Does anyone NOT workout and lose weight?

matchbox_girl
matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
By simply staying under their calorie limit? I'm aware the weight would come off more quickly with exercise, but is anyone mainly sedentary and still successful?

(I workout when I can, just haven't recently, and am wondering if I'm screwing myself over.)
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Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    MFP is set up so that you will lose weight even if you don't exercise. You don't HAVE to create a deficit through exercise, it's already there in your calorie goal.

    That being said, I still think you SHOULD exercise.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Well, I am losing weight with minimal exercise right now, but only because I just re-started eating properly and have a lot of weight to lose. Eventually, to keep the weight loss going and to be healthy and look good, I will need to exercise more.
  • tmanfromtexas
    tmanfromtexas Posts: 928 Member
    I lost 25 pounds eating 1500 calories a day with minimal exercise. It took about 3 months but I learned about portion size and have kept all but 5 pounds off almost a year later. I started exercising to get stronger but jacked my knee up so I am on the sidelines.
  • I lost the majority of my weight without doing much exercising other than walking a few times a week.
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
    I dropped the first 20 lbs with hardly any excercise due to a back problem so yes you can lose weight without excercising.
    :smile:
  • princessage117
    princessage117 Posts: 171 Member
    I feel like I lose better (faster and easier) when I don't work out. But I feel better when I exercise, plus I like getting toned, so it's a catch 22 for me!
  • jzaz903
    jzaz903 Posts: 306 Member
    I moved to a new city, didn't have a gym membership, and basically couldn't exercise for about a month. I still lost weight. Thats what is great about MFP- it's set up for everyone. Had a bad week? You can still lose :)
  • Well I wouldn't say I work out as such. I go to the shops if I need something and clean the house if it needs doing and when I go out with friends or to sports clubs I log that and you might find that you do a lot of exercise through just going about your daily business. That's what I do and it seems to be working so ...
  • jaybird951
    jaybird951 Posts: 53 Member
    i am 2.5 pds lighter than 3 days ago
  • I've done it before... in the beginning when I first logged in, i wasn't exercising... I lost the first 5-7 pounds by just watching what I ate... then I wanted to maintain my muscle, so I started working out... you can do it without exercising but why would you unless you can't workout due to medical conditions? when you lose weight and not back it up by building muscle, you become what they have been calling "skinny fat" . you're skinny but you have more fat than muscle and that's not healthy.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    I lost the first 10 pounds without working out at all. As long as you create a caloric deficit it doesn't matter if you're doing it through exercise or just diet alone.

    I will say though, I didn't workout because I was always one of those people that hated exercise... well I finally forced myself to get into it and I LOVE it now. My day isn't the same without a good workout, and I'm really enjoying faster weight loss and feeling healthier overall. If you can find the time, it's probably worth trying to get into it. Good luck!
  • emzmc
    emzmc Posts: 85 Member
    Yep I've lost 32.8pounds without exercise.
  • LovingLisa2012
    LovingLisa2012 Posts: 775 Member
    I don't workout and just started working again in June and have been losing weight every week :)
    (average about 1 pound a week)
  • RitaChu
    RitaChu Posts: 12 Member
    I did that the first time I lost weight 5 yrs ago. However, this time around I've incorporated exercise with mindful eating & I've noticed that my skin is tighter and muscle definition is definitely more apparent. I don't' have as much of a problem with "back fat" as I did when I lost weight w/o exercise.
  • quill16
    quill16 Posts: 373 Member
    For the first 40-50 lbs I lost I did not work hard at exercise, I "paddled around in the pool" 3-4 times a week and ate 1200 cals as that was all I could manage. As I lost weight I felt more like exercising and now I don't go a day without 2+hrs of exercise.The pounds just came off easier with exercise and I wanted to get it done as fast and safe as possible.
  • You can lose weight if you don't exercise, but you will end up skinny and flabby, so move when you can! Find something that you like that you can fit into your schedule and you'll feel much better physically and mentally.
  • I did successfully for awhile.
    But then I joined a gym...

    In the long run, yes I want to lose weight - but I also want to be fit!
  • I've lost all 24 pounds so far with very little exercise. That being said, I am fully aware that I need to start exercising in order to look and feel better for the long haul.:smile:
  • Bakerchk
    Bakerchk Posts: 424 Member
    I actually lost the majority of my weight when I wasn't working out at all. I started to gain when I started working out. It's possible I'm sure.
  • DollyMiel
    DollyMiel Posts: 377 Member
    I started out exercising, lost weight.
    Haven't been exercising often lately, lost weight.

    I'd definitely say watching what you eat counts for a lot. Don't worry so much about it and do what you can. c:
  • I lost 50lbs. 2 years ago and have kept it off by keeping well under my required calorie intake, and no exercise. Now that I'm at the weight I want to be, I eat as many calories as my height/weight allows without gaining any weight. What I did was find foods that were extremely filling, and very low calories. I ate a lot of salads and tuna. However, this isn't a very healthy way to go.
  • Yes, I've lost 9 pounds since June 1st, and I'm sedentary. Working out might make you lose faster, and would definitely tone you up better, but I've seen a study that says you can lose weight equally well either way (but the weight is more likely to stay off if you exercise).
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    I haven't started exercising yet, so yes you can, but I will want to firm/tone up and try to avoid saggy skin, so it is in the plan, just not right now.
  • Zylahe
    Zylahe Posts: 772 Member
    I haven't been able to do much excersie due to injury.
    I try to do tabel pushups every morning while i cook breakfast and thats about it.
    So far i've lost 6kg, which isn't much but its better than gaining


    I do hope to get back to excersising in a few months, but i'll be starting from scratch
  • milkandtea
    milkandtea Posts: 116 Member
    The majority of my weight was lost without exercise but I don't recommend it. Eventually you'll hit a plateau. You're a lot less likely to have excess skin or end up "skinny fat" if you work out from the beginning. I've started now but I wish I had started from day one.
  • SweetDorothySweat
    SweetDorothySweat Posts: 114 Member
    80% diet 20% exercise. So eat CLEAN, by clean I mean, not just under your goal, but all healthy foods. You can do it if ya want.
  • apedeb09
    apedeb09 Posts: 805 Member
    After I had my daughter (first child), I lost all of my baby weight and even eventually weighed less than I did before I got pregnant with her and I can tell you right now, I did absolutely NO exercise back then. I wasn't even trying to lose weight... I'm pretty sure it was the fact that we were broke and hardly had any food at all for a long time which is why I lost the weight. That HAS to be it. lol So yeah it's possible.
  • Rockmyskinnyjeans
    Rockmyskinnyjeans Posts: 431 Member
    I exercise, but when I started off losing the weight, I exercised much less than I do now (as in next to never). I think you can lose the weight without the exercise, as MFP is set for that, but it helps to tone and firm you when you exercise.
  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
    You guys are great! Definitely makes me feel better about having a couple "bad" weeks. My man and I want to join a martial arts class...so we'll be doing SOMETHING ;)
  • Yeah , i'v lost 55 lbs Since 1st Feb , I work in a office 6 days a week so don't get time to work out , Stick to 2000 calories , but low fat diet and it seems to be working fine.