'Exercise doesn't matter for weight loss'
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Bump0
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I lost my first 25lbs without exercise...you don't need to exercise to lose weight...
For me exercise isn't about weight loss anyway..I eat the same amount of calories everyday regardless of if I exercise or not.
I exercise because I want to be fit....I want to be healthy.
you can exercise all you want but if you are eating in a surplus you won't lose weight...hence the "claim" exercise isn't for weight loss...0 -
Bottom Line is that only need to create a deficit - simple
However - dieting is not easy at all and if you give yourself a few calories back to allow your diet to be effective and less difficult then thats only a good thing.0 -
I see a lot of people saying that diet is more important than exercise for weight loss, but why? If I'm on a stationary bike for 30 minutes I burn between 250-300 calories, so over 7 days that's between 1750-2100 calories burned by exercise, which combined with a calorie controlled diet, wouldn't that mean I would be losing an extra 1/2lb a week? (Theoretically)
people say this because it's easier to put down that krispy kreme donut rather than to ride that stationary bike. That said, the approach that will get you the fastest result is to exercise and moderate your caloric intake.0 -
They are both important, but you don't NEED to exercise to lose weight. The common misconception is that people think you can eat all kinds of crap as long as you exercise. You can't out-exercise a poor diet!
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The key is to find something that you can sustain for the rest of your life OP. What happens is that (I will say 'some') people will use the lack of ability to exercise as an excuse to gain weight or for not losing weight. Especially if they are used to eating at a deficit created by exercising a lot. All the things about exercising more to eat more? What happens when you injure yourself or for whatever reason can no longer exercise. I see this far too often and it even happened to me. I used to be one of the people who ate more because I exercised more. When I got an injury that sidelined me for almost a year I gained a bunch of weight, because I did not adjust well. Now I eat at a moderate deficit (sometimes less than 250 calories/day) and workout for fitness, not to create a bigger deficit, The weight comes off slowly, but the scale is steadily moving downward so it is all good. It is better for you to keep the two separate. Eat at a sustainable deficit, take your time losing weight and exercise at a level that is also sustainable to you.0
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What works best is both. You can certainly lose pounds by not eating alone but you'll need to create the entire deficit by eating less. Whereas if you're exercising you can eat more than you could by diet alone to lose the weight because some of the deficit will be exercise induced. Also, if you're lifting weights, you're going to preserve / build more muscle which will also require calories to sustain (i.e. you're burning calories just by having more muscle).
Also, as yourself these questions. Do I want to be a rail thin twig? A skinny fat person? Or a hardbody? Whatever your answer is, will determine what you need to do to get there. A twig, just starve yourself. Skinny fat, eat less maybe do cardio but don't lift weights. Hardbody, eat a litle more than the other two but lift weights first and do cardio second.0 -
It isn't that exercise isn't important but if a person isn't eating within a calorie deficiency then there will not be any weight loss. For example, many people posted that they haven't loss any weight despite exercising several days a week. The reason is they have consumed too much food which erased their calorie deficiency, even with exercise. The calories in the diet must be controlled in order for exercise to contribute to weight loss.0
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correct, but you dont HAVE to exercise, you just need a calorie deficit for weight loss.
+1
I workout because it is fun and I see how it changes my body composition.0 -
They are both important, but you don't NEED to exercise to lose weight. The common misconception is that people think you can eat all kinds of crap as long as you exercise. You can't out-exercise a poor diet!
You know, I hear this all the time, but I don't know if it's true either.
In high school I joined the swim team and swam maybe 1.5 hours 5-6 days/week. I didn't change what I ate, in fact, I ate MORE, pasta, pizza, burgers, anything I wanted. I lost over 20 lbs without even thinking about it. So yeah, actually, you can lose weight just by increasing your exercise, in some cases.0 -
Interesting conversation this. As a complete newbie I have just gone by what the app has said and for me at 5ft 11'' and originally 234 pounds. It gave me a goal of 1850 calories a day which I think is roughly 1000 less than what I should be consuming. This combined with a little exercise and I have come down to 223.
Just checked my BMR online and it says 2146.19 so now I'm confused. Any suggestions?
What should I be following?0 -
True. S'alllll about the deficit. Me, I just exercise so I can eat more. :bigsmile:
This.0 -
And the 250-300 calories burned in thirty minutes can be undone in a matter of SECONDS depending on food choices. The meme is, "You can't out-exercise a bad diet", and it's true.
Burger King Whopper meal with medium soda and fries takes all of ten minutes to eat and over two HOURS of riding at your numbers to burn off.
So true. I've been doing 30-60 minute runs every day for the past couple of years, but eating like I was doing a marathon each day. Hence the reason I put back on almost half of the weight I lost before that - when I was making sure I was at a small deficit every day.0 -
They are both important, but you don't NEED to exercise to lose weight. The common misconception is that people think you can eat all kinds of crap as long as you exercise. You can't out-exercise a poor diet!
