Lose more weight when I don't exercise?

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sissiluv
sissiluv Posts: 2,205 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I usually eat back at least half of my burned calories but I notice when I exercise my weight loss slows to a crawl, and when I don't exercise or do so very lightly I lose two pounds a week?
Is this unusual? It strikes me as very weird!
Is my body just retaining more water when I exercise or something? I've been drinking ten cups of water a day.
And any exercise suggestions? I was doing about 200 minutes of cardio a week before and eating a maximum of 1700calories, having burned a maximum of 400 calories in 50 minutes..

(Granted I don't plan on exercising very much in the next while. We're broke and food is limited so I don't want to expend too much energy)

Thanks!

Replies

  • britkip
    britkip Posts: 49
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    When you workout your building muscle and that weighs more than fat. So you may not notice any weight loss but your body should still be getting tone. When your not working out, sure your losing weight but your not building any muscle so that's why you would weigh less.
    Another reason could be if you work out and then eat bad food your not doing any good for your body. A good thing to remember is that it's 20% gym and 70% kitchen. Like the saying goes abs are made in the kitchen not the gym.
  • Foodie711711
    Foodie711711 Posts: 137 Member
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    well i could point out problems with the previous post but all I'll say is that doesnt even equal 100%. but i digress! instead im going to tell you that when you do not work out it's hard to perserve lean body mass and therefore the weight you're losing when you're not working out is fat and muscle.
  • sissiluv
    sissiluv Posts: 2,205 Member
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    Alright, thank you! Both of you. c:
  • redredy9
    redredy9 Posts: 706 Member
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    I lose weight slower when I exercise too but I lose inches much faster and a 5 pound loss looks like much more. I learned to focus on the measurments and size of my clothes rather than the number on the scale.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,599 Member
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    When you workout your building muscle and that weighs more than fat. So you may not notice any weight loss but your body should still be getting tone. When your not working out, sure your losing weight but your not building any muscle so that's why you would weigh less.
    Another reason could be if you work out and then eat bad food your not doing any good for your body. A good thing to remember is that it's 20% gym and 70% kitchen. Like the saying goes abs are made in the kitchen not the gym.
    Sorry, but this is a fallacy that's been misunderstood for years. So let me help with correct information.

    You don't build muscle working out. You break muscle down. Rebuild happens in the rest phase. In this phase you retain a lot of water and glycogen because of rebuild and the body's anticipation that energy will be needed for the next workout.
    You DON'T build muscle on calorie deficit. While there are some exceptions, invariably this doesn't happen with the general population.

    So short answer here is that by not exercising, less water is retained by the body, therefore reducing weight.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    When you workout your building muscle and that weighs more than fat. So you may not notice any weight loss but your body should still be getting tone. When your not working out, sure your losing weight but your not building any muscle so that's why you would weigh less.
    Another reason could be if you work out and then eat bad food your not doing any good for your body. A good thing to remember is that it's 20% gym and 70% kitchen. Like the saying goes abs are made in the kitchen not the gym.
    Sorry, but this is a fallacy that's been misunderstood for years. So let me help with correct information.

    You don't build muscle working out. You break muscle down. Rebuild happens in the rest phase. In this phase you retain a lot of water and glycogen because of rebuild and the body's anticipation that energy will be needed for the next workout.
    You DON'T build muscle on calorie deficit. While there are some exceptions, invariably this doesn't happen with the general population.

    So short answer here is that by not exercising, less water is retained by the body, therefore reducing weight.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    This plus where's that other 10%??
  • Better4Summer
    Better4Summer Posts: 120
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    Yeah weight loss may not show on scales when exercising but it will show in your clothes and how you look.. Scales lie.. Camera don't ;)
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    Cutting is a lot easier when you're not also working out. Staying on a diet to lose weight can be more challenging when you're also working out hard.

    Additionally weight training and such causes water retention and all sorts of biological things I don't really understand that well.

    Those two factors are probably big culprits.
  • sissiluv
    sissiluv Posts: 2,205 Member
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    Yeah weight loss may not show on scales when exercising but it will show in your clothes and how you look.. Scales lie.. Camera don't ;)
    http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2007/02/smile_and_say_fat.html

    They do, actually. lawls

    Alright, thanks guys! This is really good to know and I appreciate all of your help! I had a feeling it was water weight, and will definitely keep up with my cardio routine...maybe just not quite as strenuously. c;
  • NotBonJovi
    NotBonJovi Posts: 187 Member
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    We're broke and food is limited so I don't want to expend too much energy

    I am sorry to hear about this. You have a bigger problem than worrying about water retention and not losing enough.
    I have been there, so all I can suggest is, have you explored food banks in your area. Many times I've found healthy stuff there.
  • sissiluv
    sissiluv Posts: 2,205 Member
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    We're broke and food is limited so I don't want to expend too much energy

    I am sorry to hear about this. You have a bigger problem than worrying about water retention and not losing enough.
    I have been there, so all I can suggest is, have you explored food banks in your area. Many times I've found healthy stuff there.
    I've been researching the ones in my area yes, but mom is still employed so we're not yet eligible to use them. We're waiting until she goes on stress leave, which should be next week or so, to further explore that option. Hopefully it'll only be a temporary arrangement but it's nothing we haven't had to deal with before and we always come out fine. Thank you very much for your sympathy however, I really appreciate it!

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