people who lost weight without exercising

amy_marlene
amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
edited December 19 in Health and Weight Loss
did you start exercising after you've lost weght to tone ?
have you lost lots of inches or just lost lots of numbers on the scale?
i am really intrested in this because i don't lose weight while exercising :( i'm actually planning to exercise after i lose weight to tone.
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Replies

  • ryliejaiden
    ryliejaiden Posts: 68
    I'm not exercising a ton right now and I'm consistently losing 2lbs a week. Just walks and hikes a couple times a week. I plan to concentrate on losing weight due to how I eat for now. Then once I am completely comfortable with what I eat and eating well has become a habit, then I will work harder on exercise. Baby steps for me :)
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    Define exercise. I lost about five pounds having done nothing more than moved to a new area, where it was a lot easier to walk to the places I needed to get to. I haven't been exercising much over the past month, but lost 5 kilograms just from watching what I eat and not letting myself indulge constantly.
  • katenmills
    katenmills Posts: 113 Member
    I'm not exercising a ton right now and I'm consistently losing 2lbs a week. Just walks and hikes a couple times a week. I plan to concentrate on losing weight due to how I eat for now. Then once I am completely comfortable with what I eat and eating well has become a habit, then I will work harder on exercise. Baby steps for me :)

    sorry to get a bit side-tracked, but if you don't mind my asking about how many cals do you eat a day? 2lbs consistently is impressive, i'm jealous lol! mine weight loss is never consistent, bit frustrating :(
  • december8teen
    december8teen Posts: 107
    I used to go to the gym a lot, lost a couple of kilos then I stopped going because my gym membership expired and I couldn't afford the new price.

    And still losing weight even after a 6 month hiatus.

    EDIT: I'm eating around 1200-1400 cals a day. So I'm not starving myself. My BMR is only 1120 according to MFP.
  • alumpoflard
    alumpoflard Posts: 95 Member
    I don't exercise other than walking, even then I don't do a great deal.. I have a lot to lose though and wanted to wait til weight loss slowed down before upping the exercise, rather than cutting calories....
  • diver71_au
    diver71_au Posts: 424 Member
    To lose effectively exercise is a pretty good thing - unless you have somehow managed to build lean muscle without it.

    Lean muscle is what most effectively burns the calories - which is why when you get a PT to work out a program for weightloss you will find that it is the bigger muscles that usually get a workover - glutes, quads, lats.
  • sarann111
    sarann111 Posts: 16
    I've done both, and I will definitely say I felt better while I was working out rather than just restricting intake. The plan sounded genius that I could just eat that much less and it should have the same result... wrong! I met my goal, but ended up with the physique of a skeleton and absolutely no energy, so now it's taking me that much longer to build my body back up to one that looks healthy.
  • deadbeatsummer
    deadbeatsummer Posts: 537 Member
    Hi Amy,

    Please give this article a read, it explains why there is weight gain when a new exercise regime is started - I used to think the same but you just have to keep exercising and wait it out.

    It's written by fitness expert Chalean Johnson that does the Turbo Fire/Jam programmes.

    https://www.turbokick.com/wblog/?p=709

    Also, please bear in mind that if you haven't eaten 3,500 extra calories that you didn't need, you haven't put on a pound of fat from exercising - the weight gain will be from water retention in healing muscles etc.

    Hannah x
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I exercise now for a few reasons:
    1. It is a healthy habit I need to adopt for reasons outside of weight loss
    2. The studies show that long term loser do exercise regularly
    3. Strength training helps you see changes in your body sooner......before it shows up on the scale. For example, my arms are about the same size as they were in inches, but they are way firmer than they ever have been. The same is true of my legs (and they are also shrinking). And my waist.
    4. with strength training, you may look the way you want at a higher weight than expected

    I exercise around 3-4 times a week for about an hour.
  • littlelol
    littlelol Posts: 539
    deadbeatsummer, ive just read that article. Really helpful. Thankyou xx
  • michaeltoye
    michaeltoye Posts: 48
    I don't do exercise. I'm now thinking about it for general fitness, but for weight loss it never occurred to me.

