Is exercise necessary?
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kellyzita4 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »I certainly can't speak for everyone, but in my experience, exercise is absolutely necessary. If I only eat a calorie deficit, I just don't lose at all. As soon as I start walking, though, the weight loss happens. I know that in theory, I shouldn't have to walk, but in reality, I do if I want to lose.
If you're just starting out with the exercise, you might try walking for awhile and working your way up to jogging over several weeks/months. And make sure you have some good sneakers - no cheapies. Your shoes can make a big difference in how your legs and back feel after you've been on the treadmill.
Best of luck to you!
no you just need to log more accurately. The walking was countering logging errors.
Exercise is not necessary.
Thank you, Random Stranger on the Internet, who does not know anything about me or my medical history, for your unsolicited critique. I will give your comment due forethought and consideration...
So either you defy physics and all that the world knows about losing weight OR when you began walking that put you into a calorie deficit by burning more calories, hence, your logging wasn't accurate. Which seems more likely here?
I'll go with C: not knowing what a Caloric deficit really is, and not knowing how her (apparent) medical condition affects her. Hint: it's not just eating what a computer told you to eat.0 -
kellyzita4 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »I certainly can't speak for everyone, but in my experience, exercise is absolutely necessary. If I only eat a calorie deficit, I just don't lose at all. As soon as I start walking, though, the weight loss happens. I know that in theory, I shouldn't have to walk, but in reality, I do if I want to lose.
If you're just starting out with the exercise, you might try walking for awhile and working your way up to jogging over several weeks/months. And make sure you have some good sneakers - no cheapies. Your shoes can make a big difference in how your legs and back feel after you've been on the treadmill.
Best of luck to you!
no you just need to log more accurately. The walking was countering logging errors.
Exercise is not necessary.
Thank you, Random Stranger on the Internet, who does not know anything about me or my medical history, for your unsolicited critique. I will give your comment due forethought and consideration...
So either you defy physics and all that the world knows about losing weight OR when you began walking that put you into a calorie deficit by burning more calories, hence, your logging wasn't accurate. Which seems more likely here?
I'll go with C: not knowing what a Caloric deficit really is, and not knowing how her (apparent) medical condition affects her. Hint: it's not just eating what a computer told you to eat.
Thank you, TR0berts, for giving me the benefit of the doubt. =-)
I'm not trying to say that a calorie deficit has nothing to do with weight loss - it obviously does. All I'm saying is that for me, with my particular health conditions, I need to walk. The walking (for me) creates the caloric deficit that's necessary to lose weight. Some people don't have to exercise - I totally get that. But I do have to exercise. I don't know if it's an issue with my particular make-up and MFP's algorithms (it's entirely possible that the algorithms aren't accurate for 100% of the population) or if it has to do with medical stuff (but that's why I see my doctor). I'm pretty sure I'm logging accurately - I barcode-scan my foods into my log and carefully weigh and measure everything. I'm very careful about it and tend to err on the side of under-counting calories because weight loss is such a struggle for me. In any case, for whatever reason, I have to exercise to lose weight.
But, my whole point in answering the original post was just to say that people are different. I don't know the original poster at all - maybe she won't have to exercise to lose weight. Or, maybe she's like me and, for whatever reason, she will. All I was trying to say is that there are all types out here and whatever boat she's in, she's not alone. I wasn't looking for counsel and I do apologize for the snark. It's been a frustrating week and my defensiveness is on high right now.0 -
simple question, simple answer. yes, it is.
WHAT exercise means to you is the variable.0 -
gizmosmom02 wrote: »I sort of know the answer to this question. Weight loss is all about a calorie deficit, therefore exercise isn't absolutely necessary, but it does help with toning and increases the calorie deficit. That's the theory.
Has anyone lost weight without exercising? I ask because every time I try to jog on my treadmill I am so sore the next day I can barely walk. Not kidding. Also, exercise makes me more hungry. I need to lose 50 lbs.
Thanks for your advice.
