Weight loss WITHOUT exercise? Did you do it?

zealouszoey
zealouszoey Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
The short backstory is that I have a lifelong condition where my body produces too much cerebrospinal fluid which leads to increased pressure around my brain. Exercise has always been an issue for me but even more so now that I gained a lot of weight from a recent stressful life event. I've been working hard to get back on track (my diary should be public) and was hoping that there are success stories out there of people losing without exercise. My neurologist thinks that if I can drop about 80lbs, my symptoms should improve enough to allow me to begin exercise again (I love to go outside and walk). I do get out and take it slow (I just can't raise my heart rate up too high otherwise my pressure goes up). For those who lost weight this way, did you stick with the recommended calories that MFP gave you or did you do a lower calorie amount? Thank you!
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Replies

  • Unknown
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  • coueswhitetail
    coueswhitetail Posts: 309 Member
    edited October 2017
    yes, I lost 40 lbs using the recommended calories on MFP and without adding exercise. Exercise definitely helps though, but eating less calories works whether you exercise or not. go for it! Stay with it though. I kept all the weight off for a year, but then gained it back when I stopped logging. So starting all over again...ugh.
  • cronus70
    cronus70 Posts: 191 Member
    Yes, I lost 65+ pounds on calorie restriction alone before I decided to train for improved health and fitness. Currently I’m finding it difficult to train because of a few health niggles and I’ve lost another 10+ pounds in the last month.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    I suggest you read this post http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss#latest
  • Anon2018
    Anon2018 Posts: 139 Member
    2400 calories seems high for someone who's not exercising and trying to lose 80 pounds. What are your stats?
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited October 2017
    Anon2018 wrote: »
    2400 calories seems high for someone who's not exercising and trying to lose 80 pounds. What are your stats?
    This.

    I lost about ~130 pounds without exercise. I experimented to find a calorie intake amount and macro balance that left me satiated enough to stick to that calorie level. I settled on 1350 calories and stayed there all the rest of the way through the weight loss period where I didn't exercise. I would have gained on 2400 calories at my starting weight.

    You need to find a comfortable calorie level that's a deficit for you (that might be the number that MFP suggests or a number you find on your own) and then be patient and consistent over time. Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint.
  • Meghanebk
    Meghanebk Posts: 321 Member
    Sure it's possible to lose only with calorie restriction.

    I've lost over the past 6 weeks with no exercise at all beyond my usual work routine, etc. Since you have 80 lbs to lose, I'd start off with the amount of calories MFP recommends - if you drop too low you're more likely to binge and waste all your progress. Also, if you find it hard to stick to even those limits, reset your weight loss to 0.5 or 1 lb/week. It's better to lose it slow and keep it off than lose it fast and regain it later.

    This assumes you are tracking your food accurately - use a digital scale to weigh everything possible in grams! Use the recipe builder to help you calculate things you cook.

    I don't worry about macros much, but since I haven't added exercise or strength training I do make sure I hit the MFP protein goals so I'm less likely to lose muscle as I lose weight.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited October 2017
    I lost my first 20ish pounds without upping my exercise levels. I wasn’t totally sedentary, as I usually got about 20 to 40 minutes of brisk walking in a day, but I did that when I was gaining weight too. Everything I’ve read indicates that exercise certainly can help weight loss, but it’s tricky to rely on it alone, and certainly it isn’t necessary. My sister is one of those super fit overweight people - as the saying goes, it’s hard to outrun your diet.

    ETA: you didn’t ask, but someone mentioned above that 2400 seems high. I’ve been taking the slow and easy approach and managed to lose at around that level when I started out at 208 lbs with a goal of about 75 to lose. I’ve got a somewhat high TDEE for my height and gender and was moderately active, but not really exercising much. So long as you’re happy with your rate of loss, you’re good. I’m down to about 2k daily now and have lost 33 lbs in ten months.
  • TanyaHooton
    TanyaHooton Posts: 249 Member
    edited October 2017
    Yes, I'm losing on calories alone. I get exercise intermittently, and I log it but I stay in my caloric limit if I don't.

    It helped me to cut out snacks. My snacks were large cookies, bread and butter, chocolate bars, chips, or ice cream...you get the idea. I made sure I had fiber and protein at breakfast (cottage cheese, nuts, fruit, celery, etc) and low cal snacks for 3 pm like berries or cucumber slices.

    When I cut down on the sugary foods, I got lucky and was LESS hungry than when I ate more. Ymmv.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    I've been doing it on calories alone -- 30 pounds so far. I'm starting to do a little more activity -- yesterday I took a 0.48 mile walk -- that's with crutches to help my back and about as far as I could go. So, not much. I plan to continue doing minimal exercise, adding in a bit of walking and some seated tai chi. I'm a retired couch potato with a bad back so really very sedentary. It really is calorie counting that controls weight for the most part.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    unparalleledAF wrote: »
    I could do it without exercise, but it would involve eating only animal-based proteins and vegetables, both of which I find gross. Hahaha

    Have you considered trying the Whole30 program?

