A lady I work with has lost 35 pounds by JUST counting calories. She said she knows she needs to exercise, but just doesn't. Still, she stays between 1200-1400 calories per day & has lost weight - steadily, at about 1-2 pounds per week.
Anyone else have this kind of success?
I ask because I LOVE to exercise, but a particular injury won't allow that right now, and I've never been able to lose weight by JUST dieting.
I did this for a while and lost about 30-40lbs, and then gained it almost all back. Exercise makes weight loss more sustainable for me. But you can get the weight off with diet only.
I didn't see as many changes in my body, either. I was a lot leaner at 250 this time than I was at 250 when just eating low-cal foods. Of course, my low-cal foods weren't all that healthy, either.
Right now, I'm not exercising. Lack of time. I did start out exercising and found it easier to lose when exercising. I plan to get back to the exercise routine on Monday (when there is no school--I'll have an extra hour each morning cuz I don't have to drive DD to school).
I've done it without exercise and this time with...the difference for me is my size and muscle tone. At 158 with exercise, I am wearing size 8 Levis. At 155 without exercise, I was in 12s. I also see a real difference in my arms with light weights & some circuit training. My goal is to wave at someone and not have my arms keep waving after I'm done!
I've read countless times that weight loss is about 80% diet, 20% exercise. It all comes down to calories in v. calories out. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. The trick is knowing how many calories you burn, which (without professional medical testing) is only a guess, at best. But as long as you eat less than your body burns, you'll lose weight without exercise.
I've lost some weight before without exercise. I hate exercise. I hate sweating. I'm exercising now, but only because I wanted some faster results, so I figured I should burn some more calories. Also, as others have mentioned, while you can loe weight without exercise, you're more likely to lose more size-wise with exercise included (becuase you'll be burning more fat instead of muscle and doing more toning).
What is the injury you have? There are exercises you should be able to do with just about any kind of injury by just not using that particular part (unless, I suppose, it's your entire back or something).
I have a shoulder (re)injury and a back problem. I can walk, but not fast enough to make a difference (I don't have time to walk 6 miles, LOL). I will most likely be having surgery on my shoulder again, probably in a few months. I'm currently doing physical therapy. The only exercise I've ever liked was weight lifting. Last year I was lifting 30-40 minutes 2-3x/week and doing 45 minutes on the treadmill at high incline 4-5x/per week. I was at a happy 138 lbs, but still had 3 pounds to go to meet my goal. Then I hurt my shoulder. I've gained back almost all the weight I lost in about a year. Wearing 12's again, and they're gett'n tighter! I am eating healthy most of the time, and have gone back to eating three meals a day with two healthy snacks. A snack = banana or tangerine or handful of almonds (15 or so), etc. Usually for breakfast it's Oatmeal and coffee with lowfat creamer or a good cereal like Kashi Go Lean (lots of fiber & protein!) with skim milk. Sometimes eggs & a slice of toast. Lunch is usually a salad with Zesty Italian Free dressing, or a veggie delight on wheat from Subway. Dinner varies... a bowl of soup & a salad, skinless chicken breast & broccoli, thin-sliced pork chop and baked beans or green beans, etc. Sometimes I get a craving for popcorn or whatever, and I tend to give in to a craving because they're so rare.
I rarely eat fast food, rarely eat fried food, rarely drink anything but water, and usually I have 3 or 4 32 oz of water per day. My caloric range is usually between 1100-1300 per day. I don't think I should go lower than that.
I really don't think my problem is my eating habits; I just think that when I don't exercise, the weight is very stubborn to let go of me! But since I can't really exercise right now, I was hoping to find a way to tweak my diet to lose some of this flab. It's gotten to where getting dressed is no fun & terribly uncomfortable. And seeing my co-worker/friend lose weight by dieting alone, I had hope that I could do it too.
You should definitely still lose weight without exercise at that level of caloric intake as long as...
1) You don't have anything metabolic-ly wrong (low thyroid, e.g.)
2) The rare cravings you mentioned giving in to are indeed rare and very low in calories.