I did not exercise while I was in my active weight loss phase. When I started this whole thing I had never tried to lose weight before, never had exercised before, and I was facing T2 diabetes if I didn't lose the weight. I was incredibly overwhelmed and scared, and for me it worked best to just focus on eating at a calorie deficit.
I lost the weight with no problems and improved my health in the process, including getting my glucose number back down to the normal range. Just by eating at a calorie deficit-I did not track anything else besides calories. I also continued to eat all the foods that I liked, but just fit them into my calorie goals.
I've been in maintenance for over two years now, and my focus has changed to include fitness goals, but these are not related to my weight loss maintenance. I still track calories, follow portion sizes, use my food scale, weigh myself daily etc. Exercise is great, but it's not necessary for weigh loss or even weight loss maintenance. Eating the correct amount of calories for that
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kellyzita4 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »I certainly can't speak for everyone, but in my experience, exercise is absolutely necessary. If I only eat a calorie deficit, I just don't lose at all. As soon as I start walking, though, the weight loss happens. I know that in theory, I shouldn't have to walk, but in reality, I do if I want to lose.
If you're just starting out with the exercise, you might try walking for awhile and working your way up to jogging over several weeks/months. And make sure you have some good sneakers - no cheapies. Your shoes can make a big difference in how your legs and back feel after you've been on the treadmill.
Best of luck to you!
no you just need to log more accurately. The walking was countering logging errors.
Exercise is not necessary.
Thank you, Random Stranger on the Internet, who does not know anything about me or my medical history, for your unsolicited critique. I will give your comment due forethought and consideration...
So either you defy physics and all that the world knows about losing weight OR when you began walking that put you into a calorie deficit by burning more calories, hence, your logging wasn't accurate. Which seems more likely here?
I'll go with C: not knowing what a Caloric deficit really is, and not knowing how her (apparent) medical condition affects her. Hint: it's not just eating what a computer told you to eat.
Agreed but exercise is not required for weight loss...accurate logging that is consistent is.0 -
kellyzita4 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »I certainly can't speak for everyone, but in my experience, exercise is absolutely necessary. If I only eat a calorie deficit, I just don't lose at all. As soon as I start walking, though, the weight loss happens. I know that in theory, I shouldn't have to walk, but in reality, I do if I want to lose.
If you're just starting out with the exercise, you might try walking for awhile and working your way up to jogging over several weeks/months. And make sure you have some good sneakers - no cheapies. Your shoes can make a big difference in how your legs and back feel after you've been on the treadmill.
Best of luck to you!
no you just need to log more accurately. The walking was countering logging errors.
Exercise is not necessary.
Thank you, Random Stranger on the Internet, who does not know anything about me or my medical history, for your unsolicited critique. I will give your comment due forethought and consideration...
So either you defy physics and all that the world knows about losing weight OR when you began walking that put you into a calorie deficit by burning more calories, hence, your logging wasn't accurate. Which seems more likely here?
I'll go with C: not knowing what a Caloric deficit really is, and not knowing how her (apparent) medical condition affects her. Hint: it's not just eating what a computer told you to eat.
Agreed but exercise is not required for weight loss...accurate logging that is consistent is.
Millions of people have lost weight and never logged a single calorie. So accurate logging is also not required for weight loss. It helps the people who choose to do it that way, but it is not "required" any more than exercise is.0 -
If you want to battle semantics have at...but of course no logging is not "required" a calorie deficit is and how you get it is up to you, But don't think for one minute that this semantic game changes anythingMoiAussi93 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »I certainly can't speak for everyone, but in my experience, exercise is absolutely necessary. If I only eat a calorie deficit, I just don't lose at all. As soon as I start walking, though, the weight loss happens. I know that in theory, I shouldn't have to walk, but in reality, I do if I want to lose.
If you're just starting out with the exercise, you might try walking for awhile and working your way up to jogging over several weeks/months. And make sure you have some good sneakers - no cheapies. Your shoes can make a big difference in how your legs and back feel after you've been on the treadmill.
