Calorie Deficit = Weight Loss + Exercise...?
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mommyshortlegs
Posts: 402 Member
My mother and I were discussing this topic just tonight. If MFP essentially already allows for weight loss by factoring a calorie deficit into our days, and if when we exercise we are only increasing that deficit (hence the frequent admonition to "eat back" our exercise calories so as not to create a deficit too steep), it could be argued:
Why, then, exercise at all?
To speed the weight loss process? To tone/build muscle as the weight is lost?
[Thoughts spawned by this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/post/new/846079-eating-calories-earned-by-exercise]
Why, then, exercise at all?
To speed the weight loss process? To tone/build muscle as the weight is lost?
[Thoughts spawned by this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/post/new/846079-eating-calories-earned-by-exercise]
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Well technically based on your post your right you don't have to exercise to lose based on mfp's calculations. BUT you will not ultimately creat a fit you. The exercise is to help create lean muscle mass which burns more calories and raises you metabolizing, among the other wonderful things it does to shape your body.0
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Right-- because it feels good and you'll be stronger and healthier. And if you don't eat all of the extracalories from exercise you'll lose weight even faster.0
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Because exercise isn't for weight loss, and the benefits are many.0
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lllliiiinnnnz wrote:And if you don't eat all of the extracalories from exercise you'll lose weight even faster.
(I appreciate your explanations, BTW, I'm still rather new at this, and my mother newer still.)0 -
So you can eat more!! Duhh..
Just kidding, but it is a factor. Exercise is more than just for weight loss. Its for gaining muscle, getting your heart pumping blood, releasing feel good hormones!0 -
To answer your original question, exercise (both cardio and resistance) have their own benefits in addition to using up energy.
Resistance will help you to retain as much lean muscle mass as possible whilst eating at a deficit, it is also good for increasing functional strength useful in day to day life, good for bone density and protection against osteoporosis etc etc. Cardiovascular exercise will improve fitness levels and also has many other health benefits. The other benefit is raising your metabolism.
In the most basic sense the net benefit from burning and eating 500 calories worth of energy is greater than having not moved off the couch at all. Makes sense even on an intuitive level doesn't it!?0 -
Yes logically you don't need it for weight loss. However Exercise keeps you healthy and strong. Plus with it you will look a whole lot better than without it, especially if the weight loss amount is high. IMO0
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For your health!!0
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as has been answered, because it's good for your body. it reduces risk of multiple diseases -- including dementia and alzheimer's later in life -- and helps you think better and feel good about yourself. plus the fact that the more bank of calories you build, the more you can eat and still be on track.
so when you can get the benefit of bacon and ice cream on top of all that? why wouldn't you?0 -
Remember that fat doesn't magically go away, exercise is needed to burn it. Without burning fat, you can lose weight, but you still retain the fat you had, and its in a smaller body.0
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I know that I do not eat back my calories from exercise, i just eat my original 1200 a day.0
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I know that I do not eat back my calories from exercise, i just eat my original 1200 a day.
well that doesn't sound like much fun -- or much food.0 -
I know that I do not eat back my calories from exercise, i just eat my original 1200 a day.
urdoinitwrong0 -
Why, then, exercise at all?
To look and feel better (both mentally and physically). There's a lot of benefits of exercise and being able to eat more is one of them.
Even 30 minutes of exercise 3-4 times a week makes a big difference.0 -
Remember that fat doesn't magically go away, exercise is needed to burn it. Without burning fat, you can lose weight, but you still retain the fat you had, and its in a smaller body.
To answer the OP's question: Exercise has health benefits. Cardio training helps increase your cardiovascular fitness (fittingly enough!) and also creates more of a calorie deficit (which you should fill, at least in part, by eating some of the exercise calories back). Strength training helps maintain muscle mass so that when you arrive at your goal weight you don't have the "skinny fat" look - slender, but with high levels of body fat and no muscular definition.0 -
You may have read it wrong - unless you exercise, the fat in your body does not decrease.0
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You may have read it wrong - unless you exercise, the fat in your body does not decrease.
Um, yes it does.0 -
What is the point of exercise? Are you seriously asking this?
Go ask a 5th grader. They can probably tell you.0 -
Like most everyone else is saying, if you don't exercise you will lose weight from calorie deficit alone, but you will lose muscle in the process as well. You will lose weight for some time but then your body will get used to that routine (or lack there of) and stop losing weight, putting you in a plateau. Eventually you will need to exercise to continue to lose weight, but you should definitely exercise from the beginning in order to build lean muscle mass and increase the amount of calories your body will burn at rest!0
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You may have read it wrong - unless you exercise, the fat in your body does not decrease.
Huh?0
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