I HATE exercising! Is it really necessary?

Correct me if I am wrong, but as one loses weight and gets smaller, their calorie allotment gets smaller and tighter. And this can become more and more difficult to adhere to (at least for me). So exercise can also be used to increase your calorie goals by eating some calories back that you burn off.

But I need to follow my own advice better too.....

No. Calorie deficit is the reason for weight loss.

When you work out you can eat a little more. Also working out results in looking better once the weight is off.

Maybe cardio isn't the exercise for you. There is yoga. Lifting. Walking. Swimming can be awesome if you have pain involved with exercise.

Everyone else has covered this really well already, so I know I'm just repeating the same if I go on about how exercise makes you look and feel better, CICO is how you actually lose pounds. True.

For me, the two things are almost separate. I need exercise to keep my anxiety under control and that is the main reason I do it.

I have lost over 130 lb and kept it off for years now. I have literally never been to a gym, on a treadmill, or any of that stuff. If I did that stuff I am sure I may be less flabby in certain areas and happier with my physique. But it's not a priority to me and I know myself really well and I know if I paid for a gym membership I'd force myself to use it and I would start to hate exercise because of it and then I would quit. So I don't do that.

What I love to do is take long walks, and go hiking on trails and sometimes even some light climbing. When I started this stuff I was between 270 and 300 lb and I would get out of breath and feel embarrassed for other people to come with me or watch me, so I did it alone. I have gradually (over many years) turned into someone who jog/runs a 5k now and then with friends, and doesn't mind leading a moderately difficult hike. This makes me feel SO proud and pleased with myself and that's worth a lot to me.

Do I want to go work out in a gym? Nope.
Am I somewhat active? Certainly.

This is probably cheesy and not for everyone but I also keep journals of all my walks and hikes, even down to something like 4 laps of the large shopping mall in my town. I decorate it with Japanese stickers and make it fun for me. It's something I do for myself and it motivates me to do more. When I first started out, I was motivated to go from around the block to destinations 4-5 miles from my home and I credit that with kicking off my entire lifestyle change.

Make it fun.