Weight loss without exercise?

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hippiedippieCOchick
hippiedippieCOchick Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone lost weight without exercise? I try to run occasionally, but have been busy with college. I want to lose 15 pounds, I’m 5’6, 145 pounds currently. I’m really focused on dieting but don’t know how much to cut back. I don’t want to malnourish my body, but also don’t want to eat too much and not lose. Advice?

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  • yweight2020
    yweight2020 Posts: 591 Member
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    I lost 31 lbs without exercise and now I'm adding exercise for the benefit of toning and cardiovascular health. I still have at least 35 lbs to lose.

    Best of luck to you, seems like your already at a healthy weight for your height. Might want to consider exercise for recomp not necessarily diet.
  • Millicent3015
    Millicent3015 Posts: 374 Member
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    I'm barely exercising (maybe 10-20 mins a day on average) and I'm losing weight steadily, have been since May/June.
  • ErnestineBorgnine
    ErnestineBorgnine Posts: 15 Member
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    I’ve been steadily losing (I’m at 19.6 down) and haven’t taken up a specific exercise program. Occasionally I’ll go for a long walk but it probably averages once every couple weeks.
  • wmweeza
    wmweeza Posts: 319 Member
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    72 pounds so far (75 if you don't count bloat weight). The only exercise I do is light weight lifting 5 days a week ( at my desk, nothing major)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,982 Member
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    hippiedippieCOchick wrote: »
    Has anyone lost weight without exercise? I try to run occasionally, but have been busy with college. I want to lose 15 pounds, I’m 5’6, 145 pounds currently. I’m really focused on dieting but don’t know how much to cut back. I don’t want to malnourish my body, but also don’t want to eat too much and not lose. Advice?

    Sure you can lose weight without exercising; a better question is if you should.

    I sure wish I still had the muscle I had when I was in college.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited September 2018
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    Yes. There are several examples of people on MFP who physically cannot exercise, but still lose weight. Our bodies are always burning calories, even at rest. The key is to take in less calories than your body is burning. Without exercise, this will mean you have to be really on top of your calorie intake. However, it’s definitely possible.
    I would agree with the advice to set your goal to .5 a week. When you’re already in the healthy BMI category and don’t have as much to lose, this will make the calorie deficit more tolerable.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
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    I have lost weight without exercise. I am also a (disabled) student, and I recommend 5-10 minutes of body weight exercise and stretching for every hour of studying. It's the perfect study break.

    Also, while I'm an old pro at calorie counting and food scales (and probably bad at giving specific advice about it), I keep my meals simple and easy to prepare. I do a little food prep of my fruits and veggies on grocery day, and have that ready, along with single serving stuff I can through on the George Foreman or in the microwave.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    A lot of people have. I did while I was injured.

    You can maybe use a bike to get around. It's easier than parking a car, faster than walking, good exercise, and a good calorie burner. Way lower impact than running.
  • Slowfaster
    Slowfaster Posts: 185 Member
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    I lost a pound a week during the past year without exercise and I'm sure you easily can, too.

    Still, as an older person who walks with a cane, I envy anyone who is young and able enough to exercise. When I was younger and trying to lose weight, I loved running and dance classes because they were things I could do off setting all the don'ts of dieting. If you could work in something like a morning jog or a weight bearing work-out it would not only help you lose fat instead of muscle it would aid in concentration during your classes.
  • kimothyschma
    kimothyschma Posts: 209 Member
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    Yes, but I kind of wish I hadn't. I don't have very much muscle mass and I'm pretty overwhelmed with the idea of strength training.
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
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    I've lost 75lbs and don't exercise at all. 80-90% of weight loss is done in the kitchen. I'm personally good with not focusing on the other 10%.
  • PHOTOCHAP
    PHOTOCHAP Posts: 104 Member
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    kimothyschma wrote: »
    Yes, but I kind of wish I hadn't. I don't have very much muscle mass and I'm pretty overwhelmed with the idea of strength training.

