Losing weight without the GYM?

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Replies

  • onewarmmomma
    onewarmmomma Posts: 222 Member
    Much like you, I thought about joining the gym, but decided to try at home first. We have 3, 5, and 10 lbs weights at home, numerous workout DVDs, and a treadmill. I do as much outdoors walking as I can vs the treadmill, though.

    Anyway, I am down almost 30lbs and haven't seen a gym once. They are nice, and offer a lot more than I have at home...but I'm doing it on my own (with the help of some awesome MFPers of course!) and saving the $30/month!
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
    Some people really, really, really dig going to the gym. Some treat it like their religion and kinda freak if they miss 'cardio day'.

    I'm not one of those people. I've done yoga and pilates dvd's at home and have had great results.

    It's all personal preferance. If you think you'll be motivated to go, and that you'd enjoy it - by all means go for it :) Some gym's offer free trial memberships - so you can check it out for a week and see if it's your thing.

    But please don't feel like you need to go to the gym in order to get fit and healthy.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member


    You do not have to join a gym. I was at a gym the other day to ask a question, It smelt like rubber. It was horrible I don't see what the attraction of gyms is.

    They have more equipment and more advanced equipment than I can get all by myself. :smile:

    And I don't even have the room to just set up some simple freeweights. So room, and equipment for me.
    I can do without all the rest of it.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    If you happen to be near a Lifetime Fitness, check it out. It is not like Planet Fitness, Gold's or the Y.

    Lifetime Fitness is a nice gym and not the kind of place you dread visiting. They need to build more of these, IMO.

    I've wanted to go with them, but the few they have here are all too far from me. :sad:
  • dazwan
    dazwan Posts: 81 Member
    Join a climbing club and take up rock climbing. It's far healthier, you make some great friends (you have to as your life is in each others hands, literally) and you get to sample the great outdoors from a unique vantage.

    Failing that, take up bouldering or go to an indoor wall (safer but not as much fun).

    Either way, far more fun than a gym and as well as getting fitter you'll feel like you've achieved something when you reach the top of a climb/problem. And the only equipment you need to start with is a lump of rock (albeit a very big lump) and some climbing shoes, and maybe a bit of chalk.
  • sarajenivieve
    sarajenivieve Posts: 303 Member
    Beachbody makes great at home work out videos although i do find im more consistant and sucessful when i join a gym
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,708 Member
    I don't know what you consider " significant ". I lost over 50 pounds just walking from 45-60 minutes each day for exercise.
    Also, the main focus of weight loss always must be a calorie deficit. Exercise is good for all over health and fitness, but weight loss depends more on how much you eat than on going to the gym.
  • Brolympus
    Brolympus Posts: 360 Member
    You can lose weight without gym time, but you might not like the way you look at the end of it. Building some muscle will help to give your body some shape as the weight starts to come down, plus just makes you healthier and feel better overall. Looking emaciated is just as bad as looking heavy, imo.
  • bfergusonii
    bfergusonii Posts: 208 Member
    No gym membership here.

    However I do workout 6 days week with videos like P90X, etc.
  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
    I've never had a gym membership.

    The best way to lose weight is diet. Aim to lose 0.5 to 2 lbs per week:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb/week is ideal
    If you have 15-25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lb/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lb/week is ideal

    and eat at a deficit accordingly. MFP won't let anyone go below 1200 calories per day or lose more than 2 lbs/week, so you can't really set your goal too high for your current weight.

    Try to hit your macros as much as possible without going over your calories for the day.

    Eat 80% "healthy" and 20% "unhealthy" (foods that are high in sugar, sodium). If you have a "cheat day" there is a big temptation to binge so I recommend allowing a small number of "treats" in every day so there's no need for a cheat day.

    If you know you're going out to eat (higher calorie meal), plan accordingly and eat less the rest of the day.

    Exercise is good for health reasons and to get back some calories in case you go a little over your goal. But keep in mind that MFP and gyms overestimate how much was burned during exercise.