Best of luck to you!
no you just need to log more accurately. The walking was countering logging errors.
Exercise is not necessary.
Thank you, Random Stranger on the Internet, who does not know anything about me or my medical history, for your unsolicited critique. I will give your comment due forethought and consideration...
So either you defy physics and all that the world knows about losing weight OR when you began walking that put you into a calorie deficit by burning more calories, hence, your logging wasn't accurate. Which seems more likely here?
I'll go with C: not knowing what a Caloric deficit really is, and not knowing how her (apparent) medical condition affects her. Hint: it's not just eating what a computer told you to eat.
Agreed but exercise is not required for weight loss...accurate logging that is consistent is.
Millions of people have lost weight and never logged a single calorie. So accurate logging is also not required for weight loss. It helps the people who choose to do it that way, but it is not "required" any more than exercise is.
Exercise is not required for weight loss....bottom line....
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Just responding to your claim!
If you want to battle semantics have at...but of course no logging is not "required" a calorie deficit is and how you get it is up to you, But don't think for one minute that this semantic game changes anythingMoiAussi93 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »I certainly can't speak for everyone, but in my experience, exercise is absolutely necessary. If I only eat a calorie deficit, I just don't lose at all. As soon as I start walking, though, the weight loss happens. I know that in theory, I shouldn't have to walk, but in reality, I do if I want to lose.
If you're just starting out with the exercise, you might try walking for awhile and working your way up to jogging over several weeks/months. And make sure you have some good sneakers - no cheapies. Your shoes can make a big difference in how your legs and back feel after you've been on the treadmill.
Best of luck to you!
no you just need to log more accurately. The walking was countering logging errors.
Exercise is not necessary.
Thank you, Random Stranger on the Internet, who does not know anything about me or my medical history, for your unsolicited critique. I will give your comment due forethought and consideration...
So either you defy physics and all that the world knows about losing weight OR when you began walking that put you into a calorie deficit by burning more calories, hence, your logging wasn't accurate. Which seems more likely here?
I'll go with C: not knowing what a Caloric deficit really is, and not knowing how her (apparent) medical condition affects her. Hint: it's not just eating what a computer told you to eat.
Agreed but exercise is not required for weight loss...accurate logging that is consistent is.
Millions of people have lost weight and never logged a single calorie. So accurate logging is also not required for weight loss. It helps the people who choose to do it that way, but it is not "required" any more than exercise is.
Exercise is not required for weight loss....bottom line....
But don't think for one minute that exercise doesn't help weight loss. It does...bottom line....
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MoiAussi93 wrote: »
Just responding to your claim!
If you want to battle semantics have at...but of course no logging is not "required" a calorie deficit is and how you get it is up to you, But don't think for one minute that this semantic game changes anythingMoiAussi93 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »kellyzita4 wrote: »I certainly can't speak for everyone, but in my experience, exercise is absolutely necessary. If I only eat a calorie deficit, I just don't lose at all. As soon as I start walking, though, the weight loss happens. I know that in theory, I shouldn't have to walk, but in reality, I do if I want to lose.
If you're just starting out with the exercise, you might try walking for awhile and working your way up to jogging over several weeks/months. And make sure you have some good sneakers - no cheapies. Your shoes can make a big difference in how your legs and back feel after you've been on the treadmill.
Best of luck to you!
no you just need to log more accurately. The walking was countering logging errors.
Exercise is not necessary.
Thank you, Random Stranger on the Internet, who does not know anything about me or my medical history, for your unsolicited critique. I will give your comment due forethought and consideration...
So either you defy physics and all that the world knows about losing weight OR when you began walking that put you into a calorie deficit by burning more calories, hence, your logging wasn't accurate. Which seems more likely here?
I'll go with C: not knowing what a Caloric deficit really is, and not knowing how her (apparent) medical condition affects her. Hint: it's not just eating what a computer told you to eat.
Agreed but exercise is not required for weight loss...accurate logging that is consistent is.
