Is exercise necesarry?

Okay so is the calorie defitic crucial for weight loss only? I know exercise is good for health obviously, you shouldnt just sit all day but is like a 1h walk enough if youre in a calorie deficit? I mean Ive heard people not doing any exercise but being in a deficit they still lost weight. Again, I know its healthy to exercise but I see all of this emphasis on that and I find it easier just to watch my food, I mean calories and not stress about doing exercise and still be able to lose weight, whats your experience with that

Replies

  • emjay196363
    emjay196363 Posts: 37 Member
    I lost 30 lbs. a few years ago doing almost no exercise. I just controlled my food very, very carefully.
  • bjess8411
    bjess8411 Posts: 68 Member
    Exercise makes me feel so much better and I lose better. I highly recommend it just for those reasons.
  • mazurkiepolish
    mazurkiepolish Posts: 363 Member
    If you calorie deficit, you will lose weight no matter what.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    You can lose with just a calorie deficit, but studies show maintenance requires being active.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited August 2018
    Not really about weight loss, but if you can get at least 15 minutes in daily, it would make a difference for your health.

    Check out this study

    Plus, exercise calories taste divine (and yes, that includes calories burned by walking).
  • SweatLikeDog
    SweatLikeDog Posts: 272 Member
    You don't need to exercise to lose weight. Most people on a fitness related website do both, but some can't for various reasons. It's not essential.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    If you don't like exercise, you could do small things to increase NEAT. People above have posted about taking the stairs, parking farther away and walking. That stuff adds up 100 steps here, 100 steps there. I average 15000 a day. I only do organized walking 4 days a week. I have just created some, well, wacky habits that allows the movement to add up. To reiterate, staying active does not mean you have to run on a hamster wheel.
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    Like everyone says, caloric deficit is all you need for weight loss, cardio for health. I always cut without doing any planned session of cardio, because my metabolism is already high due to my high NEAT and the fact in some ways, I actually am doing some sort of LISS (Low-Intensity Sustained State cardio incase you were wondering what it meant)....I basically walk all day at work and occasion lift some things. Even if you were sedentary, you can still lose weight by being at a caloric deficit, the downside is the more you're sedentary, the little you're body burns calories which in return means that you're going to eat less food.
  • bjess8411
    bjess8411 Posts: 68 Member
    As others have said, a calorie deficit is all you need to lose weight. You can achieve it by controlling your calories, upping your activity, or a combination. I've found that being more active has helped me keep my calories under control.

    1) I'm a stress eater. Exercise helps me relax.
    2) I'm a boredom eater. The time I spend exercising keeps me active and cuts back on mindless grazing.
    3) I'm short and don't have a lot of calories to play with if I'm sedentary. Exercise lets me eat more.
    4) I used to deal with TOM cramps by overeating comfort food. Exercise, especially core work, really seems to cut back on the cramping. Some months I don't even need medication.

    So, is exercise necessary to lose weight? Nope. Just take in fewer calories than you burn. BUT for me exercise is necessary to lose weight without feeling miserable and hungry all the time.

    Totally agree with this!
  • tishasall
    tishasall Posts: 3 Member
    You can lose weight without exercise. You may be reducing your muscle mass though. Depending on your age, it can happen fast too. If you are just measuring success from the number in the scale, you can reduce it just through caloric deficit. If you lose 5 pounds of muscle and gain 3 pounds of fat, it would look like you lost 2 pounds according to the scale. It would not be what you wanted to happen though. It really depends on what your goals for your health really are. You are so much more than the number the scale tells you...
  • JBApplebee
    JBApplebee Posts: 481 Member
    It is for me. 9Round is fun, exercise & therapy all rolled up into one 35 minute sweat session. But exercise isn't absolutely necessary in order to lose weight.