You know, I hear this all the time, but I don't know if it's true either.
In high school I joined the swim team and swam maybe 1.5 hours 5-6 days/week. I didn't change what I ate, in fact, I ate MORE, pasta, pizza, burgers, anything I wanted. I lost over 20 lbs without even thinking about it. So yeah, actually, you can lose weight just by increasing your exercise, in some cases.
Yes, in many cases one can out exercise a slightly poor diet. I dislike this phrase. But the general sentiment of the phrase is correct - focus on diet first.
In training 25 years ago, my diet was close to 3500-3800 cals planned! To avoid losing weight. Cycling 40+ hours a week will do that.0 -
It helps! Weight loss is about calories....in verses out. For me personally, when I exercise I feel much better.
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The longer you go with no exercise, the sooner you get to a 0 calorie intake.0
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I've lost a little over 65 lbs despite what my ticker says. People are starting to notice and ask me, "What have you been doing to lose so much weight?". My answer is usually "I work out and eat at a calorie deficit, but the only reason I exercise is so I can eat more". Now that being said I do think you should workout to keep a healthy lifestyle, but to lose weight diet is where it's at. You can eat like a pig and workout like crazy and still gain if you aren't fully aware of what and how much you're putting in your body.0
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I don't have a lot of knowledge about all of this stuff but for me if I don't exercise it doesn't matter how little I eat I will not lose weight plan and simple for me. I must exercise if I want result. I won't gain weight but I definitely won't lose.0
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Yeah, you don't HAVE to exercise. I don't see why one would not want to exercise, but, there it is. YOu can lose weight merely with deficit.
So they will have a flabby, loose, jiggly body. Hey, to each their own, right?
By the way, I noticed all the squats and other HIIT exercise I've been doing has really firmed up my butt. I was admiring it this morning. haha0 -
I exercise to build muscle, lose fat - and of course so I can eat a hell of ALOT more food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would be miserable on say 1200 calories a day, and no exercise!!!
I would rather eat what I want, be happy & burn any naughtiness off0 -
A calorie deficit, whether it be from exercise or eating less, matters for weight loss.
Exercise is great for your health - not to mention you'll end up looking more like a sexy b*tch when you have more muscle tone on your body. Plus you can eat more and it's good for your mental health.
I personally favored exercise over eating less for weight loss because I'm already small and didn't have much to lose. My BMR is 1100 calories but by exercising as much as I do, I still lost weight eating 1600 calories a day, which is more than what people twice my size "diet" on.
Whatever works for your lifestyle.0 -
OK, newbie here. How does one eat "at a calorie deficit"? I am 63, been doing intense cardio and strength training with a trainer 2-3 times per week. I mall walk 5-6 days per week, do ab work and some cardio at home. Trying to stick to 1250 calories per day, and have been successful for over a month. Guess what? I have lost 2 freaking pounds! Whatthehell?! How can I speed up weight loss? What is eating at a deficit all about?0
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When I was a high-school athlete, I could eat things I certainly can't eat anymore without gaining any weight too...I'm not sure that's the best comparison for the average person.They are both important, but you don't NEED to exercise to lose weight. The common misconception is that people think you can eat all kinds of crap as long as you exercise. You can't out-exercise a poor diet!
You know, I hear this all the time, but I don't know if it's true either.
In high school I joined the swim team and swam maybe 1.5 hours 5-6 days/week. I didn't change what I ate, in fact, I ate MORE, pasta, pizza, burgers, anything I wanted. I lost over 20 lbs without even thinking about it. So yeah, actually, you can lose weight just by increasing your exercise, in some cases.
Yes, in many cases one can out exercise a slightly poor diet. I dislike this phrase. But the general sentiment of the phrase is correct - focus on diet first.
In training 25 years ago, my diet was close to 3500-3800 cals planned! To avoid losing weight. Cycling 40+ hours a week will do that.
From a "HEALTH" perspective....exercising may help negate some of the effects of eating foods without good nutritional value, and can definitely help burn off those calories. There's nothing wrong with having pizza or burgers here and there, but in the long run, a consistentl poor diet is going to catch up to you in other ways.0 -
When I was a high-school athlete, I could eat things I certainly can't eat anymore without gaining any weight too...I'm not sure that's the best comparison for the average person.They are both important, but you don't NEED to exercise to lose weight. The common misconception is that people think you can eat all kinds of crap as long as you exercise. You can't out-exercise a poor diet!
You know, I hear this all the time, but I don't know if it's true either.
In high school I joined the swim team and swam maybe 1.5 hours 5-6 days/week. I didn't change what I ate, in fact, I ate MORE, pasta, pizza, burgers, anything I wanted. I lost over 20 lbs without even thinking about it. So yeah, actually, you can lose weight just by increasing your exercise, in some cases.
