Calories or working out?

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DjBliss05
DjBliss05 Posts: 682
in Health and Weight Loss
Which is more important to you?

Staying within your calorie limits every day or going to the gym?

I know that the best thing is do both on a regular basis, but sometimes you have to prioritize.

I believed that I needed to be at the gym like 5 times a week to lose weight, but I haven't been able to make it there yet this week and have dropped a few pounds. I do plan on going this weekend, but I was really surprised that just staying within my calorie limits was enough to make me lose weight.

Just curious how people prioritize when you don't have time to do everything you would like!

Replies

  • DjBliss05
    DjBliss05 Posts: 682
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    Which is more important to you?

    Staying within your calorie limits every day or going to the gym?

    I know that the best thing is do both on a regular basis, but sometimes you have to prioritize.

    I believed that I needed to be at the gym like 5 times a week to lose weight, but I haven't been able to make it there yet this week and have dropped a few pounds. I do plan on going this weekend, but I was really surprised that just staying within my calorie limits was enough to make me lose weight.

    Just curious how people prioritize when you don't have time to do everything you would like!
  • areay
    areay Posts: 463
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    I am addicted to working out!!! I would rather go 1000 over and workout for an extra 4 hours!! But, I never really go over my calories, I just love working out
  • DETERMINED2Drop
    DETERMINED2Drop Posts: 285 Member
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    I'm an Exercise and Wellness major... and my Doctor has shared this information with me as well.

    Nutrition is 80% of dieting and Cardiovascular Exercise and Strength Training is only 20%!

    I'm a very busy individual and have lost almost 40 lbs. with out a day of exercise... My nutrition and school work is more important at this time in my life.
  • Renae_Nae
    Renae_Nae Posts: 935 Member
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    Going to the gym is usually "easy" for me so I tend to focus more on calories since otherwise I can go way over calories

    (especially since I gained weight while "running around" in nursing school and still going to the gym or for long walks at least a couple times a week.)
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
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    I never go over my calories, I workout at home 3-5 times a week now - I have an epilator and a tummy cruncher thingy.
    I find that I can still lose weight just by keeping in my calorie limit, but where's the fun in that ??? I love my mini workouts, they work for me and that's the main thing :bigsmile:
  • Poison5119
    Poison5119 Posts: 1,460 Member
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    Thats a hard question to answer. I'm beginning to feel a little lazy lately, but staying within my calories is effortless for me.

    Don't get me wrong, I love working out, and I've been tenacious about it, even looked forward to it, but I've been having moments when I don't feel like it. Right now is one of those moments.

    Perhaps I'll feel better later when its closer to that time!
  • Fab140
    Fab140 Posts: 1,976 Member
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    Doing both is best, but not necessary. It is totally possible to lose weight without excercise, you'll probably just not look healthy. (no muscle tone, lose skin....the works!)

    Congrats on staying within your cals, that's huge!

    I would love to just lose weight by working out, personally. But I know that though you will tone up and burn calories to a certain extent, without a healthy diet you're really just shooting yourself in the foot. I figured this out the hard way in high school. I would do 30-60 minutes of Tae Bo and then make myself chocolate soup or eat half a pizza. :noway:

    I weighed 170 consistently, but my waist was 31 inches (it's 34 now at 180 something).

    And then I lost 30 pounds on South Beach, but no excercise and it all came back the moment I quit eating healthy.:grumble:
  • MargieM
    MargieM Posts: 2,248 Member
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    I like working out so that I can eat more and still stay within my calories :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

    But, staying within my calories is the top priority because I can work out all I want, but if I still eat more than I burn, I'm not going to lose any weight. It's nice to know that if I don't make it to the gym (like this morning), I will still lose the weight by watching what I eat and staying at my calorie limit. The gym helps me with endurance, toning, building lean muscle, and helping my skin snap back, not to mention those endorphins! :flowerforyou:
  • jimswmn
    jimswmn Posts: 1,350 Member
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    I feel if I go over my calorie limit but exercise its okay. Its not that I go over very often or that far but if I don't get to exercise I am one bummed camper.
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    Thats a hard question to answer. I'm beginning to feel a little lazy lately, but staying within my calories is effortless for me.