3) You are not totally sedentary. Take any opportunity you have for movement; it will add up and make a big difference.
You don't have to walk 6 miles a day to make a difference. ANY movement is better than none. I only do maybe 2 miles a day (30 minutes) and only walking (I hate running with a burning passion), but it's the act of being active that makes the difference
I've lost and maintained without doing alot of strict exercise, but I try to be as active as possible (walking whenever possible).
However, when I was actually hitting the gym 2 or 3 days a week, I felt alot more toned and in control of my weight - and able to enjoy a few higher calorie, but still healthy choices. Right now, I have a very sedentary job, and I still struggle with sitting for most of my day, 5 days a week.
When I was actively losing, I did exercise, but when I hit my goal I decided to take an exercise vacation......so far the "vacation" has lasted 4 months!!
I really need to walk for 1/2 hour every day but I am so busy and can't seem to get up early!
I am trying to lost a bit more weight so I won't gain too much the week of Christmas.
I know I will eat out and over at peoples houses so i thought I would lose an extra 5 lb and then have lots of Christmas fun gaining it back....lol!
Oh well, I have lost an extra 2 but I don't think I will make the 5!
Excersise is so much better for you and easier to lose than just dieting!
For Christmas I hope hubby gets me a manservant who will kick me out of bed every morning and make me walk!!!
(Or maybe if I'm real lucky, my new manservant will walk for me!!!)
I want to add in, that you CAN lose weight without exercise-BUT-there are a few things to consider:
~Statistics show that most people who lose weight and KEEP it off for life, DO exercise.
~You will look MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH better, bodywise, if you DO exercise. If you have a flabby, sagging rear end now...and you lose 20 pounds without exercising...it will still be flabby and sagging...just a little smaller. If you have arms with no muscle tone...or jiggly inner thighs...you will still have them if you don't exercise. You will be what I like to call a "skinny fat". You might be a smaller size...and maybe look okay dressed...but you still won't have a great body in underwear/swimwear.
If you want to have a great looking body...exercise is a must.
The weight I have lost to this point has been mostly without exercise. However, my weight has been at a stand still for a year. Now that I am getting back on the wagon I realize how important exercise is to my future sucess.
For Christmas I hope hubby gets me a manservant who will kick me out of bed every morning and make me walk!!!
(Or maybe if I'm real lucky, my new manservant will walk for me!!!)
LOL!
haha, manservents all round!
When I lost my first lot of weight (185-155) it really was just dieting alone.
But for the past couple years at this weight I have been on and off using the gym...and for me it actually doesn't effect my weight as much as dieting does at all.
Although like i think someone was saying, I definetely felt more toned, due to gained muscle...which made me physcially look better.
weight loss and exercise go hand-in-hand, on their own they do work but together they are a mighty team!!
I used to go to an aerobics class and could feel and see the difference and loved that i came out buzzing for the rest of the day.....well......i missed one session.....then another, and now i have not been since the summer....New year resoloution is to get back into going regularly.
Any counters here that DO NOT exercise?
I've gained back almost all the weight I lost in about a year. Wearing 12's again, and they're gett'n tighter!
I am eating healthy most of the time, and have gone back to eating three meals a day with two healthy snacks. A snack = banana or tangerine or handful of almonds (15 or so), etc. Usually for breakfast it's Oatmeal and coffee with lowfat creamer or a good cereal like Kashi Go Lean (lots of fiber & protein!) with skim milk. Sometimes eggs & a slice of toast. Lunch is usually a salad with Zesty Italian Free dressing, or a veggie delight on wheat from Subway. Dinner varies... a bowl of soup & a salad, skinless chicken breast & broccoli, thin-sliced pork chop and baked beans or green beans, etc. Sometimes I get a craving for popcorn or whatever, and I tend to give in to a craving because they're so rare. 
But since I can't really exercise right now, I was hoping to find a way to tweak my diet to lose some of this flab. It's gotten to where getting dressed is no fun & terribly uncomfortable. 
And seeing my co-worker/friend lose weight by dieting alone, I had hope that I could do it too.
