Losing Weight without Exercise

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  • ka_bateman
    ka_bateman Posts: 230 Member
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    I hardly ever exercise and have lost almost 30lbs. I walk every once in a while for fun, but making healthy choices and staying within your calorie limit should be enough.
  • Asharee011
    Asharee011 Posts: 129 Member
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    I found it hard to get in extra exercise since I'm a full-time student. But I walk everyday to class, around town or just around my dorm and that's seemed like enough for me. I also eat less than I used to...which is around 1200 to 1400 calories and yes I allow one cheat day during the week, usually on Saturdays when my friends and I go out. So far I've lost 7 pounds!
  • scott1080
    scott1080 Posts: 109 Member
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    most of my weightloss was without much exersize simply eating very clean and around 1200 calories a day and i would walk about 30 to 40 mins before work. but im not near as dedicated to the strict diet i was on. but if you can set your mind right to just eating very clean you can. unfortunitly i have to train for the military fitness so i do exersize a lot more now than i did before.
  • NatalieWiley
    NatalieWiley Posts: 147 Member
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    They say food is 80% of the weight loss calculation!
  • stephanie_nelson79
    stephanie_nelson79 Posts: 3
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    I also have severe health issues and can not work out.. I have lost total (meaning since I started losing weight, before I found MFP) 103 pounds.. I do take short brisk walks on weeks that I do not feel horrible.. but simply eating smaller portions, and eating healthy food has worked for me. :) Walking DOES feel so good, but I totally understand the health thing.. I am with you there 100%.. :)
    Keep on keeping on, and you will get there!!
  • jenifer7teen
    jenifer7teen Posts: 205 Member
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    http://www.livestrong.com/article/547494-diet-vs-exercise-for-long-term-health/

    ^this article is short and to the point.

    if you care about your long term health (the health of your heart especially considering that heart disease is the leading killer) than you better start finding a way to move your body!!!

    if you only care about losing weight than of course you can still lose it by cutting calories. The problem is there is a limit to how many calories you can cut before suffering nutrient deficiencies... exercising can speed this up. Also, increased fitness will improve mood and decrease emotional eating. Finally, increased muscle tone will increase your BMR.

    There has to be a way you can take AT LEAST work up to a brisk 30 minute walk at least 3-4x a week..... Lift a few weights for 5-10 minutes a day during commercial breaks if you watch t v! Come on-- you can do it!!! NO change is easy until you make it a habit. And everyone has an excuse to not make changes that they KNOW are healthy for them. You don't have to be an athlete, but you can take simple steps that will make you live longer and some sort of exercise has to be a part of the equation...
  • silkii_locks
    silkii_locks Posts: 28
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    Well I'm really happy to see this thread. I've been having trouble trying to get all my exercise in. I have bad knees, a bad back and an old achilles tendon injury, so sometimes even walking is torture. And since I can't afford a gym membership right now my only option is walking a few minutes a day when I feel good enough. I've been losing so I know I must be doing something right.
  • silkii_locks
    silkii_locks Posts: 28
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    http://www.livestrong.com/article/547494-diet-vs-exercise-for-long-term-health/

    ^this article is short and to the point.

    if you care about your long term health (the health of your heart especially considering that heart disease is the leading killer) than you better start finding a way to move your body!!!

    if you only care about losing weight than of course you can still lose it by cutting calories. The problem is there is a limit to how many calories you can cut before suffering nutrient deficiencies... exercising can speed this up. Also, increased fitness will improve mood and decrease emotional eating. Finally, increased muscle tone will increase your BMR. There has to be a way you can take AT LEAST a brisk 30 minute walk at least 3-4x a week..... !

    I understand what you're saying but we have no idea what her exact health issues are. I know for me, even walking can be excrutiating. I have issues witth 3 major componets of my body that are used for movement and stability, my knees, back and achilles tendon. If you've never felt that kind of pain, you just can't really relate.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
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    Lots of great responses. You guys are fantastic!