    Don't drink your calories. Maybe have a non-water drink or two per day, but your primary beverage should be water. Drinks are often high in sugar and don't contain much if any nutritional value.
  • KEAVES13
    KEAVES13 Posts: 90 Member
    Thank you all for all the responses and for being so kind!! I'm going to go on my own exercising at home first and maybe join a gym later down the road to firm up. You guys have let me know that I can lose weight at home and your successes were very inspirational! Thanks again!
  • gingerpeachy6
    gingerpeachy6 Posts: 74 Member
    Thank you all for all the responses and for being so kind!! I'm going to go on my own exercising at home first and maybe join a gym later down the road to firm up. You guys have let me know that I can lose weight at home and your successes were very inspirational! Thanks again!

    quite welcome :)
  • fourfiftythree
    fourfiftythree Posts: 203 Member
    I've yet to step foot in a gym. =)
  • gingerpeachy6
    gingerpeachy6 Posts: 74 Member
    I've yet to step foot in a gym. =)
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    and you lost 124. way to go!
  • NoMoreBlameGame
    NoMoreBlameGame Posts: 236 Member
    I'm just curious how many of you were able to lose a significant amount of weight without joining the gym. I have been thinking about joining one, but then again I'm not sure. I have a treadmill at home and numerous exercise videos, so I am wondering if I should start with those first. Thanks in advance for any advice/comments! :flowerforyou:

    I've lost 50 lb with zero gym and virtually zero exercise (wall exercises, and very easy ones). That being said...I'm **bored** now. I have this constant energy bouncing around that I have NO idea what to do with. I tried exercise videos but I broke a lamp, tripped over the dog, and literally knocked over about 20 knick-knacks just from shaking the floor when I jump (I'm a biggggg girl)...that's why I'm going to the gym this Friday. I prefer to keep my precious moments figurines looking like precious moments instead of shattered, macabre little headless porcelain people. :smile:
  • gingerpeachy6
    gingerpeachy6 Posts: 74 Member
    I'm just curious how many of you were able to lose a significant amount of weight without joining the gym. I have been thinking about joining one, but then again I'm not sure. I have a treadmill at home and numerous exercise videos, so I am wondering if I should start with those first. Thanks in advance for any advice/comments! :flowerforyou:

    I've lost 50 lb with zero gym and virtually zero exercise (wall exercises, and very easy ones). That being said...I'm **bored** now. I have this constant energy bouncing around that I have NO idea what to do with. I tried exercise videos but I broke a lamp, tripped over the dog, and literally knocked over about 20 knick-knacks just from shaking the floor when I jump (I'm a biggggg girl)...that's why I'm going to the gym this Friday. I prefer to keep my precious moments figurines looking like precious moments instead of shattered, macabre little headless porcelain people. :smile:
    \

    lol that is funny about the precious moments :) I used to think the same,but time got in the way and I found Shaun T (no wandering eyes there)
  • southernbuttercup
    southernbuttercup Posts: 61 Member
    I started in January with just watching what I ate, cutting portion sizes. After a couple of months I started doing exercise dvd's at home. The only equipment I use is a yoga matt. Currently into the second month of Insanity. Joined MFP almost two months ago, to start tracking more closely my food intake which helped get me passed a plateau. So far 31 lbs down for the year. Haven't lost weight at a fast, miraculous pace, but its been steady.
  • onelovejenn
    onelovejenn Posts: 49
    I agree that you don't have to join a gym to lose weight, it's all about the calories in and out. All I know is what works for me, and it is the gym for sure, here are MY reasons. . .

    - recently had skin cancer and had surgery, I'm scared to death of the sun now, and I live in Florida, so couldn't work out outside until late in day and by then I would have found so many excuses not to go out

    - I'm a procrastinator in the worst way! When I'm home, that's where I relax, where I take care of other people, the gym is where I take care of me

    - I love food and without exercise to lose 2 lbs a week I'm allowed 1260 calories a day, believe me that adds up fast, but when I add exercise to my dairy here on MFP, I get extra calories to eat, either for that day or for a nice dinner on the weekends

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