Exercise and losing weight

karen_hunter11
karen_hunter11 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello another question. I've seen and heard plenty of ladies mention they lost quite a bit of weight without exercising. (Personally I've never been this lucky) however I keep seeing "you have to burn more calories than you take in". How does one lose weight if they aren't exercising to burn more calories than they take in? I can cut my calories why down and until I incorporate some exercising a few times a week I don't much of anything. Just curious how others are so lucky to not have to exercise to lose weight?

Replies

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    It's not luck--it's a choice. You can lose weight without exercising, just make sure you're in a calorie deficit. Exercising gives you more calories to eat, so many prefer to exercise. You'll also look better once you've lost the weight.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    Exercise isn't the only way the body burns calories, the majority of energy spent is done so just keeping us living on a daily basis (breathing, thinking, digestion, and other basic functions).

    Weight loss does occur when your energy output (calories burned) is more than your energy input (calories consumed), this is fundamentally referred to as being in a calorie deficit and is the entire driving force for weight/fat loss. It's not that the people you see that have been successful losing weight without exercise are "lucky" or blessed with "high metabolism"; they simply restrict their calorie intake to a point where their calorie burn throughout their normal day is less than what their body uses so they lose weight over time.

    The fact that you've not been successful trying this in the past is rooted in that you didn't restrict you intake enough to consistently stay in a caloric deficit.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    Your body burns calories just to keep itself alive (BMR) plus burns more during your daily activities. You have to take those into account.

    Between the two of these (no intentional exercise), I burn around 1700 calories a day. So if I eat less than that, I'll lose weight.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    Based on some of your other threads, I just want to point out the "frequently asked questions" section. It has a wealth of information:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-health-fitness-and-diet-must-reads#latest
  • Bronty3
    Bronty3 Posts: 104 Member
    You burn calories just by being alive daily and then you get more when you walk around a grocery store or do housework. I burn around 1600-1700 calories just doing my normal routine, without exercise. If I burn 1700 calories that day and only eat 1200 calories, then I will lose weight because I am in a deficit of 500 calories. If I do that daily then I will lose 1 pound a week. Now if I add exercise, I could try to lose 2 lbs. a week or eat back those calories and just lose 1 pound that week. I prefer eating more food.
  • karen_hunter11
    karen_hunter11 Posts: 20 Member
    Thank you all. Your feedback was a lot of help. I appreciate your knowledge, ideas and feedback very much! 🤗
  • dhiammarath
    dhiammarath Posts: 834 Member
    I am lazy. My natural state is slug-like playing games with bursts of high energy activities of FUN. I have a pretty tolerable neat (I'm jittery at work). I don't consciously go to the gym as a normal state (though I've been known to be prodded for building muscle with weights when a friend drags me out), so I don't factor in exercise. I keep a range of TDEEs (lowest [Losing @ 1lb/week] -> maintenance at goal weight [Still Losing] -> maintenance at current weight [Not gaining at least]) and make sure I fall somewhere in that range on a weekly basis. I usually eat a % of my exercise calories back because I don't consciously "exercise".

    I do things I like with the SO: walking, hiking, etc. I don't exercise to "go exercise for weightloss" as that's not sustainable for me in the long run. I embrace both aspects of myself: the slug that wants to play video games (less crunchies for me) and the hiker that wants to see amazing vistas and walk through the jungles of far off places (lots more crunchies for me! Yippee!) and the girl who likes to go for a nightly walk with the hubs to talk about the game we play together (a little more crunchies for me).

    And if I really want extra crunchies, well then, I'm driven to walk. XD

    So yes, it's entirely possible to lose weight without exercise. Is it possible to get the body you want without exercise? That's different and entirely dependent upon what body you want. I'm happy with somewhere in between lean and soft, because I know 100% that's sustainable for me. XD
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    It's just math. As you go one day after another in a modest calorie deficit, you accumulate weeks and months of humongous calorie deficits that translate into lost weight. The weekly or more often days of oopsie can easily negate a good handful of 'nailed it' days. This is why people doubt the facts.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,068 Member
    I actually find it easier to lose weight without much added exercise (I still do some exercise, but not intense, 2 hour workouts or heavy lifting). If I'm working out too hard/intensely my appetite skyrockets and staying in enough of a deficit to appreciably lose weight is nearly impossible - my workouts start to suffer, as does my sanity lol.

    Much easier to stick with a much lighter workout plan and work on eating less than trying to do both at the same time - at least for me. I'm sure others have different stories.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Weight loss is 90% diet, exercise & lifestyle are more minor components. You can lose by diet alone. I find it helps to add exercise and some lifestyle modifications (sleep, etc) and those changes are just good for your overall health. However, for purely weight loss its not necessary.
  • karen_hunter11
    karen_hunter11 Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks ladies, I have a better understanding now. I appreciate your feedback. 🤗

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