Exercise - is this enough?
Zoek29932
Posts: 7 Member
I’m trying to lose around a stone (maybe 1.5) not hugely overweight, just carrying a little more than usual and want to slim down a bit (I’m a size 14 usually)
Been going to the gym for a month ish now
My exercise includes:
Dog walking - I take my dog out twice a day, so minimum total 1 hour walking a day usually more like 1.5 sometimes more
Swimming - my gym has a pool and I usually swim 3-4 times a week for 30 mins (often I do this after the gym)
Gym - I go around 3-4 times a week, do 10-15 mins cardio then a workout with weights, I do legs/bum on one day and arms/shoulders another.. the things I do with weights only add up to about 20 minutes, but I get sweaty, it feels hard enough..
I’m not looking to become a size 6, a bodybuilder or anything like that. So I know my gym sessions are short but as I swim and walk often too is it enough??
Been going to the gym for a month ish now
My exercise includes:
Dog walking - I take my dog out twice a day, so minimum total 1 hour walking a day usually more like 1.5 sometimes more
Swimming - my gym has a pool and I usually swim 3-4 times a week for 30 mins (often I do this after the gym)
Gym - I go around 3-4 times a week, do 10-15 mins cardio then a workout with weights, I do legs/bum on one day and arms/shoulders another.. the things I do with weights only add up to about 20 minutes, but I get sweaty, it feels hard enough..
I’m not looking to become a size 6, a bodybuilder or anything like that. So I know my gym sessions are short but as I swim and walk often too is it enough??
2
Replies
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"Enough" exercise is going to depend on your fitness goals. Weight loss is going to be created by a calorie deficit. Exercise can help increase the number of calories your body uses, which means you can eat more and still be in a deficit. So if you *like* the amount of exercise you're doing and you find you're meeting your goals, then I would consider it to be "enough."7
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Losing weight is all about calories. With that exercise factored in, are you eating at a calorie deficit? If so, then it's enough.
Honestly, you will get more bang for your buck focusing on how many calories you are eating. Calorie burns from exercise can be hard to pin down, and it takes more effort (for most people) to burn off 100 calories than it does to eat 100 less calories. Exercise is great for a lot of things, but for weight loss it's more of a bonus.
If you have goals other than weight loss, if you can be more specific, someone with more fitness knowledge might be able to give you more info. :drinker:6 -
losing weight comes from your calorie deficit.
do you weigh and measure your food?
exercise is good for your health, and the NHS recommends 150 minutes of strenuous exercise per week. other than that, what are your goals, fitness wise?5 -
Goals witness wise - I just want to be healthy!
I don’t weigh or count calories, not sure I want to, got a bit obsessive when I did and to be honest just want to live my life without weighing every ingredient.3 -
Goals witness wise - I just want to be healthy!
I don’t weigh or count calories, not sure I want to, got a bit obsessive when I did and to be honest just want to live my life without weighing every ingredient.
To lose weight, you'll need a calorie deficit. You don't have to count calories to make that happen, but many of us who frequent this site find it to be one of the *easier* ways to do it.8 -
If no counting calories - then you'll need just find some 250 calories at least in what you normally eat - that you'll now leave out.
You've got the moving more down, now need to confirm the eating less.
Perhaps you have some daily thing that is tad high calorie you could eat half of, or something that can be skipped.
Realizing that if you stop moving more, you'll have to eat even less when it comes to maintenance.
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TavistockToad wrote: »losing weight comes from your calorie deficit.
do you weigh and measure your food?
exercise is good for your health, and the NHS recommends 150 minutes of strenuous exercise per week. other than that, what are your goals, fitness wise?
^^^^This^^^^^ is what is important to understand.
Exercise and weight loss are separate yet related. It took me far too many years to learn this. Control your weight with your fork - meaning how much you eat. That is sustainable over time. It won't matter if you exercise or not, you'll know how to manage your weight.
Exercise to be more fit and have better health. It is a side benefit that exercise allows you to eat more calories.
So to answer your question... Is what you are doing "enough"? Yes, absolutely - as long as you are in a calorie deficit. Do you see how subtle it is that the answer depends on how much you are eating rather than how much you are exercising?6 -
Goals witness wise - I just want to be healthy!
I don’t weigh or count calories, not sure I want to, got a bit obsessive when I did and to be honest just want to live my life without weighing every ingredient.
you don't have to count calories to lose weight, but given you're on a calorie counting site, a lot of people will advocate doing so!
if you're losing weight not doing it, then great, if you're not, you might want to consider it5 -
Goals witness wise - I just want to be healthy!
I don’t weigh or count calories, not sure I want to, got a bit obsessive when I did and to be honest just want to live my life without weighing every ingredient.
So then the way to know if it's enough is - are you losing weight? If not, you need to eat a little less, or move a little more, until you find a balance you can live with that has you losing weight. It all hinges on you being in a calorie deficit, but if you don't want to count calories, you have to go by results. If after 4-6 weeks you aren't headed in the right direction on the scale and/or your measurements, you know you need to adjust. Good luck!7 -
What're the sayings? "You can't out exercise a bad diet" and "Weight loss is 80% what you put in your mouth."1
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FutureMrsCarver89 wrote: »What're the sayings? "You can't out exercise a bad diet" and "Weight loss is 80% what you put in your mouth."
Weight loss is 100% what you put in your mouth8 -
The US government recommendations on exercise are as follows:
https://health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/adults.aspx
Do Aerobic Activity
For substantial health benefits, do one of the following:
•150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (such as brisk walking or tennis)
•75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) each week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (such as jogging or swimming laps)
•An equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity
Do aerobic physical activity in episodes of at least 10 minutes and, if possible, spread it out through the week.
For even greater health benefits, do one of the following:
•Increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes (5 hours) each week
•Increase vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week
Doing more will lead to even greater health benefits.
Strengthen Muscles
Do muscle-strengthening activities (such as lifting weights or using resistance bands) that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.
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