Weight loss by diet alone?

Options
a7percentsolution
a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone! I initially posted this question on Yahoo Answers and have yet to get a response. I don't know why I didn't just come straight here and ask ACTUAL users of MFP :P

I started using the app last week and I must say I'm surprised at how FUN it is to track what I'm eating and maintain my calorie intake. Since I started I've sworn off fast food, carbonated drinks, and pretty much anything else that I know would eat up my calorie allowance with just one bite. Now I eat mostly salads and fruits, the occasional onion bagel with cream cheese in the morning, and snack on one or two oatmeal raisin bars per day (no more). There is little variance from this so far, except for some 4th of July foods which I kept to a bare minimum. And even then I still managed to stay within my limit. As for water, I'm drinking at least 12 cups a day, often more. Likely because of the increased water my appetite has gone down and I've even put a stop to eating anything past midnight.

As you know, when I close out the day it tells me the projected estimate of what I'd weigh in a month. According to this new diet it says that I could weigh about 15 pounds less... just in one month's time. Is this possible purely through a shift in diet and monitoring my calorie intake? Set aside exercise for now, I'm working on that too, but I'm just curious if the diet alone can really get results that fast and so simple. Makes me wonder why people go nuts about special diet pills and whatnot.

If you must know, I'm 29, I weigh about 241 right now, I'm 6'0", and my daily calorie allowance is 1640. My goal is 200 pounds and if MFP is even close to accurate it seems like that goal is possible well before the year is over!

I appreciate any helpful comments you have, I'm psyched about this!
«1

Replies

  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Options
    Yes it is probably possible, especially if you are quite overweight to begin with. But I would still exercise anyway, there is no reason not to plus this will improve your cardio vascular system in ways that simply decreasing the scale weight will not do. Weighing less is great, but overall health is more important and exercise is vital for that.

    Lifting weights will ensure you at least retain some muscle mass and won't look like crap at the end of it!
  • a7percentsolution
    a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
    Options
    Oh no doubt, I'm not discouraging exercise at all. I was just asking about the diet aspect of it. But yeah I'd have to say I'm quite overweight but certainly not past the point of no return. However I tried jogging yesterday and it was exhausting. So this is going to be a slow pathetic start. But something is better than nothing.
  • kturner2012
    kturner2012 Posts: 15
    Options
    As someone who has lost weight by diet alone, I don't recommend it! Although I was extremely happy with the numbers on the scale going down along with my sizes, I now contend with loose skin. Now that I'm at my goal weight, I'm still not happy with my body. Loose skin is something a lot of people experience, but I truely believe that I could have avoided at least some of it if I had been exercising along with dieting.
  • a7percentsolution
    a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
    Options
    Yikes, that's actually not something I thought about. I naively assumed that my body would just suck in, lol. Well, one more reason to exercise then, but as I said I was never considering just losing weight by diet alone. It was a stand alone question but exercise IS there! So no worries :)
  • KourtneyP83
    KourtneyP83 Posts: 319
    Options
    I lost the 1st 75lbs without exercising. Then I started exercising and didn't lose anything for about 4 months...now I have lost 10 more lbs. My body has changed throughout that time though. I don't know that that was the right thing to do, but it's what worked for me. I know that my body couldn't handle riding a bike 5 miles quickly 85lbs heavier like it can now...but that's just me.
  • umer76
    umer76 Posts: 1,272 Member
    Options
    You can lose weight just by diet control as well. But it will be a slow process. In last 3.5 months I have lost 27 lbs just by calories deficit. If you add exercise to your diet control that is a very good combination. But one cannot say that people cannot lose weight if they do not do exercise, it is possible.
  • Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim
    Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim Posts: 267 Member
    Options
    :drinker:
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    Options
    Yes it can be done.
  • melbaby925
    melbaby925 Posts: 613
    Options
    I actually had to prove this could be done when I broke my foot last year & sprained my ankle and was off my feet for 12 weeks. I'm now completely convinced the statements of "Food is 80% of body composition" statements that I see out there.

    I lost 8.9% body fat just by eating.

