Will I lose more if I exercise ?

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Sauleeh
Sauleeh Posts: 83 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been watching what I eat and eating my 1200 calories a day to lose around 1 pound a week. So far I've lost 3kg which is 6.6lbs. Will exercise increase the weight loss? My plan for now is to lose weight first and then tone up my body. Or will just the sports I do just let me eat more for that day?

Replies

  • Chibukalu908
    Chibukalu908 Posts: 212
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    Exercise will help you to loose inches as well and you will look better
  • steveyinasia
    steveyinasia Posts: 121 Member
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    If you have a greater calorie deficiency each day you will lose more however you do risk not feeding your body enough to be healthy. better to stick to the gradual plan as recommended.
  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
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    Exercise does burn calories, so yes, if you add in exercise, you will be creating a bigger calorie deficit.
    Starting an exercise program at any stage of weight loss or maintenance is beneficial to fitness.
    However, since you are eating only 1200 a day, you might want to consider eating back your exercise calories burned.
    How tall are you? What is your current weight and goal weight?
  • Ajulutsikael
    Ajulutsikael Posts: 2 Member
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    Sports can be exercise enough, depending on the type of sport and the intensity. Would your sports tone your body? Exercise will build muscle, which will increase not just fitness and 'toning' but how many calories you burn even while resting. It is just how you decide to lose weight, slower pace, a bit faster, with added exercise for fitness or fun. No rule that you need to lose weight faster. But not tone your body as you lose weight? Get some bands, or do some squats, or lift light hand weights, walk some stairs, whatever suitable to you.
  • Sauleeh
    Sauleeh Posts: 83 Member
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    I'm 5'1 and around 135lbs. My 'goal' is around 110lbs, but it is not set in stone. I want to stop when I think I look good.

    How much more exercise will help me body wise, if I eat back my calories? I walk a lot myself now (not for fitness, but in general) and in work I am up on my feet as well.
  • SweatLikeDog
    SweatLikeDog Posts: 273 Member
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    If you want to lose fat & inches, then exercise and eat less calories than you burn. Muscle burns calories, so if you add exercise, you will burn calories faster. Fat is dead weight, so laying around with a bunch of dead weight and starving yourself is a pretty slow way to lose weight. Start exercising now, not later. Real exercises that make you sweat.

    If you eat back what you burn off, then you will not lose weight, but you will burn off fat & replace it with muscle. This is what you really want. Muscle is denser than fat so it takes up less space in your pants. Use the scale as a guide for the direction you're going in, but use your mirror and pinch an inch here and there to really see what's happening.
  • Sauleeh
    Sauleeh Posts: 83 Member
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    Would I not lose inches by just eating less and better? And If I already am eating 1200 calories that MFP has put up for me, wouldn't that be bad? Because people here always say you should eat back those calories because that is how the app works..
  • snjohnston
    snjohnston Posts: 47 Member
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    Would I not lose inches by just eating less and better? And If I already am eating 1200 calories that MFP has put up for me, wouldn't that be bad? Because people here always say you should eat back those calories because that is how the app works..

    Yes you would. I initially started by just cutting calories and only lost 8 lbs. in 2 months, but lost 20 inches (over chest, waist, hips, and thighs)!!! Now, those inches were all postpartum baby fat, but it was still fat! I should also mention that I had already lost all of my pregnancy weight and stalled for a good month while still breastfeeding when I started my journey.

    When I started working out (mostly the elliptical for 30 minutes every day) the scale jumped 5 lbs (Eeek), but it was just my body adjusting to the activity and retaining water. After about 5 days it dropped back down and I've been steadily losing weight and inches ever since, and it's been about 8 weeks or so and I'm down 17 lbs and around 24 inches! Pretty awesome considering I'm 34, 5'3.5" and went from 175 lbs as of March 28th to 158 lbs as of this morning! I've never been so excited, successful, or more motivated my entire adult life at being as healthy and fit as I can be!! Good luck and best wishes!

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