Millions of people have lost weight and never logged a single calorie. So accurate logging is also not required for weight loss. It helps the people who choose to do it that way, but it is not "required" any more than exercise is.
Exercise is not required for weight loss....bottom line....
But don't think for one minute that exercise doesn't help weight loss. It does...bottom line....
No one here has said it doesn't help...but it isn't necessary...bottom line...and that is what this thread is about...
Is exercise required for weight loss...resounding NO.0 -
I don't think it's necessary for weight loss, but necessary to keep that heart ticking and added energy. It can boost weight loss. For me, nutrition = weight loss for me. I walk cause it's something I enjoy it and it does give me that extra energy boost. I willbtake the extra boost lol. Everyone has find what works for them. Different folks different strokes. Keep the support going. We need it on this journey.0
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While SezxyStef is technically correct, for some people their body will lower there metabolism to such a point that the necessary calorie deficit to lose weight by food restriction alone is dangerous, and might be mentally impossible. I know for me that if I don't exercise I can maintain my weight on 1500 calories a day. My body lowers its metabolism to match that. As my "normal" BMR is about 2200 calories, I'd have to go to 1000 calorie deficit to lose, and my rate would be like 0.5lbs a week. Sorry my will power is not up to that! Hungry & tired all the time to lose 2 lbs a month? Forget it!
But really the OPs real question is more about how to exercise. Running causes pain, so why run? I cant run (bad knees), and for people in my weight class, running is really bad for the knees! I started with walking, just 20-30 minutes a day. Then went on hikes on the weekend, longer and longer, with more rugged terrain, hills, etc. Once that became easy, and took so much time for any real benefit, I moved to the gym. I wear a heart rate monitor to make sure that I'm getting good benefit from my exercise. Once my body gets used to an exercise, and no longer uses as much energy to do that exercise, I change it. Up the speed on the machine, add more resistance, etc.
Right now I do 70-80 minute work outs that have a 750-1000 calorie burn 5 times a week. I stay around 1800 calories intake. That's a 6-8000 calorie weekly deficit. About the 2lbs a week rate. BUT I lose about 1.25 lbs a week. Cause my body is so damn good at lowering it metabolism... in case I need that fat for the winter 0 -
I just know when I work out, my body feels better, my mindset is where it should be, and for me, I can't starve 135 lbs off of my body. Even with severe arthritis, I have to keep moving or I will be dead, just like many of my family members that lived sedentary.0
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Have you heard the saying "Abs are made in the Kitchen, not the gym". It's sort of true. I think what you put in your body determines how thin you are but if you're thin and can't walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath then what's the point?0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »gizmosmom02 wrote: »I sort of know the answer to this question. Weight loss is all about a calorie deficit, therefore exercise isn't absolutely necessary, but it does help with toning and increases the calorie deficit. That's the theory.
Has anyone lost weight without exercising? I ask because every time I try to jog on my treadmill I am so sore the next day I can barely walk. Not kidding. Also, exercise makes me more hungry. I need to lose 50 lbs.
Thanks for your advice.
It's necessary for your health but not weight loss. That said, without exercise, calorie targets are rather paltry. It's not so much about increasing your deficit as it is about being able to eat at a sustainable level of intake to lose weight and maintain sanity.
Example...without exercise I can only eat around 2,000 calories per day to lose about 1 Lb per week...this is because without exercise my maintenance is around 2,500 calories per day. Conversely, with exercise I can eat 2300 - 2500 calories per day and lose about 1 Lb per week because my maintenance jumps to 2800 - 3000.
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While SezxyStef is technically correct, for some people their body will lower there metabolism to such a point that the necessary calorie deficit to lose weight by food restriction alone is dangerous, and might be mentally impossible.
