Did anyone lose weight just by watching their calories??? I

sallyann123
sallyann123 Posts: 36 Member
edited November 10 in Motivation and Support
Did anyone lose weight just by watching their caloric intake?? I dont have time to exercise.............:(
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Replies

  • lewandt
    lewandt Posts: 566 Member
    Yes, you just have to be very disciplined about your calories. It is much faster with exercise.
  • lyndall5311
    lyndall5311 Posts: 146 Member
    Hi, yes I loose weight by just watching my calories, I eat roughly 1300-1400 calories per day and loose 100gm per day. If i exercise I loose roughly 200-300per day
  • bms34b
    bms34b Posts: 401 Member
    Yep. I lost the first 25 of the 30 pounds by only watching calories. It's totally possible. My best suggestion is to go for a while, and once you notice your energy going down, eat more for a week or two. Then go back on the 1200 to 1400 diet, and again, after a week or two back to a number closer to your maintenance.

    Good luck!
  • swellen
    swellen Posts: 78 Member
    Yes, I lost 16kg (35lb) just by adjusting what I ate. It took me over 18 months, though, and I was still very unfit. It's definitely possible but it's very slow and obviously harder work because you need to be more disciplined about not 'slipping up'. Well, of course you can still have cheat meals or whatever, but you do that in the knowledge that it's going to take a bit longer to lose the weight.

    I know exercise takes time, but is there any way you can add a bit more activity into your daily life? Every little bit helps. Eg, I walk down to the post office every day for work - it's only a 10 minute walk in total, but it means I've added 10 minutes of activity to my day. I've also made the decision to get up an hour earlier so I can go for a walk in the morning, because it's simply the only time I have. I have to go to bed earlier, and I really don't love hearing my alarm blasting away at 5.30am, but it's a sacrifice I've been prepared to make because otherwise I wouldn't exercise at all.
  • yes ive lost 50lbs by just watching calories..... i do have a fairly active job though
  • SummerHillFinn
    SummerHillFinn Posts: 3 Member
    Yes, I am losing at a rate of about 1 pound a week by just staying within my calorie limit. I CFS and Immune Deficiency, so the amount of exercise I can do is very limited.

    It works for me!
  • mamamc03
    mamamc03 Posts: 1,067 Member
    Yup. I lost about 20 with minimal exercise.
  • AlicynH
    AlicynH Posts: 201 Member
    I have lost my weight w/out exercise. Of course, I'm always going at work and I've started back to school so I do walk across campus a couple times a day. I just need to make myself wake up a half hour earlier to do a video or when it get's warm, walk.
  • I'm not sure if I should weigh in here(excuse the punn). I'm on my second complete week of excercise and diet. One week before I started working out I totally changed my diet. I was surprised by the end of the first week of diet alone I lost 5 lbs. I suppose its different for everyone. I"m also 6'5" and I use to be very active.
  • The gym that I belong to is doing their version of The Biggest Loser and my coach says to watch SODIUM count, too. NO more than 1500mg a day. A lot of sodium is in prepackaged and fast foods. I have always watched my calories and fat and have always worked out but watching my sodium has made me really take off some pounds. Also, I eat a little protein at every meal. Eat a carb before I work out and have protein after, and eat every 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    Did anyone lose weight just by watching their caloric intake?? I dont have time to exercise.............:(
    You go from fat to skinny fat doing that.
    And it usually leads to failure.
    Nobody ever came to me and said they had extra time on their hands, so they'd
    like to get fit.

    Nobody has time.
    But everybody has time.

    Here's the disconnect. People either make the time or they do not.
    Your fitness goals are either a priority or they are not.
    And if they are not, then failure is asured.