    I eliminated all processed food, cut sodas, and then found out that I had a wheat/gluten thing going on, so I went primal. I consider it an accident though - because I didn't set out to actually GO primal on purpose, I just was searching for recipes and fell into the nom nom paleo site and was hooked. I used to love all things cupcake and taco bell and had no intention of giving it up, just living in moderation. Happiest accident I've ever had!

    That was a long answer just to say Yes! It's possible.

    I also lift, hike and walk with the dog, and have recently added sprint intervals to my walking since I love to run (go figure).
  • Jay_Jay_
    Jay_Jay_ Posts: 194 Member
    Options
    I couldn't handle the stress of exercising and changing my entire lifestyle at 469 lbs, so I focused on the nutritional aspect of it first. After my first 130-140 lbs I started adding in walking, down about 175lbs now and I walk 4-5 miles a week, sometimes more. In September I will be starting to lift as well. I wish I could have done it earlier, but it just wasn't something I could do physically or mentally at the time. If you can do it, then good on you. Otherwise, its true what they say, weight loss is 90% diet, 10% exercise.
  • Mmmporkrinds
    Mmmporkrinds Posts: 192
    Options
    I found jogging hard, but after a few weeks of regular fairly intense indoor strength/cardio/abs (I used Jillian Michael's 30 day shred), it was suprising how much easier jogging was (even though the cardio in the 30 day shred is really a small amount). I think developing more strength helped (not just fitness).
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Options
    Totally doable.. but you will look way better naked if you add exercise.
  • dittmarml
    dittmarml Posts: 351 Member
    Options
    The answer is yes, of course, this is about calories in vs. calories burned and if you burn more than you take in - yada yada yada.

    That said, exercising as you go is better; you will be losing muscle as you lose fat and exercise will help maintain/build it, and improving your all-over level of conditioning.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Options
    Yes, possible. For weight loss in it's broadest sense the deficit can come from either source - less calorie intake or more calories burned. Regardless of which side, or what ratio mix of the two, the same deficit should technically result in the same weight loss.

    However, and this is a big however, the mass lost can also come from multiple sources, and studies show that a diet-only deficit tends to result in a loss of both fat and muscle mass, which is why lots of protein and a good lifting routine are usually recommended. Hope that helps!
  • a7percentsolution
    a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
    Options
    I lost the 1st 75lbs without exercising. Then I started exercising and didn't lose anything for about 4 months...now I have lost 10 more lbs. My body has changed throughout that time though. I don't know that that was the right thing to do, but it's what worked for me. I know that my body couldn't handle riding a bike 5 miles quickly 85lbs heavier like it can now...but that's just me.

    That's kindof how I feel now, that I'm carrying too much weight to allow me to exercise effectively. I'll still try and do whatever I can so I can get used to it, but I don't expect I'll do any real exercising (like jogging a mile) until I get about 15-25 pounds lighter.
  • Romans624
    Romans624 Posts: 822
    Options
    Diet is such a large factor of what determines your weight that I would say yes its definitely possible. Especially since every time you realize how many calories are in something you react by lessening your consumption. Awesome and what mfp is meant to help you learn. Adding exercise will only accelerate the loss, help your heart, build muscle (if applicable, or preserve it), and make it less likely that you will have loose skin. You are young tho so you will probably be fine with that :)
  • a7percentsolution
    a7percentsolution Posts: 29 Member
    Options
    While the blunt honesty is a bit shallow I can't deny that's my primary goal, lol. (in response to trophywife)
  • alasin1derland
    alasin1derland Posts: 575 Member
    Options
    Plug what your doing in here and see if it works out the same. Very cool tool to play with to try different calorie amounts and set some future goals.
    http://www.losertown.org/eats/cal.php
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
    Options
    While the blunt honesty is a bit shallow I can't deny that's my primary goal, lol. (in response to trophywife)

    lol it's everyone's to some degree. I read somewhere not too long ago that diet = looking good in clothes - fitness = looking good naked and said hmm.....
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    Options
    I know from experience. If you start exercising now and get in the habit with something fun that you like, once you reach your goal weight, you probably will never have to diet again unless you go ape-s**t with eating. When I did aerobics 5 days a week and walked up an down a steep (3 miles round trip) hill, I never had to worry about what I was eating. It's not until I injured my back and could no longer exercise that I started gaining...and gaining.

Categories