Possible to loose weight by only cutting calories?

fatih83
fatih83 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone

Right after reading & seeing all those great inspiring success stories, I've decided to do it myself too.

I am a 30 yo, 5.74 height guy who lives his life almost all day sitting, only one or two days walking near 10.000 steps in a week. I've checked my routine eating in a day with the calorie calculator and it is more than 3100 kcal. That's seriously what I eat in a day. Anyway, I've started doing this calorie counting and keep it at 1250 kcal and you know what, I don't even have any difficulties keeping it up. I actually liked it that I can be filled with more then half of what I usually eat and under 1250kcal, I can eat anything I want but just to a limit. I've been doing it 3 weeks or so and I seem to decrease in the scale about 6 lbs already.

I just would like your valuable opinions about this; would I loose weight in the long term by cutting calories only with no exercising? I kind of feel this 6 lbs going down is somehow water loose or something similar because I don't see any difference in my self. Currently I weight 187 lbs and my goal is 169 lbs

PS. Excuse me for my errors in writing as English is my second language. Thanks everyone

Replies

  • mactaffy84
    mactaffy84 Posts: 398 Member
    Good job! Yes, you can lose weight cutting calories only. But exercise is great for so many things, and it is helpful. Food for calories, exercise for fitness. So if you can't or don't want to exercise, you can still lose weight. Good luck!
  • Sinisterly
    Sinisterly Posts: 10,913 Member
    YES.

    Take that first step! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    I can assure you, you need to work out your bmr & tdee! my bmr is 1450 and your eating less than that! I would eat at least 1500 calories, also see if you can try and get some exercise in!

    Some running after work? go for a swim etc!

    6lbs in 3 wks is good, up your water intake too!
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,035 Member
    It definitely is possible to lose weight with only cutting cals (lost abt 20lbs that way) but exercise makes a huge difference in helping you tone up and look slimmer. the 20lb loss I had with exercise and cutting cals looked like it was double what I lost with only cutting cals!

    Edit: After reading everything you wrote, and not just replying to the title, I'd like to add that you should up your calories. Probably try to eat at 1600cals/day. Or better yet, when you made your profile for MFP it probably gave you a number for how many cals you should eat- stick to that at least. You're right that at least some of the weight you've lost so far is water weight, that's the first thing to go usually. It'll slow down after this, but keep it up :)
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Yep, eat in a deficit and you will loss weight.

    A bit of exercise (even gently walking) would be beneficial along side a diet.
  • JazmineYoli
    JazmineYoli Posts: 547 Member
    Am I correct in reading that you are eating 1250 calories per day?
  • fatih83
    fatih83 Posts: 6
    Am I correct in reading that you are eating 1250 calories per day?
    Yes 1250 kcal to 1350 kcal sometimes.
  • JazmineYoli
    JazmineYoli Posts: 547 Member
    Check your TDEE. 1250 is way too low especially for a man. You can still lose weight on more food even without exercise. I don't have the link, but check out the guide to sexy pants. It's on MFP somewhere.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    and http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
  • fatih83
    fatih83 Posts: 6
    Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your help and I agree with you guys that exercise is needed. It's just that I need to organise my life to make room for exercising.
  • Sinisterly
    Sinisterly Posts: 10,913 Member
    Am I correct in reading that you are eating 1250 calories per day?
    Yes 1250 kcal to 1350 kcal sometimes.
    Hmm, you might need to workout your numbers, that doesn't sound like it would maintain your body's basic functions very well.
    I understand the frustration of wanting the weight off "now".. But this doesn't happen overnight.
    Don't want to harm your body in the process. :\
  • fatih83
    fatih83 Posts: 6
    Am I correct in reading that you are eating 1250 calories per day?
    Yes 1250 kcal to 1350 kcal sometimes.
    Hmm, you might need to workout your numbers, that doesn't sound like it would maintain your body's basic functions very well.
    I understand the frustration of wanting the weight off "now".. But this doesn't happen overnight.
    Don't want to harm your body in the process. :\
    I know I need some more but I don't feel hungry at all with 1250 kcal a day so I thought it would be ok. Well I will recalculate using the guides here, thanks Sinisterly
  • chrisssiex23x
    chrisssiex23x Posts: 431 Member
    Pppft. i eat under 1350 calories. I walk 3x a week and have lost 18lbs so far. But this week i did bad by munch some of my girls easter eggs:(

    You can lose weight. but defo up your water intake that help me heaps more.

    i see people always saying why are you eating so little. you need to eat more.. Pfttt to that. i never eat back my calorie intake and i never eat all my calorie. Things work different for everyone so find one that helps you the best.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Am I correct in reading that you are eating 1250 calories per day?
    Yes 1250 kcal to 1350 kcal sometimes.
    Hmm, you might need to workout your numbers, that doesn't sound like it would maintain your body's basic functions very well.
    I understand the frustration of wanting the weight off "now".. But this doesn't happen overnight.
    Don't want to harm your body in the process. :\
    I know I need some more but I don't feel hungry at all with 1250 kcal a day so I thought it would be ok. Well I will recalculate using the guides here, thanks Sinisterly

    Just to give you an example....I weigh 50 lbs less than you, am older and shorter and am eating 1700 calories to lose weight. Seriously, if you can lose weight by eating more then eat more....it just makes it that much more easier to transition to maintenance in the end.
  • KaelaLee88
    KaelaLee88 Posts: 229 Member
    It's so great to hear that you're making positive changes that will continue to benefit you :-)

    However, I do agree that perhaps you should up your calorie intake. I have been slimming with my wonderful Husband since January this year and he is nearly at his target weight. For 8 weeks, we both ate 1200 calories per day and our losses ground to a halt after the first fortnight. For us personally, we started getting very lethargic, grouchy and hungry.

    He now eats roughly 1500 calories per day and is losing again at a regular pace.

    We have both started exercising; hill walking, swimming and cycling. We weigh once a week and measure every 4 weeks, this has been invaluable.

    Best of luck to you on your weight loss journey :-)
  • fatih83
    fatih83 Posts: 6
    Thanks again for every suggestions / opinions. I love being here you guys are great.
  • KettleTO
    KettleTO Posts: 144 Member
    Yes, you can lose weight by only cutting calories--especially a guy. Exercise makes it easier and allows for little extras. In the past, when I've been sick, I found I had to be perfect to to lose weight on weeks with no exercise. I never managed "perfect" for more than a week.

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