    That's reality.
    Make the time.
  • I have lost 45lbs in 2 months by cutting my calories to less than 1500 a day. However, I will start exercising soon. Had to get my blood pressure and back pain under control first. Losing the weight has made a huge difference in both already.
  • nmerley
    nmerley Posts: 98 Member
    I am a stay at home mom and run a daycare so no time to exercise. I have lost 53lbs in 10months just watchin my cals and makin good choices. I also started drinkin alot of water. It is totally possible to lose without exercise. Im sure if u exercise it goes faster but not everyone can get alot of exercise in. Do whats best for u and what u feel comfortable with doin. But the answer to your question is YES
  • obeseto13point1
    obeseto13point1 Posts: 144 Member
    When you lose weight without exercising, especially without resistance training you lose muscle along with the fat. The only way to avoid this is to exercise and build muscle while losing weight.
  • You can but that is epic failure in the long run. Add your work-out time as an appt. in your calendar and stick to it.
  • kiki41
    kiki41 Posts: 80 Member
    It only takes a little bit of your time a day. Start with 20 minutes or so. Just make the effort to make time, even if you think you do not have it.
  • kuunsilta
    kuunsilta Posts: 126 Member
    I did. I also exercised, but by watching my calories and putting in EVERYTHING I eat, I kept track of things I forgot about snacking on - which helped me from having too much of something a day ( like sweets). I recommend exercise too, but logging your food does help =)
  • skeetpea
    skeetpea Posts: 241 Member
    I am currently doing that, though it is not by choice. I am extremely busy with school and work that my exercise is pretty much nothing at this point (except climbing a lot of stairs because I use parking garages at school and work!). I don't really see a large amount of exercise happening until I hit summer break and when it does, it is on!!
    But yes it is possible. I have been logging religiously on MFP since January 8th and have lost 14 pounds.
  • HealthyKat24
    HealthyKat24 Posts: 19 Member
    Absolutely! I have in the past and kept it off, but learning about proportion and good food selections alone! I'm back on here after a few month break to lose more and I plan to use the same method. I do, however, have a very active job which I do think helps some.

    Good luck...... I think always watching proportions of proteins versus carbs per meal helps. Eat high protein meals with healthy carbs (green veggies, whole grains, etc) to meet your calorie requirements. I feel this helps your body metabolize the calories more efficiently.

    Just some thoughts!
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    Went from 170 to 136.6 without exercise, basically. Except for the whole 3 days I could manage to stick to an exercise plan.
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    You can but that is epic failure in the long run. Add your work-out time as an appt. in your calendar and stick to it.

    Not exactly an epic failure...Maybe it was for you, at some point? Generalizing isn't the greatest idea ever...Just sayin'
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    yes

    i lost about 1/2 my weight before i started exercising

    i started exercising because i found myself 'wanting' to move more, the lighter i became.. AND because i was getting alot of sagging skin and wanted to try to tone that a lil... AND because i wanted to include cardio activity, at my age heart health cannot be ignored.
  • Maybe epic failure was a bit exaggerated and no never an issue for me. Just trying to get the point across that you need to incorporate exercise.
  • CuteAndCurvy83
    CuteAndCurvy83 Posts: 570 Member
    I heard a quote a while back, "If you want it,you'll find a way, if not you'll find an excuse", there are exercise programs out there that can be done within 20 min. There are also ways to get some more activity into your day..Park at the end of the parking lot,ect.
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
    I've lost 17 lb. just by dieting - very minimal exercise. I've been losing about 1.0 - 1.5 lb./week.
    I eat 1200-1300 calories per day.
  • garlic7girl
    garlic7girl Posts: 2,236 Member
    Find the time....exercise is not just for losing wt but for strengthening your heart lungs and mind
  • yes it does work plus some sort of exercise for 30mins plus a day or starting at 3 times a week. use to be a p/trainer. but keep the heart rate up. if you have a dog take him or her he or she will love you and they will keep you company also.
  • Kalynx
    Kalynx Posts: 707 Member
    teambridgers6, I agree. I am having severe kidney problems due to heart problems (because of my obesity) and my kidney doctor instructed me to follow a low sodium, low potassium diet. the potassium part isnt so hard just requires research, but the sodium thing is hard because it means I have to cook a lot of my own food from scratch. no prepacked, little canned, frozen, etc. within one week of this diet i lost 8 lbs (and yes some of that was fluid) but i'm averaging just 1400 calories a day and forced to eat healthy, natural foods. sodiam is a killer!!
  • I will say that I lead a pretty busy life. I am a full time student working on her Masters, I work, I hang out with friends, go to study groups, and I run a chapter for a national charity which means that I also have to organize and attend all of the events in my state. However, I watch what I eat and I exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. I do Insanity, so it is a pretty rough workout, and many times I can not finish the whole workout either because of time or because my body is telling me that I need to stop before I melt into a pool of goo on the floor lol. But, the way that I look at it, at least I AM exercising, because it is better than not doing anything at all.

    Bottom line is either you want to exercise or you don't. And if you do, you can always find 10-20 minutes in your day for it. I FORCE myself, no matter how tired or how sore I am to crawl out of bed, get in my workout clothes, put on my cross-trainers, pop in the DVD and get ready to make that fat cry (sweating). If you want it bad enough, you'll do it.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    You can lose weight by watching diet, but exercise helps you look toned and not just smaller.

    Try to fit in some strength training when you get home:
    squats, lunges, pushups, planks, yoga etc.
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