CICO - To Work Out or Not To Work Out, That Is the Question!

MTP apps wants me to "take in" 1400 cal a day for my target weight loss. So it I eat 2000 cal, I can just burn 600 cal by working out. (If my understanding of how this works is right..)

My question is this. I understand that metabolism will suffer when I cut my diet. And that working out cardio+muscle can greatly help.

When comparing two scenarios:
A: Eat 1400 cal - No workout
B: Eat 2000 cal - 600 cal workout

Isn't scenario B MUCH better for weight loss? It's same net caloric intake at the end of the day, but my understanding is that workouts REALLY help with metabolism and losing fat instead of pure muscles.. If so, what would you suggest bare minimum workout that can be done to take advantage? (Male, 6ft tall, 220lbs)

Thank you for the insight in advance!

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Working out is better for health and body composition

    But for scale weight loss it makes no difference

    It is not as easy as you think to burn 600 calories...for me that would be an intense 85 minutes of steady state cardio
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited January 2016
    Progressive resistance which is not a great calorie burner in general helps preserve LBM in deficit

    Don't overestimate the calorie burn of fat over muscle...at rest there's a marginal difference of 8-10 calories per day per lb muscle over fat

    The workout advice I'd give would be

    2 X 20-30 minute cardio sessions per week
    3 X progressive resistance workouts per week like strong lifts 5x5, starting strength or body weight
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,204 Member
    However in general I would absolutely agree with the OP's statement regardless of which workout mode she chooses (cardio or progressive resistance or a combination of both).
  • Gianfranco_R
    Gianfranco_R Posts: 1,297 Member
    jsuh1993 wrote: »
    MTP apps wants me to "take in" 1400 cal a day for my target weight loss. So it I eat 2000 cal, I can just burn 600 cal by working out. (If my understanding of how this works is right..)

    My question is this. I understand that metabolism will suffer when I cut my diet. And that working out cardio+muscle can greatly help.

    When comparing two scenarios:
    A: Eat 1400 cal - No workout
    B: Eat 2000 cal - 600 cal workout

    Isn't scenario B MUCH better for weight loss? It's same net caloric intake at the end of the day, but my understanding is that workouts REALLY help with metabolism and losing fat instead of pure muscles.. If so, what would you suggest bare minimum workout that can be done to take advantage? (Male, 6ft tall, 220lbs)

    Thank you for the insight in advance!

    http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/news-releases/2011/08/01/acsm-issues-new-recommendations-on-quantity-and-quality-of-exercise
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    edited January 2016
    Workout is generally better. Not only does it have some protective effects against the loss of LBM (By the way, you'll still lose some) but in general, long term your metabolism will be slightly better (about 1.5-2 days of 'free food' per year for each lb of LBM maintained).

    Bare minimum workout?
    Effort wise - walk everywhere 1h30 of walking a day will cover that. But that has very little LBM protection effect.

    Ideally - I'd suggest something close to what @rabbitjb suggests

    2-3 cardio sessions 20 min. minimum but ideally 30-45 mins or so, to hit your calorie goals.
    2-3 progressive resistance (preferably with weights as they have better effect, but bodyweight if a progressive program is followed)

    Do something that you like - it helps with persistence.

    At 220lbs, eating 2000 and doing at least 2 cardio sessions a week, you'll lose weight. Doing more, especially strength resistance will help how you look and feel and long term body composition.

    Good luck.

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Workout is generally better. Not only does it have some protective effects against the loss of LBM (By the way, you'll still lose some) but in general, long term your metabolism will be slightly better (about 1.5-2 days of 'free food' per year for each lb of LBM maintained).

    Bare minimum workout?
    Effort wise - walk everywhere 1h30 of walking a day will cover that. But that has very little LBM protection effect.

    Ideally - I'd suggest something close to what @rabbitjb suggests

    2-3 cardio sessions 20 min. minimum but ideally 30-45 mins or so, to hit your calorie goals.
    2-3 progressive resistance (preferably with weights as they have better effect, but bodyweight if a progressive program is followed)

    Do something that you like - it helps with persistence.

