Lose weight without exercising??

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Hollyyyxo
Hollyyyxo Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
A few of my friends have decided to go on a 'diet', they've watched me struggle through my exercises and force myself to eat a lot more fruit and veggies than usual and they say I'm trying TOO HARD.
They're thinking that they don't have to exercise at all, they do the odd walk to work then and again but apart from that they barely move off the couch ;)
Is it possible to lose weight without exercising and through healthy eating alone??

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  • clareeast
    clareeast Posts: 64
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    It is "possible" but it isn't "sensible" - in my opinion.

    You need to exercise to build more muscle as well as burning fat. Muscle burns calories even at rest, and will help to prevent regaining all the weight you lost.

    The serious exercise buffs describe people who lose weight through diet alone as "skinny fat" - they may have lost weight, but have not increased their lean body mass. I'm aiming for leaner and stronger - not "skinny".
  • ccmccoy09
    ccmccoy09 Posts: 284 Member
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    They'll drop weight but won't look any better, and isn't that what we're after?

    I had a gf in law school though who would regularly diet to "drop a few pounds" and would be super happy and confident when she lost 5 lbs, even though she didn't look any different. So there's that.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,402 MFP Moderator
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    Well you dont need to exercise to lose weight. The thing is people really want fat loss so they can have a tight body. There is a huge difference between fat loss and weight loss. Weight loss makes you look good in clothes but fat loss makes you look good naked. And how do you get fat loss.... heavy weight training and having a smaller deficit (20% less than tdee). If you do this then your friends will be jealous of your progress as compared to theirs.
  • kenmunson333
    kenmunson333 Posts: 51 Member
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    Yes it is possible to lose weight just through diet alone. Of course, that means healthy eating and a strict adherence to a calorie limit as defined by a BMI/BMR. Diet alone will also be more effective if one is already way above a healthy weight. If one is close to one's 'proper' weight, then dieting alone isn't going to have much of an effect. Diet and exercise together make the best combination for weight loss.

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