Diet and Exercise

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smalltowngirl52
smalltowngirl52 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Question? Someone told me that it's best to start dieting first then after you've lost some weight then start exercising because if you exercise, it just builds up muscle over the fat, making it harder to maintain. Is this true? Tomorrow is a new day for me, I'm going to start cutting back gradually and orginally I had planned on a quick exercise in a the morning, a walk at lunch, and then a quick exercise of the evening, but should I try to loose weight by cutting back on foods first?

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  • hyde1977
    hyde1977 Posts: 476 Member
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    I would say no....you are probably going to get many responses....

    80% of losing weight is food....20% is exercise! Exercise will start to make you feel different.....start slow if you have not be doing any exercise but you need both!!!!!
  • jhardenbergh
    jhardenbergh Posts: 1,035 Member
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    A little cardio has never hurt anyone, but I think you should diet for a couple weeks and start slow with the exercise to see how your body reacts, energy level, mood, etc...
  • Marcieb21
    Marcieb21 Posts: 127 Member
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    What I did was at first I mostly focused on staying in my calorie limits, and that was all I could really handle at the time. I would exercise about once or twice a week. As time has gone on though I have increased how many days I exercise. Mostly I just hated to exercise though so it was really hard for me to get started on that.
  • Mcorliss
    Mcorliss Posts: 1
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    I am not an expert however do know that muscle is a very good thing! Although it does weigh more than fat it also helps burn fat and helps you burn calories throughout the day. When it comes to exercising I would say start off slow because it is very easy to burn out and fall off track. I would also suggest finding a local gym or dance studio that offers some kind of walk in class or even just working out with a friend. It can sometimes be hard to motivate yourself to get out of bed and work out so getting out of the house to work out is good.

    So basically working out is good but start off slow so you don't burn out :)
  • fridayjustleft04
    fridayjustleft04 Posts: 851 Member
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    I personally started dieting on the same day I started exercising. I like it better that way..I felt like I was being proactive and fully diving into a healthier me. Admittedly, it wasn't easy to do workouts at 260 pounds, but if I wanted easy, I would have not made the changes. Either way you go, good luck!
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
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    absolutely not true. the opposite is true. the more lean muscle mass you have the better your metabolism works and the more calories you burn. By exercising you also create a larger calorie deficit which gives you a little bit of leeway in how many calories you consume. And the most important part, by dieting alone you wont be losing just fat but lean muscle as well. Not just weight loss is important, it is important that you burn fat, not lean body mass. By exercising and eating clean you ensure that what you burn will be the fat. Your bodyfat percentage is more important overall to good health and fitness and that's what you want to get down, not just your weight. By exercising you will burn fat not muscle.

    Make sure you incorporate some resistance training in your exercise routine. remember, the more lean muscle you build, the better your metabolism burns those calories. also, when you do cardio, after you stop, you stop burning calories beyond what your body needs for operations. But when you build muscles, your body will continue to burn extra calories after you stop exercising. And don't worry about "bulking up". unless you plan on taking testosterone, it is impossible for women to bulk up. But if you want that nice toned, lean body, yeah you've got to exercise. the sooner the better.
  • sbrouillet
    sbrouillet Posts: 64 Member
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    First off everyone is different and everyone will have a different opinion. I would say that it is going to depend on you. If you have exercised in the past at all, I would start out by doing just 20 minutes of some physical activity while you get used to a new way of eating.

    Healthy Food Intake + Water + Excercise = A stronger healthier person. Having said this, it's all in moderation. I do not consider myself to be on a "diet", I am changing my life and it is a day by day process. For me; my journey is a rather lengthly one, however others may have a shorter journey. Having said that, the equation is usually the same no matter your journey.

    So after all that babble, start slow and work you way up. You can do it and you will see change in no time. Good Luck to you.
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
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    I am not an expert however do know that muscle is a very good thing! Although it does weigh more than fat it also helps burn fat and helps you burn calories throughout the day. When it comes to exercising I would say start off slow because it is very easy to burn out and fall off track. I would also suggest finding a local gym or dance studio that offers some kind of walk in class or even just working out with a friend. It can sometimes be hard to motivate yourself to get out of bed and work out so getting out of the house to work out is good.

    So basically working out is good but start off slow so you don't burn out :)

    actually, a pound is pound is a pound. a lb of fat weights the same as a lb of muscles as a lb of feathers. What you mean is that the volume of a lb is fat is much greater than the volume of a lb of muscles. Also, as you burn fat and build muscles it'll look like you might not lose a lot of weight. you may only lose 1 lb in a week. but if you break it down you might see that you lost 3 lbs of fat and built 2 lbs of muscles. that is much more preferable than losing 1/2 lb of fat and 1/2 a lb of muscles.
  • wwhite94
    wwhite94 Posts: 176 Member
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    No exercise fromt he start. If you build muscle its ok because the muscle will help eat away at the fat even when you are just sitting down. Plus it will help you look better to tone up while losing weight you will have non scale victories(NSV where maybe youre scale isnt moving but clothes fitting looser etc......). Also if you exercise it gives you more calories to consume during the day in case you have a need of them.
  • slainger
    slainger Posts: 150 Member
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    Any exercise you get will help, never hinder your weight loss. Even the simplest of form of exercise, walking, is excellent for your weight loss. That's what I started with in February, and now I'm fit enough that I just completed day 15 of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (I'm very proud I haven't taken a day off!). What helped boost my metabolism -I think- is that I was involved in a walking challenge in April and May and I walked or exercised so much. I would even take my 15 minute breaks at work to go for a mile walk. It made a huge difference. I suggest you find something you can handle and enjoy and go for it!
  • slainger
    slainger Posts: 150 Member
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    I am not an expert however do know that muscle is a very good thing! Although it does weigh more than fat it also helps burn fat and helps you burn calories throughout the day. When it comes to exercising I would say start off slow because it is very easy to burn out and fall off track. I would also suggest finding a local gym or dance studio that offers some kind of walk in class or even just working out with a friend. It can sometimes be hard to motivate yourself to get out of bed and work out so getting out of the house to work out is good.

    So basically working out is good but start off slow so you don't burn out :)

    actually, a pound is pound is a pound. a lb of fat weights the same as a lb of muscles as a lb of feathers. What you mean is that the volume of a lb is fat is much greater than the volume of a lb of muscles. Also, as you burn fat and build muscles it'll look like you might not lose a lot of weight. you may only lose 1 lb in a week. but if you break it down you might see that you lost 3 lbs of fat and built 2 lbs of muscles. that is much more preferable than losing 1/2 lb of fat and 1/2 a lb of muscles.

    I would much rather have a pound of muscle than a pound of fat!!! :wink:
  • LeahBeah12
    LeahBeah12 Posts: 31 Member
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    I exercised 4-5 days a week for 3 months and only lost 5 lbs, because I wasn't tracking what I was eating. When I started MFP in addition to exercise I lost another 7-8 lbs in a few months. So my eating definitely was the main factor in losing weight, but I'm glad I had a good exercise program going because now the combination of both is really giving me great results.
  • smalltowngirl52
    smalltowngirl52 Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks everyone so much! I would definitely feel better about myself if I exercised some during the day too.
  • mamaboobear
    mamaboobear Posts: 52
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    the other issue is that if you diet but don't excercise, you could end up with that loose skin look. Exercise is supposed to help prevent or at least limit that. plus, ..you get to eat more if you exercise!! lol

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