aerobic and weight training is necessary to building muscle and increasing cardiovascular health. Naturally, if you are new to working out you must get clearance from your physician first. Good luck! Your body will love you for it!

briannak14

Excersize is crucial