Can I lose weight without exercise?

Weight loss is all about calories in, calories out. As long as your intake is less than your output, you'll lose. And that's output regardless of exercise - the calories burned just by breathing and blinking and chewing your food and keeping your heart beating. So yes. You can lose weight without exercise. I have barely exercised at all in the past year of my weight loss and am down 53 pounds! Could I have lost more or eaten more calories if I'd been a dedicated exerciser? Yeah, probably, but that's not where I am able at the moment. Exercise is for fitness. Caloric intake are for weight loss.

I just started my diet today and feel really quite motivated ( although suffering from a stinkpoo cold ) but my question is this - I lost some weight last year but swam three times a week so the exercise really helped. I have a pool membership coming up mid February ( after the new year rush ) but am unable to do any other exercise due to a foot injury - I can just about walk - I am allowing myself 1200 cals a day - does this sound realistic?

Deb

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lost the weight without doing any exercise at all. Didn't start until after I transitioned into maintenance

Oh yeah, calories in - calories out is not all about having those calories out from exercise. Eat at a deficit and you'll lose. I have a medical condition that limits my exercise capabilities and I'm losing pretty steadily. Just keeping my calories at 1210 creates at 6500 calorie deficit per week for me, not exercising, and that's almost 2 pounds per week. I'm not recommending a 1200 calorie diet plan (my doctor had to give me the green light for 1200 per day), I'm just sharing what works for me. And I obviously increase my calories in on days I completed an exercise program. Those days, I eat about 1300-1400, depending on what I burned.

When I first started on MFP I lost 20lbs in the first 2-3 months just watching what I was eating, so yes.

I lost all my weight without exercising except for walking the dogs around the block a few times a week. I joined a gym in August and haven't lost any weight since then but I've gone done a pants size. So, yes, you can lose weight without exercising as long as you're eating at a deficit. And you can wait until February for your pool membership to go through.

Like others, I have lost weight in the past with a controlled diet and no exercise. This time around though, I have decided to incorporate exercise. I didn't do it to lose more weight but to tone me up during the process. Also, I actually feel a better too.

You are definitely not a failure, and you certainly don't want to re-injure yourself by doing something you shouldn't. However, since you have lower body injury, you may want to try doing some upper body movements. Arm exercises with hand weights, water bottles, cans, etc. still counts for exercise.

Wishing you all the best.

I've lost over 50 lbs without ever stepping foot in a gym. I'm active in my daily life and diet is everything.

Yes...I lost my first 15-20 Lbs without exercise. Exercise simply increases your body's calorie requirements due to increased activity...therefore, you can eat more and still lose weight when you exercise and/or you can use exercise to make your calorie deficit bigger. Also, exercise is just goof for you in general and pretty much necessary for overall health and well being.

When you put in your goals in MfP, MFP gives you a calorie goal that is a deficit from your theoretical maintenance. MFP doesn't take into account any exercise until you actually do it and log it...to account for that activity, you get additional calories to "eat back" when you exercise with MfP. So, as you can see...with MFP, exercise isn't used for weight loss...it's all in your diet and exercise is for fitness.

Do what you know you can maintain every day. This is a long term change. All I did was move more and eat less. I do at least 10000 steps a day most days. If you can't maintain your exercise plan you'll get discouraged very quickly. I knew before I started that I didn't have the time or the will to join a gym or "go" anywhere to exercise. I knew my schedule would not allow me to join a class or set up a set exercise schedule. I can always eat less, so I did not base my changes on too much activity. I told MFP I was 'lightly active' so I was given a lower daily calorie goal. If I want more food I get off my butt and earn it. 10,000 steps for me equals about 275 more calories per day. I move I eat, I don't move I don't. It's tough because the days I don't move and am being a couch slug I really want some snacks to munch.

In a word: Yes. I've lost my weight so far without doing much exercise at all.

I had a bariatric doctor tell me that it was far more important when starting out to focus on what your eating, and the exercise can be added in later on.

I'm not saying don't ever exercise because it will definitely help keep your metabolism up. But realize your parameters. At this point if you have to choose one thing to focus on, your food intake should be your primary focus.