    At 220lbs, eating 2000 and doing at least 2 cardio sessions a week, you'll lose weight. Doing more, especially strength resistance will help how you look and feel and long term body composition.

    Good luck.

    Re bolded ...I really like this way of looking at it
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    There is a very small advantage to working out over not working out for calorie burn purposes but that can easily be negated or reversed by over estimating calorie burns.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    jsuh1993 wrote: »
    MTP apps wants me to "take in" 1400 cal a day for my target weight loss. So it I eat 2000 cal, I can just burn 600 cal by working out. (If my understanding of how this works is right..)

    My question is this. I understand that metabolism will suffer when I cut my diet. And that working out cardio+muscle can greatly help.

    When comparing two scenarios:
    A: Eat 1400 cal - No workout
    B: Eat 2000 cal - 600 cal workout

    Isn't scenario B MUCH better for weight loss? It's same net caloric intake at the end of the day, but my understanding is that workouts REALLY help with metabolism and losing fat instead of pure muscles.. If so, what would you suggest bare minimum workout that can be done to take advantage? (Male, 6ft tall, 220lbs)

    Thank you for the insight in advance!

    Working out is basically for health and fitness. Where weight loss is involved, it is irrelevant. From a medical point of view (google it, do not just take my word for it), the bare minimum is 30 mins of cardio, 5 times per week plus at least 2 resistance training sessions per week.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    @jsuh1993 Are you really a 6' male weighing 220 lbs planning on eating only 1400 cals a day?
    If so, before considering your workout/ not workout please adjust your calorie goal to a sustainable base level.
    An average adult male's minimum calorie intake for good nutrition is 1500. That is also MFP's male minimum.

    Once you have a good logging practice with adequate calories established, then follow @rabbitjb's suggestions for workouts.

    Cheers, h.
  • jsuh1993
    jsuh1993 Posts: 28 Member
    @jsuh1993 Are you really a 6' male weighing 220 lbs planning on eating only 1400 cals a day?
    If so, before considering your workout/ not workout please adjust your calorie goal to a sustainable base level.
    An average adult male's minimum calorie intake for good nutrition is 1500. That is also MFP's male minimum.

    Once you have a good logging practice with adequate calories established, then follow @rabbitjb's suggestions for workouts.

    Cheers, h.

    First thing I am ttrying to do is get the food right, and find the energy to work out. MFP was giving me 1400 something cal to eat a day.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    edited January 2016
    jsuh1993 wrote: »
    @jsuh1993 Are you really a 6' male weighing 220 lbs planning on eating only 1400 cals a day?
    If so, before considering your workout/ not workout please adjust your calorie goal to a sustainable base level.
    An average adult male's minimum calorie intake for good nutrition is 1500. That is also MFP's male minimum.

    Once you have a good logging practice with adequate calories established, then follow @rabbitjb's suggestions for workouts.

    Cheers, h.

    First thing I am ttrying to do is get the food right, and find the energy to work out. MFP was giving me 1400 something cal to eat a day.

    That is a rather maximum cut at 220, you won't find the energy to do much at that level. If you are struggling with energy to exercise try a bit higher that 1400. You can adjust later.

    At 220lbs my "net" is 1800-1900 - and I lose about 2 lbs a week (same height and weight).
    But my logging can be strict, your 1400 might not be 1400.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    It is highly unlikely that you are going to damage your metabolism by dieting.

    Working out is great for your health...plus you get to eat more! But it's not necessary for weight loss.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    It is highly unlikely that you are going to damage your metabolism by dieting.

    Working out is great for your health...plus you get to eat more! But it's not necessary for weight loss.

    Depends on the diet - its quite often that people do damage to themselves with how they eat. Look at all the people with hair loss, amenorrhea, skin issues, stones, thyroid issues. Some of that is dietary metabolic damage.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    It is highly unlikely that you are going to damage your metabolism by dieting.

    Working out is great for your health...plus you get to eat more! But it's not necessary for weight loss.

    Depends on the diet - its quite often that people do damage to themselves with how they eat. Look at all the people with hair loss, amenorrhea, skin issues, stones, thyroid issues. Some of that is dietary metabolic damage.

    Hm...yeah, I wasn't thinking about VLCDs...I assume that's what you're referring to?