Calorie Deficit - No Exercise

lesscat
lesscat Posts: 11 Member
in Success Stories
I used to exercise a lot (cycled to work etc.) but I've had an injury, and now can't do much at all. Hopefully this isn't permanent, but I've put on about a stone, and I'm miserable.

I know that a calorie deficit is enough to lose weight, and I don't HAVE to train, but I'd love to hear this from people that have lost weight (and inches) without exercising.

(I can walk and stuff, I'm not totally inactive, I'm just not hitting the gym like I used to!)

Replies

  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    I'm down 50 pounds so far - the most I do is walking, usually 30 minute walks during lunch a few days a week. Sometimes it can be annoying because I'm also 5'1'' so my calories are pretty low, but I recognize that I don't need to eat as much as others.
  • BuddhaBunnyFTW
    BuddhaBunnyFTW Posts: 157 Member
    Vegan diet, no processed foods, little to no exercise, 7 lbs in one month, super happy, feeling great!
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    edited July 2019
    On target for 36-40 lbs total drop in 4 months. No idea about inches as don't bother with. Have I lost them? Yep. I absolutely am I am having to go through clothes I mothballed on my way up, on my way back down.

    Zero intentional exercise 99.5% of the time beyond walking required to walk between vehicle and some errand place of business, around in circles in a contract job location (typically under 2K sq ft), or in the grocery store, lol.

    I have never done gyms. Not even when I had access to free ones on the regular. I haven't ran since 2012.

    The inactivity will change once I hit somewhere in the 170-180 lbs. range. So, sometime in August/September time frame. But until then? Complete slug. I wanted to avoid another chronic foot/leg use injury due to obesity and so far, so good (knock on wood).

    Have I lost lean muscle mass? Sure. Enough to be concerned? No. I make it a point to keep protein intake at 75-100 grams/day as much as possible and fats at least 30% of calories consumed.
  • therealislandgirl
    therealislandgirl Posts: 27 Member
    This is the first time in my life I have ever tracked calories for weightloss! And I too have injuries that are preventing me from exercising at this time. I was desperate to lose weight to help alleviate the stress off of my injured back and knee and was led to try MFP and it’s really working!! Keep it up all of you who are physically limited, we can do this!!! 😊👍🏽
  • BibuSpagnol
    BibuSpagnol Posts: 4 Member
    You will manage to lose weight with a calorie deficit only.

    From my point of view, exercise is really good for weight loss as well, but I think it's far more important for the change in mentality.

    May I ask you what injury you have? I will soon be operating my ACL (Cruciate) and I am refrained from performing physical activities which requires my legs for about 1 month. In the time being, I will only do dumbbell exercises for my upper body at home.

    This way, my metabolism will not be put to rest for sure.
  • Malimalai
    Malimalai Posts: 276 Member
    I walk my dogs everyday for 30-40 minutes.I count my calories and macros and I try to eat mainly whole foods .I cut out all sugary foods.I lost 22 lb so far and my BMI is 22.6 now.I want to be slim and have a healthy life style for life.'' You are what you eat ''. 🚶🏽‍♀️🚶🏽‍♂️🐩🐕🥑🥦🍗🥩🥗🐟🦐🦑
  • SteroidalLolita
    SteroidalLolita Posts: 122 Member
    I don’t purposefully exercise often. Every now and again I’ll get on a lifting kick and do that four days a week and then remember I don’t have to do that to lose. I’m down 66 pounds just by counting calories. And I have a desk job, so I’m always sitting at work.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    I've lost weight when I have exercised, I've lost weight when I haven't it really is purely down to calorie control.

    That said, exercise is good for health and even though you've had an injury, there may well be exercises you can do, albeit not necessarily in the gym, depending on what the injury is and of course checking with your doctor first.

    For example when I had a back injury I started with some yoga and low impact cardio workouts at home, then as the pain was lower I started doing some strength training, with some moves modified to avoid exacerbating my injury.

    Swimming is another good one if you need something low impact, again obviously this will depend on what the injury is.
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    calorie deficit is enough. When I started to lose weight it was following a big gain after being hospitalized with a back injury. The majority of my loss has been done with minimal activity in the first year due to that injury.
  • IremiaRe
    IremiaRe Posts: 801 Member
    I am a firm believer in exercise - it works FOR ME - but, I do know that you can't out exercise a bad diet... so - go for it. Once your injury is resolved, you will be able to get back to it, but you won't immediately puff up if you stop to heal. Work the diet, always. Exercise when and how you can.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    lesscat wrote: »
    I used to exercise a lot (cycled to work etc.) but I've had an injury, and now can't do much at all. Hopefully this isn't permanent, but I've put on about a stone, and I'm miserable.

    I know that a calorie deficit is enough to lose weight, and I don't HAVE to train, but I'd love to hear this from people that have lost weight (and inches) without exercising.

    (I can walk and stuff, I'm not totally inactive, I'm just not hitting the gym like I used to!)

    I lost a good 20 Lbs before I started exercising. When I started exercising, the best part was that I could eat more and accomplish the same thing. Without exercise I was eating around 2000 calories to lose a pound per week...with exercise I could eat around 2300-2500 depending on the day...but yeah, exercise isn't a requirement to lose weight...you just have to eat less than you otherwise could with exercise.
  • haliebroyles91
    haliebroyles91 Posts: 16 Member
    I have lost 38 pounds in the last 4 months by doing calorie deficit. I absolutely hate doing any type of exercise besides walking. I have a job that requires me to walk a decent amount of the time. So I consider that to be my main exercise for the day. I do eat a Vegitarian diet which helps me stay under my calories.
  • Annieloujackson
    Annieloujackson Posts: 16 Member
    I have only been walking for exercise, and using mfp trying to tweak the calories. I have lost about 7 lbs in the last couple of months. I'm also nursing, hormonal and stressed most of the time, so I think the weight loss is slower. I'm just happy it's finally going DOWN consistently!
  • mittencat77
    mittencat77 Posts: 137 Member
    Five years ago I was always at the gym, or pool, or spin, always intense exercise and then I had an injury that left me unable to do anything for 3 years. I thought I would gain tonnes of weight, especially as I am only 4’11 but I actually managed it by doing long walks (45-90 mins) a day. Walking is underrated. If you do it regularly, a decent pace and for long enough, it is more effective then you would imagine. When I stopped I started gaining weight. If you can walk, you can probably keep yourself in decent shape until you are better.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    mittencat77 wrote: »
    Five years ago I was always at the gym, or pool, or spin, always intense exercise and then I had an injury that left me unable to do anything for 3 years. I thought I would gain tonnes of weight, especially as I am only 4’11 but I actually managed it by doing long walks (45-90 mins) a day. Walking is underrated. If you do it regularly, a decent pace and for long enough, it is more effective then you would imagine. When I stopped I started gaining weight. If you can walk, you can probably keep yourself in decent shape until you are better.

    Nice long walks are amazing. It really helps me to just get through any mental hurdles and just leave them behind. Great for physical and mental health.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,002 Member
    mittencat77 wrote: »
    Walking is underrated. If you do it regularly, a decent pace and for long enough, it is more effective then you would imagine.

    Most definitely...

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