do i have to exercise?

geminisam
geminisam Posts: 40
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Do i have to do the exercise please?

Replies

  • you don't have to. but you should. it's good for you.
  • modernfemme
    modernfemme Posts: 454 Member
    I didn't exercise at first, but I have found it's helped me cope with food. For example, when I'm stressed, I now would prefer to work out instead of stuffing my face.

    It's all a part of the new life style and not just a quick fix.

    I didn't want to work out at first - I kind of dreaded it - but the trick was finding something you love to do. For me it was yoga.

    have fun!
  • saldridge
    saldridge Posts: 125 Member
    No, the only thing you absolutely have to do is die some day. Everything else is optional and depending on your goals...
  • Dobsaya
    Dobsaya Posts: 235
    If you don't want to starve. I just put in my breakfast and dinner and I have about 150 calories left for lunch and snacks. Never going to happen. However, after I exercise, I will have about 650 calories left. I prefer to exercise rather than be hungry.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Not to lose weight you don't, but if you want to be healthy overall you must workout.
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    if you wanna get fit which is part of looseing weight then ummm YES!!
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    if you have problems exersiceing tho there are always ways around it!
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
    Depends on what you want.

    If you just want to drop a few pounds temporarily to look good for an event or because your jeans are tight, then don't bother to exercise.

    If you want to make a lifestyle change: lose the extra weight and keep it off, become a healthy individual - you need to exercise. Even "skinny" people should exercise at least 30 minutes a day/5 days per week to stay healthy and stave off diseases and natural deterioration of the body as they age.

    So ask yourself what do you want and then take the steps to get there.
  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
    Personally, I would not bother dieting if I did not exercise as well--to me its a package deal toa healthy life. Sure you get extra calories with exercise, but you get much more than that. You get an awesome feeling that is indescribale. In the long term you get toned. You can build some muscle to burn fat all day long and not just calories. Weightbearing exercise is good for the bones and prevents osteoporosis.
  • TheBrolympus
    TheBrolympus Posts: 586 Member
    No, you don't have to workout but eating right will only take you so far. The best way to get in shape and stay that way is to create a healthy life style of diet (healthy food and servings) and exercise.
  • rcatr
    rcatr Posts: 374 Member
    HAVE to? nah. SHOULD you? yes. Not just as a supplement to help lose weight but for overall cardiovascular health. It isn't just about making the outside look good. :) It's not as strenuous as you think. Find something you enjoy and stick with it. Doesn't necessarily have to be in a gym.
  • LG61820
    LG61820 Posts: 372 Member
    If you've been mostly sedentary I would suggest that you do take a walk everyday. Start by walking short distances and then work your way up to longer distances. Walking helps burn calories and elevates your mood which encourages you on your weight loss. Don't think of it as "exercise", think of it as an antidepressant that only has good side effects.
  • agree with the others - you don't have to, but it does help. I have to be honest with you - I find it really tough to go to the gym, but love walking and going out on my bike (if its not raining or icy) which are both great exercises... so my advice is find something you like to do, like dancing, walking, golf, etc... then its not so much of a chore to do and you are more likely to stick with it.

    There is also quite a lot of research suggesting its not how long you exercise for, its how hard you exercise when it comes to fitness. e.g. 10 mins of shuttle runs beats 30 minutes of jogging for improved fitness
  • angelicpiece101
    angelicpiece101 Posts: 40 Member
    If you don't want to starve. I just put in my breakfast and dinner and I have about 150 calories left for lunch and snacks. Never going to happen. However, after I exercise, I will have about 650 calories left. I prefer to exercise rather than be hungry.


    Ive noticed that too. I can eat a lot better if I just do the exercise. If by chance I have a day I dont I can really notice how it effects my calories, and sometimes I dont make it under in those cases......especially since I got so used to the extra cals added on.
  • fitterpam
    fitterpam Posts: 3,064 Member
    When I started I too had about 125lbs to lose and I can tell you that the first 40lbs pretty much melted away with good eating - I once went to a doctor that said at your weight, you're not going to want to work out to begin with.....he was right.

    I'm now at a point though that I'm finding it more difficult to lost the weight without actually exercising more than 2x a week. I find now that a lot of the health problems that I faced when I started at 290 almost (knees, back, hips) still hurt sometimes, but I've learned coping mechanisms. One of the best exercise programs I did when I started was Aquafit.....I was able to do that once a week, every week for an hour with a friend. I found I never hurt afterwards and when I tried to do the same movements out of the water, I found I couldn't because they were just too painful. At a burn (at that weight) of about 300 calories for the hour, I was in heaven.

