DIET OR EXERCISE?...OR BOTH

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MissMalinSara
MissMalinSara Posts: 137
in Health and Weight Loss
Right,

I previously lost 14 pounds by eating only 900 calories a day. Bad i know - but it worked and i mainted it. I then put a few pounds on and went running to try and lose it, i ran like 10k for 5 days a week. My weight stayed exactly the same ( i was eating well ) and it felt really pointless as the scales werent moving. I'm not sure if I noticed a difference in my body either.

I cant seem to get the balance right, i'm doing 30 day shred at the moment; eating well and doing the 25 mins of her dvd a day.

shall i combine more cardio? start running again? lose the exercise and eat less?

aargh. weight loss is so frustrating!!!

Replies

  • lh12xx
    lh12xx Posts: 111 Member
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    I decided to diet alone for the first little while to see how I get on, then when I had a bit more body confidence I would hit the gym.
    I lost about 7 pounds in 2 or 3 weeks, which was pretty good. I lose about the same when I exercise.
    I think 30 Day Shred is more beneficial for toning than weight loss, so I wouldn't beat yourself up about it. You'll probably find you're losing inches instead of pounds.
    Up your water intake, always a winner!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Diet to lose weight, exercise to change your shape.
  • MissMalinSara
    MissMalinSara Posts: 137
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    Diet to lose weight, exercise to change your shape.


    Doesnt losing weight change your shape O_o
  • MissMalinSara
    MissMalinSara Posts: 137
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    I decided to diet alone for the first little while to see how I get on, then when I had a bit more body confidence I would hit the gym.
    I lost about 7 pounds in 2 or 3 weeks, which was pretty good. I lose about the same when I exercise.
    I think 30 Day Shred is more beneficial for toning than weight loss, so I wouldn't beat yourself up about it. You'll probably find you're losing inches instead of pounds.
    Up your water intake, always a winner!


    thanks lisa :) its just whenever i exercise i take pics etc cos the scales dont budge ha then my mind plays tricks on me thinking i look the same ! x
  • lh12xx
    lh12xx Posts: 111 Member
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    I decided to diet alone for the first little while to see how I get on, then when I had a bit more body confidence I would hit the gym.
    I lost about 7 pounds in 2 or 3 weeks, which was pretty good. I lose about the same when I exercise.
    I think 30 Day Shred is more beneficial for toning than weight loss, so I wouldn't beat yourself up about it. You'll probably find you're losing inches instead of pounds.
    Up your water intake, always a winner!


    thanks lisa :) its just whenever i exercise i take pics etc cos the scales dont budge ha then my mind plays tricks on me thinking i look the same ! x


    Take pics and measurements! You'll never notice a change in yourself otherwise, because you see your body every day :)
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
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    Just do everything, take pics. Stick to it and you will see changes in 1-2 months that are obvious in the pics. Wear the same thing :D
  • kirstyg1980
    kirstyg1980 Posts: 302
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    Got to be both, diet/healthy eat for a healthier lifestyle and you will drop the pounds

    hit the gym to get fit and tone up all those wobbly bits - whats the point of being skinny with a saggy bit of belly hanging down
  • Diane0479
    Diane0479 Posts: 10
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    I am great believer in exercise! And watch what you eat. :)
  • Marks281172
    Marks281172 Posts: 127 Member
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    The benefits of exercise go so much further than just losing scale weight and you are also much more likely to be able to keep the weight off if you train as well and turn your body into a calorie munching machine.

    If you want to get in that little dress for a 1 off event then dont care what happens after when you return to normal eating.. sure just go very low cal and sit around on your butt all day.. if you want to change your life, get healthier, fitter, stronger, faster and make asthetic changes that can last a lifetime, not just till after the School reunion/Prom/Wedding etc... make regular exercise a part of your daily routine :)
  • ludogx87
    ludogx87 Posts: 286 Member
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    its up to you.... previously i lost 3 1/2 stone without any aid from gym then joined gym to tone up and lose the remaining 2 stone

    this time round av lost the weight so far without any exercise but going to join back up to the gym because exercise has other benefits, feel good factor (you might not believe that when your purple n sweaty n feel on the verge of death) - chance to socialise, and i find you sleep better.... not to mention all the biology benefits for your insides n all that

    but uv got to remember - do what feels best for you, its your choice x
  • Marks281172
    Marks281172 Posts: 127 Member
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    I agree Ludogx87 ... since exercising on a more regular basis and doing a lot more cardio as opposed to just weight training, im sleeping like a log :)
  • tbresina
    tbresina Posts: 558 Member
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    Absolutely both.........both are beneficial for different reasons. Diet for health and exercise for strength and stamina!
  • rsmithy89
    rsmithy89 Posts: 174 Member
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    Diet is most important. Think about it this way: Would you rather spend 20 minutes on the treadmill or eat 200 calories less? The choice is easy for me.

    Besides weight training, the only point of exercise is to have a healthier heart (which is good) and to create a larger deficit of calories. It isnt that efficient at creating that deficit though. Diet is much easier.

    I was steadily losing weight for months by just watching my diet and weight training regularly.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    Depends on your end goals.

    If its all about body shape & general health then I would say diet + 50/50 toning work (weights) and CV work (which will tone a bit and will help you loose weight faster). This is, in my opinion, the most healthy option all round: its less stress on your body than all CV work, you look great and you can eat a balanced diet. If you work out for 1hr a day in this way then you will be able to add 500ish calories to whatever your baseline for weight loss was before. Personally I think 900 sounds dangerously low to do long term but everyone must make their own choices here.

    If you want to get really fit, then you need to do more CV work - but even then, 10K a day doesn't make much sense - you'll not get faster and you are likely to get injured as you don't have any recovery time: I'm doing Marathon training and I don't do 10K a day...

    . One long run at the weekend (at least 10 miles, I mix this up a lot with fell running, X Country, races and road running: so far longest road run is 18 miles and longest fell run is 2 hours),
    . Two short runs (5-10k)
    . One speed session which I do with my club, but any sort of interval training/fartlek will do.
    . I then throw in some weights & circuits and some cycling (generally 3 in total - cycling can be all morning and burns more cals than my long run!) leaving one or two rest days.
    . Note - I often do weights & my 5K run in the same gym session).

    Here's the thing: if your goal is FIT then you must eat back most of your exercise calories: This is the fuel for your work outs and without it you burn out. By which I mean you don't have the energy to give your next workout 100%, and worse you can feel so tired you don't go at all - or you go, push yourself and make yourself ill. I have two friends who have been off training for two months because they over did the training and didn't refuel properly. Bear in mind that a long run or bike ride can burn + 2000 Cals.

    If your goal is body/general health then you are much less at risk of burn out because the cals involved are much smaller, but the same principle applies - if you work out you have to eat.
  • svenskispiration
    svenskispiration Posts: 16
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    Diet is most important. Think about it this way: Would you rather spend 20 minutes on the treadmill or eat 200 calories less? The choice is easy for me.

    Besides weight training, the only point of exercise is to have a healthier heart (which is good) and to create a larger deficit of calories. It isnt that efficient at creating that deficit though. Diet is much easier.

    I was steadily losing weight for months by just watching my diet and weight training regularly.

    You guys should check out the book Spark : the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain
    Exercise is a lot more beneficial than just having a healthier heart and burning calories. It's proven to increase concentration and mental capacity. It's been proven to improve test scores. It's been also shown that exercise can be an appetite suppressant. So find the exercise you enjoy the most, and makes you feel great, and stick with it along with eating healthy.

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