No exercise??

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tokidoki
tokidoki Posts: 7 Member
I love this group! Ive been reading posts all day. I have been listening to fat to fit radio for a couple months and I think Ive got the concept down, but today is the first I've heard of the metabolic reset. Ive been on MFP for a month and I have really been maintaining my weight this whole time. I'm 5'8", 181lbs and I've been eating 1750 calories a day since thats what the fat to fit calculator recommended. However, the first week on MFP I didn't alter my diet, I just tracked what I ate and I found I often ate very low, low calorie, like 800 or 1000 calories a day (mostly because of not planning ahead and not having access to food, not on purpose). This was interspersed with 2200 calorie days. I think I should try to reset to counteract the craziness I put my body through.

I have not particularly been exercising regularly but I am very, very out of shape so I want to work up slowly AND I'm in the process of buying a house on top of working full time with a 4 year old. I have little time to work it in and I was starting to feel bad about it. I decided a couple days ago that I was going to stop thinking about exercise at all to free up my mind until after the move in 3 weeks, at which point exercise will be easier to maintain for a variety of reasons.

So, my question is, if I start eating my TDEE without exercising at all, no walks more that 10-15 minutes twice a week and no real activity other than *sometimes* chasing around my daughter but even then I have no energy to really do much. Would I use sedentary calories? Light activity? Will this even work without exercising?

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  • nutritionwhiz
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    First of all - Good luck on your move.

    From what I have read sedentary is for people in wheelchairs or otherwise immobile so I would choose at least lightly active.
    Anytime, you create a deficit below what you need to maintain you can lose weight. Strength training helps to reshape your body and cardio may help move the process along, but cutting calories alone should work also.
  • mturgeon05
    mturgeon05 Posts: 204
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    I agree. I have a VERY sedentary job. On an exercise day I still only burn about 1800 calories and I am lightly active according to my Fitbit.I would definitely set to lightly active and give the reset a go! I also can not exercise frequently because of medical problems and it is working great for me. I am looking forward to getting back into lifting as I have definitely noticed a difference in how I look. So maybe you can take a little bit of time a couple times a week to lift (anything really) and/or do some bodyweight workouts. You don't need too much time or equipment.
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,376 Member
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    It really does sound like the reset would be a great idea for you...I agree with using at least the lightly active especially with having a 4yr old to play with (I have a 3yr old so I understand)...Just try to stick with it for the full 8wks if you can and remember to be Consistent with eating your TDEE amount every day...If you do take a walk on certain days don't eat back your exercise calories b/c that is already in the TDEE amount...You may see an initial gain but just be patient and give it a few weeks for your body to realize that you are going to continue to feed it and this process will work for you...Best of luck to you on your move!! :)


    ETA: When you start at your cut (-15%) after the reset is complete even without exercise you will be able to lose weight b/c you are eating below your TDEE at that time...And even the walks you do on occasion will help you a lot...
  • tokidoki
    tokidoki Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks for the help! Today is day 1 of my reset!
  • mphlab
    mphlab Posts: 187 Member
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    I am sedentary ( I might be between sedentary & light) becvause of a disability and I have lost 8.5 pounds so far on EM2WL. I am 44. If it can work for me - it can for anyone- good luck!If you need anymore friends who eat feel free to add me !
  • tokidoki
    tokidoki Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks again for the advice! I saw the logic behind calculating light activity over sedentary when one day into this I went swimming (for fun) for over an hour. You really do move more than you think!