    Don't be disheartened about your lost muscles and getting them back, you just need to find your strength training mojo and get going with it. Doesn't have to be at a gym but it does have to be fun and sweaty. Heck, it even becomes addictive once you get into it.
    Went through the same as you and lost most of my beef but it has been worth it as now I'm into my 3rd month at my local gym/pool I am starting to see things are coming back. I don't lift heavy but I do hit a mix of cardio and all of the "strength" machines 4 or 5 times a week.
    Have you got a buddy who can train with you?
  • kimothyschma
    kimothyschma Posts: 209 Member
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    PHOTOCHAP wrote: »
    Don't be disheartened about your lost muscles and getting them back, you just need to find your strength training mojo and get going with it. Doesn't have to be at a gym but it does have to be fun and sweaty. Heck, it even becomes addictive once you get into it.
    Went through the same as you and lost most of my beef but it has been worth it as now I'm into my 3rd month at my local gym/pool I am starting to see things are coming back. I don't lift heavy but I do hit a mix of cardio and all of the "strength" machines 4 or 5 times a week.
    Have you got a buddy who can train with you?

    Thanks. Congrats on finding a program that works for you! No, I am a stay at home mom to a 2 and 4 year old, and I don't know anyone in real life who's into fitness. I have a hard time getting a babysitter, so I'm pretty much limited to body weight exercises I can do at home with my kids hanging off my body... lol. The prospect doesn't sound very pleasant, so I've really been procrastinating getting started. But I guess I do regularly lift and carry a 25-lb weight. (the 2 year old!) And sometimes I do yoga at home. I do think its doable, I just have a lot of excuses at the moment.

  • PHOTOCHAP
    PHOTOCHAP Posts: 104 Member
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    kimothyschma wrote: »
    PHOTOCHAP wrote: »
    Don't be disheartened about your lost muscles and getting them back, you just need to find your strength training mojo and get going with it. Doesn't have to be at a gym but it does have to be fun and sweaty. Heck, it even becomes addictive once you get into it.
    Went through the same as you and lost most of my beef but it has been worth it as now I'm into my 3rd month at my local gym/pool I am starting to see things are coming back. I don't lift heavy but I do hit a mix of cardio and all of the "strength" machines 4 or 5 times a week.
    Have you got a buddy who can train with you?

    Thanks. Congrats on finding a program that works for you! No, I am a stay at home mom to a 2 and 4 year old, and I don't know anyone in real life who's into fitness. I have a hard time getting a babysitter, so I'm pretty much limited to body weight exercises I can do at home with my kids hanging off my body... lol. The prospect doesn't sound very pleasant, so I've really been procrastinating getting started. But I guess I do regularly lift and carry a 25-lb weight. (the 2 year old!) And sometimes I do yoga at home. I do think its doable, I just have a lot of excuses at the moment.

    So you have a ready made weight lifting program! (the kids) You'd be surprised how much they contribute to your fitness regime! What an energy bill you must have! Just goes to show you don't need a gym for fitness. Keep at it. Do bicep curls with those little ones and all those squats!.. oh my god! Get going and keep it up. In a little while you will see those ripples slowly come back (it is a slow process and you have to stay positive) Those muscles are there, you just have to show them whose boss.
  • kimothyschma
    kimothyschma Posts: 209 Member
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    PHOTOCHAP wrote: »
    So you have a ready made weight lifting program! (the kids) You'd be surprised how much they contribute to your fitness regime! What an energy bill you must have! Just goes to show you don't need a gym for fitness. Keep at it. Do bicep curls with those little ones and all those squats!.. oh my god! Get going and keep it up. In a little while you will see those ripples slowly come back (it is a slow process and you have to stay positive) Those muscles are there, you just have to show them whose boss.

    They definitely burn calories!! Thanks for the encouragement, you brought a smile to my face. :)

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