    I kept to the healthy calories and still do.
  • billthekill
    billthekill Posts: 90
    Losing Weight is 90% diet.
    So, excersing isn't absolutely essential.

    I would recommend weight lifting, primarly to retain muscle while you are dieting.
    Cardio imo is optional. It can help but, if your diet is rock solid, it's not neccessary.

    Don't want to sound too anti-Cardio because there is a lot of health benifits. I just find it only mildly helpful for weight loss.
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,032 Member
    one of the benefits of exercise is that you can then eat a little bit more and though that sounds contradictory for some people who are struggling to change eating habits of a life time, exercise allows then to still induldge. Having said that exercise will help you tone and shape up too and that will make you look better, even thinner without extra weight loss and of course there are the health benefits.

    I don't do that much apart from walking but you could try doing things that actually fit into your life more, EG walk to work if you can, take an evening stroll if the weather is nice, go hiking at the weekend etc.... Do things that you enjoy and then maybe you will want to do more.
  • KristenBru
    KristenBru Posts: 25
    I lost 20 pounds without exercising, but I think most of that was due to having 2 children who kept me busy. I am now tired and flabby with no muscle just skin! I've been working out for about 3 weeks and I can really see I difference. Much more energy, a tigher stomach, and the like. I'd recommend exercising!
  • rozie0310
    rozie0310 Posts: 4
    I am down 77 lbs, (also consistently losing 2 lbs a week) I have not been exercising. I do take a walk with my family 1-2 times a week. I am 5 lbs away from my goal and plan on exercising then to tone up. Everything has gotten smaller but still jiggles!!! So toning is going to be a must. I wanted to get to a comfortable weight before I started adding muscle.
  • CatseyeHardcast
    CatseyeHardcast Posts: 224 Member
    weight loss is 90%diet.

    If you want to look good, watch what you eat.

    If you want to look good naked, watch what you eat and exercise.
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    The only exercise I did was walk for about 25 minutes 4 times a week and I lost 16 pounds. I just recently added jump rope (only 2 minutes of it is all I can do right now lol) to add a little more excercise in. I exercise moderately to stay healthy
  • katewillbethinx2
    katewillbethinx2 Posts: 32
    They say "abs are made in the kitchen" for a reason. I think exercise is encouraged more for the mental health (stress relief, different coping mechanism than using food, etc) than for burning calories to lose weight. That's just my opinion.

    I always found when I tried to do lots of cardio... it made me super hungry and then I would just binge! And the vicious cycle began - exercise, binge, exercise to compensate.

    Do what feels right to you, but for right now it's easier for me to just eat less and do light exercising.
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    I did weight watchers for ever..and I never ever excercized. Probably was skinny fat...but definitely looked good. When I started doing workout videos (jM ripped in 30/killer buns and thighs/some p90x) I started to see a difference and looked great. Started going heavy to the gym and started gaining. Ugh. Stopped going to the gym and I'm loosing.

    Yes it's of course possible to loose without working out. It just depends on what kind of ascetics u are goIng for. Personally my main goal is thin toned , and just a tad athletic.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    I lost 45 total pounds over 1 and 1/2 years (35 pounds from my highest, kinda backtracked 10 pounds somewhere in there). I didn't start doing cardio or strength until 10 pounds before my goal weight. So, yes you can lose weight just by diet, you can. I knew the last 10 wasn't coming off unless I got off my butt. There was a big change in the way my body looked and those 10 pounds got me down 2 pants sizes because of my body composition.

