Is it possible to lose weight with mostly just exercise?

mrslondon
mrslondon Posts: 146 Member
edited October 7 in Health and Weight Loss
So im trying to take baby steps, trying to find something that works for me so that i stop quitting on myself. I plan on cutting out fast food except for maybe once a month as a small treat but not going crazy, and cooking at home daily. When I cook, I do not deep fry or even shallow fry anything, i bake everything and drain all fat or trim it from any meat etc. As someone who sometimes eats out in either restaurants or fast food places three times a week, i think if i stopped eating out it should make a difference. I plan on signing back up to the gym this weekend but taking baby steps so i dont get overwhelmed, like just starting out walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes, then gradually increasing as my endurance increases. Will this plan help me lose weight or do I have to really bust my *kitten* in the gym for like 6 hours daily and eat rabbit food to see some weight come off?? Any input is helpful, thanks!

Replies

  • Dkittery
    Dkittery Posts: 82
    You don't have to kick your *kitten* at the gym to lose weight. You need to push yourself a little harder each day you go. From what I have read and have been told by a couple of different trainers is when you have done your cardio, your done burning calories. If you had some weight lifting into your work out, you will burn more calories after your done your work out. Yes eating at the fast food places will help. :)

    For me I took baby steps on how I changed my diet and my work outs. I set some goals for me and as soon as I reached them, I did more research on how to change it even more. That worked for me.

    I really hope you find what works for you!!! Good Luck. :)
  • emoritz2
    emoritz2 Posts: 27
    When I got serious about getting and staying in shape about 1 year ago now I also did baby steps, because I had gone full-bore before and it would only last maybe 2-3 weeks before I would revert. I tend to "rebel" against myself if I push too hard, go figure!

    For me, exercising is easy, it's the dieting that takes work and will power. So I committed to work out, as usual, 4-5 days a week, and then starting cutting or reducing things from my diet that I knew would be the easiest to give up. This included juice, soda, and eating out less. I definitely saw results with this plan within the first month. I next tried to stick to my calorie limit on MFP at least 4-5 days a week and have been doing that ever since with good results.

    So if you think moderation is what will get you to a healthier lifestyle, like me, I say go for the baby steps and good luck!!
  • alexbelly
    alexbelly Posts: 277 Member
    My trainer always says: "You can't exercise away a a bad diet"

    but to be fair, I think will power is overrated the only way I have been able to keep my food on track is to keep my self away from tempting situations. There's no junk food in my house, for example
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    well from what you have described you are planning a diet
    diet doesn't have to mean 1200 kcal a day

    if you go from 900kcal mac and fries to 600kcal home made meal then you are eating 300 kcal less a day, right??
    300 kcal deficit per day = 0,6 lbs lost every week!

    I aim for 1800 and lose about 1lbs a week, as I burn about 2300 kcal per day.
    I am on a diet, but not hungry, eating same amoutn as before, just most of the time home cooked meals and staying away from mcdonalds and chips.
  • GalaxyDuck
    GalaxyDuck Posts: 406 Member
    My trainer always says: "You can't exercise away a a bad diet"

    ^^This. You can lose weight through exercise alone, but if you think about it, you're only cheating yourself by not fixing up your "diet". Why put all that effort into exercise only to undermine your results by not making healthier food choices?
  • Mama2CnR
    Mama2CnR Posts: 44 Member
    I don't think you have to make huge drastic changes and spend 6 hours a day at the gym at all to see changes!
    I have been seeing pretty steady results since I started (1-2lbs lost/week usually), but I'm not dieting and I'm not killing myself in the gym. I try to do something active 30-60 minutes/day, 5-6 days/week, stopped drinking pop (I used to drink up to 2L/day!) and limited eating chips/chocolate/junk to every once in awhile instead of every couple of days. I still eat the things I want (which yes, even includes McDonalds once in awhile *gasp*!) but I try to stay within my MFP calorie goal Monday-Friday...sometimes I don't bother to count calories on the weekends, so I know I probably go over at least one of the days, but it seems to be working for me so far :)
    Hope that helps a bit!
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    you can and WILL lose weight with eating right. exercise has its benefits, but in terms of fat loss, what you eat and drink is at least 80% responsible. I started the journey last January and went almost 3 months without ANY exercise. I lost over 20 pounds during that stretch. Had I chosen to continue the journey without exercise, I'm sure I would have lost more...but, I wanted to start exercising and I have felt better for doing both. But, yeah, no need to get too stressed about exercise in the early going. and, even once you get rolling on this journey, there is never a need to bust your *kitten* 6 days a week with exercise.
  • 2fit4fat
    2fit4fat Posts: 559 Member
    I believe so. Last time I lost weight after my first three kids I just worked out. Didn't change my eating or drinking habits at all. I think it depends a lot on your own body. Like even still now I'm counting calories and it helps keep my weight similar.. but if I don't work out.. I don't lose
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    So im trying to take baby steps, trying to find something that works for me so that i stop quitting on myself. ...but taking baby steps so i dont get overwhelmed... Will this plan help me lose weight or do I have to really bust my *kitten* in the gym for like 6 hours daily and eat rabbit food to see some weight come off?? Any input is helpful, thanks!

    You're on the right track...
    You don't have to be perfect... you just have to be better.