If this is the case for people then they have messed around with their calories and messed up their metabolism. This is something i did myself for a number of years but it can be fixed. I went from not losing weight on 1100 calories a day to raising calories and carbs in a measured way to end up at a point where I could then drop back down and I was dropping body fat on 1800 calories a day. I can't recommend enough that people join up with a GOOD Personal Trainer who knows their stuff and can guide you through approaching nutrition in a healthy, nourishing and sustainable way as opposed to just dropping your own calories an unhealthy amount any time you hit a plateau.0 -
Not for weight loss. For good health and being a fully-functional human, yes, it is. It helps to retrain your brain to enjoy movement and then the challenge of pushing yourself. If you search for "physical culture" you'll see a lot of philosophizing about fitness endeavors.
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kellyzita4 wrote: »I certainly can't speak for everyone, but in my experience, exercise is absolutely necessary. If I only eat a calorie deficit, I just don't lose at all. As soon as I start walking, though, the weight loss happens. I know that in theory, I shouldn't have to walk, but in reality, I do if I want to lose.
So what that says to me is, you're not really in calorie deficit, unless you exercise off some of your intake. That doesn't mean that the exercise is essential, just that you're not expending what you think you are in the background. There may be a number of reasons for that, but it is all about the energy deficit. If you're not losing weight, then you've got energy coming from somewhere. You might be absorbing solar energy through your skin, and converting that to body mass, or you might be collecting wind energy in your hair, and converting that to body mass. If either of those two, then well done, you are exceptional.
Personally speaking, when I was initially losing weight and had a fairly low calorie goal, I found it fery difficult to keep within that goal if I didn't train. I'd still feel quite hungry and a bit miserable if I ate to my calorie goal, but if I ran off 300-400 calories, then ate that back I was still hitting the same calorie goal and didn't feel rough. Possibly psychological, possibly physiological in some way, but it was part of the system I had to use.
Even now when I'm broadly at maintenance I can sometimes struggle with my goal if I don't go and train.
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Well it isn't necessary. But it helps lose weight, keeps you healthy and makes you fitter and stronger. On that basis I would say do it.0
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Right now I do 70-80 minute work outs that have a 750-1000 calorie burn 5 times a week. I stay around 1800 calories intake. That's a 6-8000 calorie weekly deficit. About the 2lbs a week rate. BUT I lose about 1.25 lbs a week.
That's almost certainly a result of overestimating the calorie expenditure.
1000 calories is a ten mile run or thereabouts. Possibly 9 miles for you, but not radically different.0 -
While SezxyStef is technically correct, for some people their body will lower there metabolism to such a point that the necessary calorie deficit to lose weight by food restriction alone is dangerous, and might be mentally impossible. I know for me that if I don't exercise I can maintain my weight on 1500 calories a day. My body lowers its metabolism to match that. As my "normal" BMR is about 2200 calories, I'd have to go to 1000 calorie deficit to lose, and my rate would be like 0.5lbs a week. Sorry my will power is not up to that! Hungry & tired all the time to lose 2 lbs a month? Forget it!
But really the OPs real question is more about how to exercise. Running causes pain, so why run? I cant run (bad knees), and for people in my weight class, running is really bad for the knees! I started with walking, just 20-30 minutes a day. Then went on hikes on the weekend, longer and longer, with more rugged terrain, hills, etc. Once that became easy, and took so much time for any real benefit, I moved to the gym. I wear a heart rate monitor to make sure that I'm getting good benefit from my exercise. Once my body gets used to an exercise, and no longer uses as much energy to do that exercise, I change it. Up the speed on the machine, add more resistance, etc.
Right now I do 70-80 minute work outs that have a 750-1000 calorie burn 5 times a week. I stay around 1800 calories intake. That's a 6-8000 calorie weekly deficit. About the 2lbs a week rate. BUT I lose about 1.25 lbs a week. Cause my body is so damn good at lowering it metabolism... in case I need that fat for the winter
we are talking about extremes here...very few people have metabolic disorders and most on these boards to claim it don't have any medical evidence to back it up and use it because they aren't in a deficit do to inaccurate logging.
For example you need to burn 3500 calories to lose 1lb of fat...that doesn't change with a metabolic disorder it just gets a little harder to do it...0
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