    I'm in maintenance now. I do 3 days of cardio (walking/running and elliptical, 30 minutes a clip) and 3 days of strength. My Strength routine consists of push ups, core work, and light weight bearing moves at home, about 15 minutes. I do not have a gym membership and never did. So, I don't workout as much and as long as some people around here but it's working for me. Find what works for you!
  • scottywor
    scottywor Posts: 140 Member
    If you dont exercise--- no weights, just do SS cardio, or HIIT cardio

    Your "weight" loss will included lean muscle and body fat, the latter is what you want to get rid off, the former you want to retain... I did this for 3 months, yes I loss a bunch of weight, but with it went a bunch of lean muscle, at 248 lbs I did not care about the consequences... If i only listened to what I was telling myself... :grumble:

    If you do exercise--- Weight training (lift heavy, low volume) x3 days a week or so. No cardio...

    Your weight loss will be mainly body fat, and yes some lean muscle, but the weights will better preserve it, and prevent the losses you get from doing no weights at all. Assuming your diet and macros are kept solid. Currently doing this and still dropping weight, and feeling much better about it, knowing that it is mainly body fat.

    Just talking from my experiences, and some great reading... Google BodyRecomp.com, or RippedBody.jp.
  • freckledrats
    freckledrats Posts: 251 Member
    Exercise is awesome across the board. Increased rate of fat loss, strength gains, healthier organs, healthier mind. I recommend it!

    But no, you don't have to do it to lose the pounds.
  • dbattles0182
    dbattles0182 Posts: 13
    Honestly, watching what you eat and just going for walks you can lose weight. One reason why I like this website is because I can track what I eat on a daily basis.
  • shyrina25
    shyrina25 Posts: 101 Member
    I dont work out unless u count running after my toddler lol. i lost 54 pounds
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    weight loss is 90%diet.

    If you want to look good, watch what you eat.

    If you want to look good naked, watch what you eat and exercise.
    BINGO!! :drinker:
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    I suppose I should add that being suddenly more active (i.e. starting exercising) has the effect on me of making sweet, fattening, or otherwise heavy foods really unappealing, so it is also easier for me to eat healthier if I've been exercising.
  • scottywor
    scottywor Posts: 140 Member
    I suppose I should add that being suddenly more active (i.e. starting exercising) has the effect on me of making sweet, fattening, or otherwise heavy foods really unappealing, so it is also easier for me to eat healthier if I've been exercising.

    That is so true, studies have shown that people who exercise, tend to take their diet more seriously. They make healthier choices, and keep weight off longer.

    Also exercise is will be needed at some point to keep weight off, whether anyone likes it or not, most people will have to incorporate some form of exercise for long term maintenance of weight. it is a full time job. Not just one you do for a short period of time. i would assume that most people here have had weight issues for most of their lives, ups and downs. Of all those down times how many people exercised? Didn't think so... so going back to what I said in the beginning, exercise, although not "necessary" for weight loss, doing it regularly helps to keep people focused, and make better more healthier choices in the long run... I m not talking a year from now, but YEARS from now.
  • amy_marlene
    amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
    thank you all for sharing your stories and opinions with me :))
    congrats to all of you who have successfully lost weight with or without exercising :))
    i don't want to be skinny- fat,but at this point i just don't want to be fat anymore. i want to reach my goal weight and i hope to get there with healthy eating. i'm definitelly going to start doing cardio and strenght training after i lose a bit of weight.
    thank you once again :))
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    I don't know about you all but I workout to:
    1. sleep better
    2. I make better food choices when I exercise
    3. Prevent diabetes and heart disease (#1 killer for women, right?)
    4. I like to do things outside like hike and garden
    5. My Mom spent 18 months fighting cancer. One of the ways to prevent cancer is to exercise
    6. Keep the immune system strong, I travel a lot for work and it really helps (darn germs on planes and I also work with germy college students)
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    thank you all for sharing your stories and opinions with me :))
    congrats to all of you who have successfully lost weight with or without exercising :))
    i don't want to be skinny- fat,but at this point i just don't want to be fat anymore. i want to reach my goal weight and i hope to get there with healthy eating. i'm definitelly going to start doing cardio and strenght training after i lose a bit of weight.
    thank you once again :))

    Plus, women starting at age 30 begin to lose bone and muscle mass. As my doctor tells me: "you don't want to be all hunched over when you're old, do you?"
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