    Walking I can do (most days) and I will do. I just have to be careful so I don't crash again so that means not pushing when I've reached my limit. Thankfully I've figured out where that limit is. I guess because I was a runner and gym bunny (every day, five days a week) I feel like walking just isn't enough... but I guess it is something right?

    silkii_locks - your post especially struck me. People who haven't gone through what you go through can't understand but some of us can at least empathize. I wish you the best of luck in your weight loss journey! Whether you're exercising or not. :D

    Edited to Add; I am very thankful that at the very least I CAN walk and it is a relatively pain free experience. It's good to hear from others who are suffering so much more. It gives me far less reason to feel sorry for myself.
  • sylvuz323
    sylvuz323 Posts: 468 Member
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    When I started my weight loss journey my exercise was very minimal simply walking. I was consistent with watching my food intake but not with walking. Very early on I also had a sciatic nerve pain that made it difficult to even walk without tears. I've always felt that when you are larger/heavier the weight comes off even with the smallest of changes. So its perfectly acceptable to start with small changes, plus once you see weight coming off it will help motivate you to want to do more. Plus being lighter means you move a bit more easier.
  • Werglum
    Werglum Posts: 378 Member
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    If it comes down to losing weight without exercising or not losing weight at all of course it is better to try without the exercise! Plus if the OP is anything like me, once some of the weight comes off then exercise seems like something more achievable rather than something that would tip me over the edge into giving up!!
  • majocoesq
    majocoesq Posts: 1
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    This "net" calorie stuff is hogwash. Keep it below 1000 calories TOTAL. How? Easy. Three meals a day. Something around 300 calories for breakfast (McDonalds is fine once you've verified the numbers), then a Lean Cuisine for lunch, and another for dinner. Add a multivitamin and a few glasses of water, and you're good to go. And if anyone thinks you "need" to eat more than that per day, PATHETIC.
  • silkii_locks
    silkii_locks Posts: 28
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    silkii_locks - your post especially struck me. People who haven't gone through what you go through can't understand but some of us can at least empathize. I wish you the best of luck in your weight loss journey! Whether you're exercising or not. :D

    Edited to Add; I am very thankful that at the very least I CAN walk and it is a relatively pain free experience. It's good to hear from others who are suffering so much more. It gives me far less reason to feel sorry for myself.

    Thank you very much, your words are much appreciated. :-)
  • irisheyes42us
    irisheyes42us Posts: 144
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    I just try to keep moving, and yes you can lose weight doing what you are doing!:flowerforyou:
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
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    Sorry, but it is absolutely impossible to lose weight without exercise.
    Oh, realllllly?????
    So, I didn't actually lose 30+#? My pants size didn't drop from 42 to 35? Gee, I guess I'll have to take all my new clothes back to the store and exchange them for the larger sizes.
    I've had 2 back surgeries and have a neurologically dead right leg below the knee.
    On a good day, I can walk about 100 yards without my cane. On a bad day, I have to use a walker to get from my front door to the driveway.
    Yes, you CAN lose w/o exercise.
  • nahralynn
    nahralynn Posts: 125 Member
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    I'm finding that while watching tv, especially during commercials, if I do some kind of seated exercises I don't really notice that I'm exercising. I think you got some awesome advice in this post though! Good luck!
  • harriet_jupp
    harriet_jupp Posts: 15
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    well ive lost 9lbs in 2 weeks with no exercise whatsoever and i had a week off of work where i stayed in bed a couple of days!
    i dont think you need to exercise but as others have said it might come to a point where you are settled into your weight and used to the lower calorie intake and want to start off small. thats what im hoping to do.
    but i do think exercise is more about maintaining your weight once you have reached it and you can then start to enjoy all foods again but in moderation.
  • txbutterfly69
    txbutterfly69 Posts: 115 Member
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    You can loose weight by cutting down on calories, but I opted to add exercise to my routine just because of all the great benefits to exercise besides loosing weight. Great for your heart, your joints, your muscles, your bones, your mind. :-D
  • NikkieLite
    NikkieLite Posts: 126 Member
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    I saw a good quote regarding this issue on reddit earlier. "Counting calories will make you look good with clothes on, exercising will make you look good naked." Regardless of what anyone here is saying, it is ABSOLUTELY possible to lose with minimal exercise. It might be slower, it might not be. Everyone is different. But as long as you have a calorie deficit you'll lose weight. And walking alone (about a mile a day) helped me lose 30 pounds in the past. It can absolutely be done.
  • ohmariposa
    ohmariposa Posts: 372 Member
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    walking is the best! I started out w/short 10 min walks and now do up to 40 min. I find it helps with stress and makes me feel better :-)

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