    Baby steps got me 32 lbs lighter...
    I did lose 1/2 week for 15 months, and found it very livable...
    If I had busted my a$s I would surely have given up long ago.

    now I'm working on tweaking a good maintenance strategy... (I'm not the kind of person who can hit the exact same number of calories every single day... It was easier to come up with a range where I could lose weight. [1200 cal rock bottom... Lose 1/2 lb per week was my Target... Maintain goal weight was the top of my range] Come up with one for maintenance will take a little trial and error)
  • jennajava
    jennajava Posts: 2,176 Member
    For a while. Then you will plateau.
  • Legalchica
    Legalchica Posts: 462
    yes.. but!! your calorie intake can negate all of it and you may get stronger but not lose the fat... if anything i would do it reverse. change your eating habbits first.
  • Cathy92
    Cathy92 Posts: 312 Member
    no, I believe, exercise is about 10% of the weight loss, the rest is what you eat. It's all about calories in and calories burned. It's a lot faster to cut down on calories than burn them off.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Yes. But the problem with this is your body will get use to it and you will have to keep increasing you exercise plan. I think if you want to lose you should eat healthy too.
  • apesid
    apesid Posts: 135 Member
    It's never worked for me. For me to lose weight my diet has to change.
  • jlemoore
    jlemoore Posts: 702 Member
    Let me tell you... a few years back I trained for a 1/2 marathon thinking that it would help me lose wieght and be skinny. I was running 30 miles a week. It did not happen, because I did not watch my intake.
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    So im trying to take baby steps, trying to find something that works for me so that i stop quitting on myself. I plan on cutting out fast food except for maybe once a month as a small treat but not going crazy, and cooking at home daily. When I cook, I do not deep fry or even shallow fry anything, i bake everything and drain all fat or trim it from any meat etc. As someone who sometimes eats out in either restaurants or fast food places three times a week, i think if i stopped eating out it should make a difference. I plan on signing back up to the gym this weekend but taking baby steps so i dont get overwhelmed, like just starting out walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes, then gradually increasing as my endurance increases. Will this plan help me lose weight or do I have to really bust my *kitten* in the gym for like 6 hours daily and eat rabbit food to see some weight come off?? Any input is helpful, thanks!

    I was doing the same at one point and became frustrated with having to work out so hard. Then I got hurt and was forced to concentrate on my diet and the types of food I was eating. Once I made the balance of 80% diet and 20% exercise, the weight started to melt off. I enjoy all kinds of food and would never classify it as "rabbit food". :)
  • shirleygirl910
    shirleygirl910 Posts: 503 Member
    the weeks I don't go the gym at least twice, I either gain or stay the same. (My goal is only 1-2 lbs a week.) Weight training is more important than cardio. There are books at the library that can help you figure out what kind of routine with the weight that you need. You don't have to spend money on a trainer unless you want to.

    I cut out soda and eating out and lost 14 lbs in a month. I treat myself to eating out twice or three times a month, but I know especially after eating out, I better be in the gym. If you notice when you log fast food, you don't get as much to eat for the day compared to when you fix things at home.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Whether you can lose simply by adding exercise would depend primarily on your current diet. If you are actively gaining weight, then you would likely have to exercise a lot or also cut calories. If you need to lose weight but are maintaining your current weight then just adding exercise should cause you to lose even if you don't change your diet.
  • donniesaurous
    donniesaurous Posts: 176 Member
    I don't think you have to make huge drastic changes and spend 6 hours a day at the gym at all to see changes!
    I have been seeing pretty steady results since I started (1-2lbs lost/week usually), but I'm not dieting and I'm not killing myself in the gym. I try to do something active 30-60 minutes/day, 5-6 days/week, stopped drinking pop (I used to drink up to 2L/day!) and limited eating chips/chocolate/junk to every once in awhile instead of every couple of days. I still eat the things I want (which yes, even includes McDonalds once in awhile *gasp*!) but I try to stay within my MFP calorie goal Monday-Friday...sometimes I don't bother to count calories on the weekends, so I know I probably go over at least one of the days, but it seems to be working for me so far :)
    Hope that helps a bit!

    this is what i try and do! glad to see it can work so well for someone else!
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    Walk up the stairs at the mall instead of taking the elevator.
    Park in the back of parking lots rather than looking for a space up front.
    Turn off the TV and enjoy the outdoors.
    Find physical activities you enjoy to do and that aren't a chore.

    All the small activities do add up, as others have said you don't have to spend six hours a day at the gym to make a difference.
  • mrslondon
    mrslondon Posts: 146 Member
    Thank you everyone for your replies, they have helped alot! My main goal right now is to just get started and stick with it. I have always hated eating healthy, I dont get any satisfaction from vegetables etc, so i go on these eating plans where I cut everything out all at once and after a week, I just cave in. I dont have very good will power but im learning. I fully intend on starting to add small things to my diet, and cutting some too like soda, especially non diet soda, drinking more water, eating out ALOT less and with a change in my diet, I will eventually lose some weight. Beside being overweight, i am also very unfit and i would like to change that also. Once I can get back into the groove, and learn what works for me, I can eat a lot better and the weight should start to fall off! Slowly slowly catchy monkey! I will get there in the end!
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