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MyFitnessPal Community

Do I have to exercise?

Sweetredpoison

Hi All,

I'm pretty new to MFP. I'm really out of shape, and frankly lazy. I have one of those 9 to 5pm desk jobs. I really don't like exercise but I know I have to incorporate it in my daily life. I am not a morning person, and the thought of having to wake up extra early to exercise is looking impossible. Do you think it would be okay just to watch what I eat first and then start exercising? What did you all do?

Replies

TyTy76

I would stick with making excuses, you seem pretty good at that.

Yes, actually I've become a master at excuses.

At least we can agree on that.

You work 9-5. What do you do with the other 8 hours you're awake?

thesophierose

Of course you can!! Its all about calorie in/calorie out. You just get more benefits with working out thats all

fitmomhappymom

I would stick with making excuses, you seem pretty good at that.

Yes, actually I've become a master at excuses.

At least we can agree on that.

You work 9-5. What do you do with the other 8 hours you're awake?

Exactly. A 9-5 job is no reason to be lazy. I (Like most normal working people) work 7-5:30, go to school at night, have a child and a fiance that I have to cook dinner for and clean house for every night and I STILL make sure to make time to work out almost every day.You make time for what is important. If you want results, you work hard for them.

ailbheoconnell

Diet = Makes you look good with clothes on
Diet + Exercise = Makes you look good naked as well

this^^. I ate really well for about 6 weeks so it was a habit before I started logging and exercising. Too much all at once is very hard to stick to. Also, if you are eating better, with a focus on protein and lots of veg you will have way more energy and will be leaping out of the bed in the morning. I am most definitely not a morning person by nature, or so I thought. As I started on this journey things changed and I now exercise at 6am! Still shocks me when I think about it!! But I find I am wide awake once I get up at this time, and no snoozes at my desk. FYI most of my calories came from junk food before this journey, and I took a gentle walk about once a month. Drove everywhere. I was the greatest sloth.

leannerae40

You don't have to in order to lose weight as long as you lower your caloric intake.

I started by doing both...exercise and caloric deficit.

I too HATED exercising and have a full-time desk job but I made myself do it, no excuses. It's amazing what changes in 6 months. Now, I look foward to my workouts...I love them. I find they are such a huge stress reliever and I have so much more energy now than I used to have. Also, you will look A LOT better.

I started with pure cardio and that helped the weight drop but I was still flabby. Now that I have added weight lifting to my routine my body is starting to firm up a lot and the inches are coming off a lot quicker. I look so much better now and I have a confidence now that I haven't had in a long time.

Exercise is a bonus for your health, I would recommend it. Just start off slow, start with a walk and build from there.

Oh so much THIS^^^^

Sweetredpoison

I would stick with making excuses, you seem pretty good at that.

Yes, actually I've become a master at excuses.

At least we can agree on that.

You work 9-5. What do you do with the other 8 hours you're awake?

I'm in grad school writing my thesis paper as well, HOWEVER you are correct. I have plenty of time. I know this. I just haven't tried yet. Reading all of these posts (yourself included) has been motivating. And I'm sure all of you will be glad to hear that tonight will be my "first" walk for exercise.

notenoughspeed

I was morbidly obese when I first started. I just started eating at a calorie deficit, and I lost weight. I started incorporating cardio and strength training slowly. It helps a bunch. I prefer to workout and eat a little more than eat at a lower calorie deficit. I sit at a desk job too.

My friend lost over a hundred pounds and she only gets normal daily activity. Does not work out. She has a desk job, but is very active on the weekends with her kids, and evenings with the family.

Sweetredpoison

If you tell yourself you are not a morning person, you won't be a morning person. If you tell yourself you hate exercise, you will hate exercise. If you tell yourself you are lazy, you will be lazy. Why don't you tell yourself something different and see if that makes a difference?

I need to write this down and adapt it into a mantra. Seriously! :laugh:

TyTy76

I would stick with making excuses, you seem pretty good at that.

Yes, actually I've become a master at excuses.

At least we can agree on that.

You work 9-5. What do you do with the other 8 hours you're awake?

I'm in grad school writing my thesis paper as well, HOWEVER you are correct. I have plenty of time. I know this. I just haven't tried yet. Reading all of these posts (yourself included) has been motivating. And I'm sure all of you will be glad to hear that tonight will be my "first" walk for exercise.

Wait.
STOP.

You mean to tell me that you're actually going to use advice you got on the forums, and do something about it? You mean you're not going to call all the people that were honest, mean?

Sweetredpoison

:laugh: LOL

SkinnyMsFitness

Hi All,

I'm pretty new to MFP. I'm really out of shape, and frankly lazy. I have one of those 9 to 5pm desk jobs. I really don't like exercise but I know I have to incorporate it in my daily life. I am not a morning person, and the thought of having to wake up extra early to exercise is looking impossible. Do you think it would be okay just to watch what I eat first and then start exercising? What did you all do?

Your desk job is the main indication you NEED to exercise!!!! Believe me, once you FORCE yourself to workout 5 days a week, at least 30 mins/day, for a couple weeks...you will crave that exercise! You will feel so much better mentally and physically. No matter how tired you feel or how much it hurts, push through it! That's the only way you'll see lasting results. You don't want to be skinny-fat, do you?

This coming from a fat, lazy girl that hated working out too. Today, I couldn't imagine my life without it. Good luck!