    Why only those food groups?
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    totally possible. Lots of people have done it with no exercise at all, others throw in some walking (doesn't even have to be vigorous).
  • whosshe
    whosshe Posts: 597 Member
    I lost 70lbs doing no formal exercising. All you need is a calorie deficit to lose weight. I'm waiting til I get to goal and maybe I'll start building muscle, maybe not tho. I haven't found an exercise I like yet lol
  • neo245
    neo245 Posts: 4 Member
    12kg lost over 2 months, no exercise at all.
  • KiwiGirl38
    KiwiGirl38 Posts: 6 Member
    I'm loosing weight without exercise. I've lost 7.3 kilos since the 14 of August. It's all down to food for me. Some weeks I do no exercise and some weeks I do lots of walking.
  • BarneyRubbleMD
    BarneyRubbleMD Posts: 1,092 Member
    I've lost 99 lbs since 1/1/2017 with just staying in a calorie deficit & practically no exercise (maybe a walk once per week but I'm now looking to add some weight lifting since I feel like I'm ready for that now).
  • Beaudom91
    Beaudom91 Posts: 54 Member
    I lost 55 pounds while almost completely immobile
  • saraghali
    saraghali Posts: 63 Member
    JamWam12 wrote: »
    I've lost 30lb in the last 48 days without exercise.
    Waw how did you do it?
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
    I lost my first 51 lbs with no exercise, then added weight training and walking.
  • sgtx81
    sgtx81 Posts: 466 Member
    edited October 2017
    I lost around 30 to 40 pounds (based on how my clothes fit )from August through September doing keto, because I wasn't having food cravings and my caloric intake went way down. I was eating a whole lot of calories before that. It was fast food all the time and had been for about 6 months because I was working 16 hour days and didn't make time for anything else including cooking.

    In July or August I noticed my reflection walking past a glass door and ordered one of Dr Atkins books online. It was great, I just ate whenever I was hungry and I was actually still losing weight. About a week or two later I switched to a lower protein keto and the weight has been melting off.

    I didn't start weighing until this month about the 16th or so. Based on the what the scale has been showing I am confident that I have lost another 20 pounds this month, but I also started exercising. I went from losing about 0.79 pounds per day to losing 5.2 pounds between the 21st and the 25th which came out to which came out to 1.04 pounds per day.

    To be fair I also started doing a whole lot of running around during that time on top of the exercise, which is unlikely to last much longer, so I'm guessing I will go back to the rate I originally noticed with the weight loss.

    The main thing is it curbs appetite and makes it much easier to eat much less.

  • ptrcmcc6
    ptrcmcc6 Posts: 103 Member
    Yes, it is most certainly possible. I have lost close to 50 lbs., in the past, without any formal exercise. Now, I am back at trying to loose about 30 lbs. of the 50 lbs. I had previously lost and am down 12 lbs. without any exercise.
  • michaela_judson
    michaela_judson Posts: 1 Member
    Fasting has helped me lose 4kg in the past month! (I’ve done no excercise) it’s hard to start but once you get use to it it’s great
  • thevividsoul
    thevividsoul Posts: 3 Member
    I've lost 50lbs without any exercise. At first it was portion control, remembering to eat breakfast. Then I began to cut out most of the dairy from my meals. Now I use a meal replacement for breakfast and lunch and I eat a balanced dinner. I still stay away from eating a lot of dairy. I still need to raise my water intake. So yes, it is possible. The problem that you may run into, which I have experienced, some of the weight I have lost has been muscle. I notice it through the looseness of my body. Even though I have gone down a couple of sizes, I also feel flabbier. There is such a thing as skinny fat ;) So the best advice I could give would be try to do a little exercise, even if it's done while sitting. Getting your muscles moving does a lot for your body and if you have moved your muscles enough during the day, your muscles will burn more calories while you are sleeping :)
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    unparalleledAF wrote: »
    I could do it without exercise, but it would involve eating only animal-based proteins and vegetables, both of which I find gross. Hahaha

    Have you considered trying the Whole30 program?

    The whole 30 is not a weight loss diet it's and elimination diet
  • tess5036
    tess5036 Posts: 942 Member
    I decided to start loosing weight last November/ December. On Christmas Eve, I broke my leg, which seemed to knock out my plans, bit I persevered, and despite being very sedentary, with almost no exercise I still managed to loose quite a bit, think it was about 2 stone in about three months, but not sure of exact figure.
    You can do it without exercise :)
  • Unknown
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  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
    I love food too much to not exercise.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I lost most of my weight by just walking for exercise.

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