Yes, in many cases one can out exercise a slightly poor diet. I dislike this phrase. But the general sentiment of the phrase is correct - focus on diet first.
In training 25 years ago, my diet was close to 3500-3800 cals planned! To avoid losing weight. Cycling 40+ hours a week will do that.
From a "HEALTH" perspective....exercising may help negate some of the effects of eating foods without good nutritional value, and can definitely help burn off those calories. There's nothing wrong with having pizza or burgers here and there, but in the long run, a consistentl poor diet is going to catch up to you in other ways.
1) given that we are talking about weight loss - the idea that for many exercise can offset slight overconsumption remains valid. Some people do reverse and out exercise slow increases in weight.
2) From a health perspective there is nothing wrong with pizza - why would you consider it as "without good nutritional value" value. Eating anything to an extreme while limiting calories isn't nutritionally sound. A poorly planned diet primarliy of 'healthy' salad and 'healthy' vegetables will displace protein needs (as my father unfortunately found out).0 -
I always felt that if you look at the actual time needed to burn 3500 cals....I would never do it. You mentioned being on an elliptical for 3 hours a week to lose 1/2 lb....that for me just doesn't sound like an easy way to lose weight. I workout and exercise for other reasons (burning calories is a bonus)
I just googled a site that said (for my age/height/weight) I would have to walk for 380 minutes to lose 1 lb. So it comes down to six hours of walking vs eating 500 cals less a day. For me.....it is just easier to eat less (since I was eating way too much anyway). People that are desperately needing to lose weight, and are not in great shape to begin with would have a very difficult time exercising 3 hours a week.
If you like using the elliptical, keep doing it. It works. Be in deficit, no matter how it's accomplished, will get you where you need to go. Sounds like you are doing both, which is fantastic. You will see results. I would recommend adding some weight training and you will have all three components working for you which really turbo charges your results.
Good luck
What is the addy for this site?0 -
In for the pizza is bad!
NO!0 -
They are both important, but you don't NEED to exercise to lose weight. The common misconception is that people think you can eat all kinds of crap as long as you exercise. You can't out-exercise a poor diet!
You know, I hear this all the time, but I don't know if it's true either.
In high school I joined the swim team and swam maybe 1.5 hours 5-6 days/week. I didn't change what I ate, in fact, I ate MORE, pasta, pizza, burgers, anything I wanted. I lost over 20 lbs without even thinking about it. So yeah, actually, you can lose weight just by increasing your exercise, in some cases.
Yeah, still true. Not too many people will a) exercise 1.5hrs 5-6 days/week, b) pick an exercise that burns as much per hour as swimming, and c) put in the effort for that entire time that you would in sports training. But let's say someone did do that.
Based on estimates from the American College of Sports Medicine, a 130-pound person swimming freestyle for one hour will burn 590 calories swimming fast. So, with your scenario, they're earning (590 * 1.5 * 6) / 7 = 759 (rounded up) extra calories per day. That's about 3 extra servings of pasta, or 1.5-2 extra fast food burgers, or 3 extra slices of large Grimaldi's pizza.
A heavier person would earn more calories than that. So, yes, if your appetite doesn't increase to match the burn, or your favorite foods are not crazy-high calorie, I can see where you could eat 'whatever you want'. On the other hand, that 130lb person would more than blow away that extra daily calorie allowance with one slice of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, which runs typically 1200-1600 cals per slice. Not hard to do.0 -
And the 250-300 calories burned in thirty minutes can be undone in a matter of SECONDS depending on food choices. The meme is, "You can't out-exercise a bad diet", and it's true.
Burger King Whopper meal with medium soda and fries takes all of ten minutes to eat and over two HOURS of riding at your numbers to burn off.
this 100%
I got caught up in an argument with a neighbor a few weeks back regarding this very thing. He was trying to tell me I didn't need to keep track of calories or "diet" if I exercised more. I attempted to explain to him that it's difficult to out exercise poor eating habits but it was a waste of breath. He actually stomped off before I could even give him an example and just said "your wrong!" WTF!
Anyways...
I hate to exercise, I get no enjoyment out of it so I stick to walking and or jogging three times a week and I watch my calorie intake very carefully. If I were to exercise more then I could eat more...it's all about life choices. I went with what I enjoy and what I know I will stick with.0 -
Losing weight or losing fat?
Regardless, there's weight loss and then there's staying there. We have three options:
1) Exercise only
2) Diet only
3) Exercise + Diet
All three work.
#3 will give you the fastest results
#1 gives the longest lasting result0 -
I find that not all exercise calories are equal as far as creating (or increasing) your calorie deficit.
The exercise I get day by day in one hour or less increments helps. My long bicycle rides on the weekend generate a burn of maybe 2000 calories but they seem not to count even if I eat none of them back.0
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