FourIsCompany

You've gotten some great advice and I just want to say, if no one has... Muscle burns fat. And muscles are sexy.

EjaneK11

You can just watch what you eat. I started off wanting to do that but then I started exercising and found that I lost more weight faster. But after I lost about 24 pounds I stopped exercising and just watch what I eat. It has been a slower progress and been a lot of bouncing back and forth on gaining a pound then losing a pound. I found that even if I walked just for a little bit I lost weight a little better.

doomspark

I started parking at the far end of the parking lot at work. I also started walking for 15-20 minutes on my lunch hour. They're simple things to do so you'll be more likely to stick with them.

Mslmesq

To the op, to answer your question, and according to the surgeon general, yes! Pick up walking as a good lifetime habit. 30 minutes a day or more.

VeeSis

Diet = Makes you look good with clothes on
Diet + Exercise = Makes you look good naked as well

VeeSis

Loved the above lines!

redheaddee

You don't HAVE to exercise, but medical science has repeatedly shown through many, many, many empirical studies that it is highly beneficial to do so for so many reasons. You don't have to do anything in life other than pay taxes and die, really. Good luck maintaining any success you might achieve without adding exercise though.

BTW exercise = you get to eat more things. Why would you NOT exercise??

IPAkiller

Dieting to lose weight without exercising is possible and several people smarter than me will post a bazillion factoids about the subject. I will break it down simple. If a woman loses weight through a restricted calorie diet (or even supplements with uppers) without exercise, you will look weird physically. Yeah, you might hit your target weight, but you'll look terrible with your inverted butt, sunken face, chicken legs, shrunken boobs and still that stubborn muffin top. Weighing a certain wait has become a stupid infatuation due to generalized BMI Charts. Plain and simple, diet plus exercise are beneficial to each other and will develop a nice figure from the inside out rather than you melting down to a sack of bones.

Disclaimer: I said, "If a woman loses weight" because I don't care what a dude looks like when he loses weight. I am only speaking on my personal opinion of what I think women look like when they "starve" themselves skinny.

BrendaRey74

You can. I have. But it'll be better for your body if you do exercise.

I'm fairly new myself. So far just watching how much and what quality calories I eat/drink has dropped the weight. I know I will need to work in exercise as well but to start out this is great. Also it is easier to work out carrying less weight to begin with and having the positive feel of the loss is more motivating towards exercise.

Of course I have done this before. I got down to 250lbs at one point but at that time I hadn't changed my lifestyle, just forced myself down. Well I can't, no one can, force themselves to stay at their low weight without altering their everyday forever habits. So getting into a flow with exercise and healthier eating habits I can live with and thrive on for the rest of my life is my goal. To that end I am working at a slower not forcing it pace. Altering small things and adjusting to them then adding in something else. If I had jumped on my food and my exercise and try to hold down a job etc. all at the same time I wouldn't be healthier. I would have quit.

Also adding in a little extra walking at the office is exercise too. Trotting around the park with the nieces for an hour is exercise. An extra loop around Target is exercise. If it uses more energy than you were, it's exercise. It doesn't have to be a gym membership and the treadmill.

I don't just want to lose weight. I want a healthy body that can work well for me for the next 40 years. I can't get there without exercise. Animals in nature that don't move get sick or eaten. We have to move.

greenmm25

I started out just eating better for about a month then my results weren't coming as fast as I'd like so I started to incorporate working out. And it doesn't have to be a long or hard to make a difference just walking more helps.

MostlyWater

Yes, as we age, the body really needs to exercise. Experiment; hopefully you will find an exercise that you love, or at least a fun way to get through it - watching a movie, exercising with friends, etc.

Gearjammer71

Disclaimer: I said, "If a woman loses weight" because I don't care what a dude looks like when he loses weight. I am only speaking on my personal opinion of what I think women look like when they "starve" themselves skinny.

Good thing you said that, because I was all set to tell you about my shrunken boobs and muffin top.

IPAkiller

Disclaimer: I said, "If a woman loses weight" because I don't care what a dude looks like when he loses weight. I am only speaking on my personal opinion of what I think women look like when they "starve" themselves skinny.

Good thing you said that, because I was all set to tell you about my shrunken boobs and muffin top.

You have to buy me a drink first.

lua_

supermodelchic

Hmm , exercise is key , building up muscle at your age is very important, you have a small window left to really add some.. by the time I was 26 I had a 2 year old son and my body bounced back quick because I already had a nice base from years of lifting weights. So up to you , get really fit now, or risk being an out of shape older adult..

lindustum

You don't have to do anything in life other than pay taxes and die

Bahahah, love that :bigsmile:

Christlivesinme29

Exercise is important, not just for your physical health,but for your mental as well. I find exercise to be therapeutic. In addition to assisting in weight loss, and toning your body, it also strengthens your brain as well. If you are prone to anxiety, depression, or stress, exercise has a way of boosting those serotonin levels in your brain,putting you in a healthy balanced mood. So exercise is important for everyone EVERYONE, rather you are underweight, overweight, or at your ideal weight. Three to Five days of light to moderate exercise would be good for you, at least 20 to 30 minutes a day. Start slow and work your body up to that. Most people on here gave you some pretty helpful advice. Exercise is great for your mind and your mind is linked to your heart. So you wanna keep that heart healthy right!.? Just a little walking a day can really do tons for your body. Just try to do some type of exercise. Your mind and body will thank you:)