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Why should i 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

  • 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!
  • 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. :)
  • 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.
  • 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?
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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?