    Aquafit led to walking my dogs with my husband....now I'm doing full on exercise routines. When I started, I could do 6 minutes of the Wii Fit Free Step while watching television. Last night I did an hour and barely broke a sweat (my hip did hurt for the first 10 minutes or so also). My goal is to walk the 10k charity walk my family does every year and not wimp out and do the 1.2k that I've done the last few years instead (and almost die)....it's in April....even if I'm just walking, I'm ready to go for it :)
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Personally, I would not bother dieting if I did not exercise as well--to me its a package deal toa healthy life. Sure you get extra calories with exercise, but you get much more than that. You get an awesome feeling that is indescribale. In the long term you get toned. You can build some muscle to burn fat all day long and not just calories. Weightbearing exercise is good for the bones and prevents osteoporosis.

    THIS! Very nicely put!
  • tassles
    tassles Posts: 172
    if you think its too much of a chore, then take short walks only but just try to get a little more active than you have been before trying to lose weight.. the idea is to move more to burn more. If you don't want to exercise then you may find you will be hungrier trying to keep the calories down.
  • Ravyn1982
    Ravyn1982 Posts: 225 Member
    You should do something in order to be healthy. That being said. I'm not an exerciser myself. But I have a very active lifestyle that actually is like working out. I don't think I need to go out of my way to actually work out unless I'm not doing something that day that is active. Some people have jobs that have them moving around enough they burn more calories than most desk job people. It really depends on what your life is like and how healthy you are wanting to be.
  • singfree
    singfree Posts: 1,591 Member
    If you exercise and eat right as part of a lifestyle change, you can erase "diet" from your memory bank. Moving your body is as important as breathing. It's really not an option. Make good health and fitness a priority, not just something everyone does after the holidays. Best of health to you!
  • Sis73
    Sis73 Posts: 28 Member
    I am on my second week of a healthier me! I dreaded that first day of getting on the elliptical that I bought two years ago. I now can't wait to get my ipod, get some good upbeat music going and get going and get into my zone. Before I know it I am 15 minutes into working out. Now I am up to 30 minutes which was my goal! Its a very good feeling to do something so nice for yourself and the energy you get is awesome! Its worth a try to make exercising a part of your daily routines and it definately won't hurt you! Good luck!
  • sarahanne40
    sarahanne40 Posts: 69 Member
    No, the only thing you absolutely have to do is die some day. Everything else is optional and depending on your goals...

    I know I shouldn't but I do find this funny - and true! We can have joy and philsophical enlightment at the same time, yes? :D
  • If you can find physical activity that you can enjoy, then it's not "exercise"! It could be as simple as walking, riding a bike, dancing. It will help keep weight off and actually helps general health and even your mood. You can have fun trying new activities and see if you can find one that fits!
  • You should exercise everyday. It makes you feel good, helps speed up your metabolism, and it's good for your heart.
  • i exercise to help my mood and it defo works and makes u feel better plus keeps you from gettin bored around the house which leads me to the fridge!! half hour walk is better than nothing x good luck!
  • LFern
    LFern Posts: 141
    Moving helps your metabolism get going also. Helps to burn the fat off. I am NOT a motivated excersize person at ALL. But I am managing to do toe touches. Leg lifts. Arm circles. Walking in place. I even do a jumping jack or 10 once in a while.

    These are all things that do not require going to a gym. I have a facebook friend that lost over - yes OVER 400 pounds. No that's not a typo - that's Four HUNDRED pounds. He was in a wheel chair and couldn't do much - but he COULD lift a can of soup. He COULD lift his feet up and hold and then let them down. . . he started out slow but in ONE YEAR's time, each extra MOVEMENT he made - helped make him stronger for the next Movement! He is out of the wheelchair. Off of about 20 medications and teaching a healthier lifestyle to others.

    Wayne VandenLangenBerg is a TRUE inspiration for all of us. Look him up on facebook!

    GOD be with you on this journey - you CAN do so much MORE than you think you can! :flowerforyou:
  • I personally don't like the word exercise because it feels like something I have to do and that makes it a chore which I avoid and loathe. The body is meant to be active though. What do you like to do? I love tennis and I play for that reason. I don't like walking per se, but I do like to TALK so I sometimes schedules walks with friends, which make them fun for me.

    I am of the belief that anything that you HATE to do, you are not going to do for long, even if you know you SHOULD do it for all those reasons people have mentioned in this thread. Find something that you love.
  • If you don't want to starve. I just put in my breakfast and dinner and I have about 150 calories left for lunch and snacks. Never going to happen. However, after I exercise, I will have about 650 calories left. I prefer to exercise rather than be hungry.

    True. I find that the thought of being able to have that little bit extra to eat is all the motivation I need to get me on my exercise bike and burn them calories. Plus you feel so much better once you get active!
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