Whats the point of exercise when trying to lose weight?

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I heard you don't need to exercise when trying to lose weight but whats the point? Is it just to build muscle?
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  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    So i can eat more pretty much. Plus i cant stand sitting on my butt all day everyday, i need to move and be relatively active.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    It's good for you, it's fun, my goal it to be fit, not just thin, you can eat more, it's nice to be strong and to be able to do things like run or bike for hours.
  • MaddMaestro
    MaddMaestro Posts: 405 Member
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    I do it for the strength and endurance. You're right though, just eat well and eat less and you can still lose weight without the exersice.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    Mainly to be able to eat more and still lose at the same rate. But also for good looks :)
  • BabyBearFrigon
    BabyBearFrigon Posts: 28 Member
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    AnvilHead wrote: »
    A few of the many points:

    1) It can help create the caloric deficit and/or give you more calories in your daily allowance (depending on how you look at it and what you do with those calories you burn during exercise).

    2) Helps preserve lean body mass/muscle, so you lose more fat than muscle. Which helps with body composition/aesthetics, so you don't arrive at your goal weight looking like a smaller, saggier version of your former overweight self.

    3) Improves your cardiovascular fitness and overall health (many diseases are correlated with inactivity).

    4) Many people find it improves their mental health/sense of well-being, helps relieve stress/anxiety, etc.

    5) Helps preserve bone density, improve balance/agility (increasingly important as you age), strength to perform everyday tasks.

    THIS. Yes. Many more reasons, but these touch base on my own thoughts/facts.
  • ziggyc
    ziggyc Posts: 191 Member
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    muscles burn more calories than fat when you're not even doing anything. you'll lose weight a little faster because of that. plus it'll help prevent flab from weight loss.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
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    The more you move, the better your chances of avoiding diabetes, fatty liver, and other illnesses.
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,449 Member
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    Exercise can be fun too.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    My goal is to be fit. Skinny fat does not appeal to me so I work out. I want to protect my bone density, maintain/build muscle mass, eat more without worry, sleep better and have more energy to do activities with my family.
  • TheRambler
    TheRambler Posts: 387 Member
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    Isn't the goal to be overall healthier ??
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 997 Member
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    It's good for my mental health, it makes me look better (I love my arm muscles), it saves me money (by cycling to work), it improves my immune system, it's good for my heart, it burns calories, and it generally is how you live longer and better.

    I'd rather be fat and fit than skinny and unfit, if I had to pick. Glad I don't.
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
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    Losing weight, by itself - is not a solution to being healthy.

    Certain types of exercise - when obese - have dangers of body damage.

    I exercise [with a trainer's advice] purely for loosening and strengthening - not for weight loss.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    Overall health. Many of us are working on ourselves overall. Some of us are trying to stop or slow other health problems. Exercise has a lot of health benefits other than building muscle.
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
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    I do it for my mental health, love me some endorphins. And also so I can eat more if I want to
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Why lose weight if it doesn't include getting healthier?

    Exercise does this only more directly.

    Exercise got me a healthier complexion, mobility, flexibility and energy. I can hop, skip, leap. I'm a different person because I exercised my lighter self.