    Don't get me wrong, I love working out, and I've been tenacious about it, even looked forward to it, but I've been having moments when I don't feel like it. Right now is one of those moments.

    Perhaps I'll feel better later when its closer to that time!

    I have been feeling this way too recently.
    I have ALWAYS worked out, weird thing....hardly ever lose weight....
    Of course food is the reason why. I was either way over and eating not healthy foods or WAY under.

    I am actually thinking of taking a break from working out (as much....an hour a day 6 days a week) after I finish P90X in Nov. I'm just burned out.
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
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    If you always stay with in you calorie limit you will lose. If you exercise you may not lose especially if you go over your calories, you may firm up, but you have to use more calories than you take in. I stay with in my calories and exercise when I can, we have a very busy life, and this has been working for me.
  • superduperbandnerd
    superduperbandnerd Posts: 80
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    I like this strain :flowerforyou:
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
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    I suck at my calorie limit- I wish i could just watch my calories and not workout but i must workout but then again even though i complain about working out i like the aftermath of it like the definition and the inches that i lose from toning my body and the energy and how good i sleep afterwards- you can be skinny as ever but still out of shape - i like to run around with my kids and not get winded and working out is better than just watching your calories since it benefits your heart and all that good stuff
  • Lauren882
    Lauren882 Posts: 102
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    I am a little of the opposite of most people here I think, I HATE to work out. It's 100% out of nessecity that I do it. I lost 21lbs without working out a single minute....but then it slowed down considerably, which is when I have to just get my lazy butt to the gym. I'm going kind of infrequently but haven't noticed much of a difference.

    I think the poster that said it's 80% nutrition was exactly right from my experience.

    -L
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
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    That's why a little of both is the best answer.
  • psyknife
    psyknife Posts: 487 Member
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    Both... indeed IS the best answer.


    For me, personally, I like to get my workouts in because of how they make me feel. When I'm consistant with my workouts I sleep better, feel better, stand up taller, and sooo many other things. Not to mention that my cardiovascular and respiratory systems function MUCH more efficiently now. Also, if I was just dieting I wouldn't have developed my strength, muscle tone, and flexbility (back in the day I could never touch my toes, not even close... now I can flat palm the floor).
  • DjBliss05
    DjBliss05 Posts: 682
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    I'm an Exercise and Wellness major... and my Doctor has shared this information with me as well.

    Nutrition is 80% of dieting and Cardiovascular Exercise and Strength Training is only 20%!

    I'm a very busy individual and have lost almost 40 lbs. with out a day of exercise... My nutrition and school work is more important at this time in my life.

    That makes a lot of sense to me.

    Back in the day I did usually one or the other. I am really trying to do both now. Not gonna beat myself up over a few days off though.

    Even though I haven't been working out consistently I am feeling a strength increase in my legs and that does feel really good.

    Glad to see you all were interested in the topic! Also, really interesting to see that everybody has their own way of doing this. :flowerforyou:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    For fat loss, calories are more important. It's calories in vs. calories out--no amount of exercise can combat overeating.

    However, since I'm training for a HM now, it's more about exercise. Some days I'm really tired and hungry, and my deficit may be really small. But my performance is more important.

    I definitely enjoy exercising more than counting calories though.
  • time2wrk
    time2wrk Posts: 773 Member
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    THAT IS MY WHOLE PROBLEM. That is why I joined this site. I LOVE to workout. However, I LOVE, even more, probably, to eat. *Sigh*. And, I am going home this weekend to surprise my mom for her 80th birthday, and yes, there will be cake and wine and whatever other high cal things you can think of. Fortunately, there is plenty to do there to get exercise.

    I think exercise is my saving grace. Without it, I would be very unhealthy. But, I do need to use this site to focus on nutrition more.

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