Wow, thanks everyone. As per usual, you've all given very interesting and informed responses.
I especially like what memememe76 said: "If you see people on weight-loss forums "minimize" the importance of exercise, I think it's important to remember how hard it can be to initiate an exercise plan at your heaviest (whatever that heaviest is for the person). There is an embarrassment and shame that one has to overcome. But you can change your diet rather discreetly--it's harder to exercise in private.
Ideally, we should change our diet and exercise together--but if you can only do one, it's better than nothing. So, if you hear "80/20" comments and such online, it's more about people wanting other people to do *something* about their weight and less about de-emphasizing the effectiveness of exercise."
I hadn't thought of it that way, it makes sense.
I'm the kind of person who *probably* likes the gym - I say probably because there are still the days where I loathe going - and it might be due to the fact I've always been an active person (dance & soccer through childhood and continued soccer until early 20s) so i've always known what hard exercise feels like, I guess.
I try to get to the gym at least 4 times a week, hoping to bump it to 5 but again, those lazy/loathing days creep up - so I've been a little confused by the rebuffing of exercise around here and the thought crept into my head for a minute: "is it all for naught?" But I don't think it is, for me, I feel like the feeling you get after a good workout (whether it's gym, or sport, or walking, or gardening) is a tangible marker for your progress. You feel the burn, you know you've done something good. My friend put it wonderfully: When I'm done a work out, I feel like I'm covered in diamonds!!" Lol, Certainly I've never felt like i'm covered in crap after a work out, have you? With pure dieting alone, you don't really know anything until you check up on your scale once a week or whatever it is.
Another thing is that people think they will look silly at the gym. Out of place... afraid of ridicule?
Or, they got the idea that they aren't an athlete so exercise is not for them. I know I DEFINITELY got that message in HS (though I'm "old") If you couldn't win... you were worthless.
Now, I know... movement is movement - just do the best I can do. I don't have to be a cheerleader to do Zumba. I don't have to look perfect to dance, etc.
Some days I love exercise, some days I hate it, sometimes in have to force myself, sometimes it's so easy. I love how much better and stronger it makes me feel, but some days it's just a chore some days it's a joy.
I know I do better when I'm diligent about both diet, as in food intake, and activity.
Whether you start off just tweaking your diet or not, at some point you have to do some form of exercise if only to strengthen muscles that in most cases haven't done a whole lot of anything for awhile. Can you lose weight by diet alone? Of course, but if the 80/20 ratio is correct (and I think its damn close), then why not put forth 100% effort instead of 80% effort? Your 20% doesn't have to be the traditional gungho gym setting. It might be just parking further away when you go to the grocery store or getting up every hour to take a walk around the house or lifting cans of soup while you're watching TV, but it makes sense that you have to simply move a little to the best of your ability.
I think people who say they don't like exercise just haven't found the right kind of exercise for themselves. I hate getting up in the morning - always have - but I'll get out of bed at 5am to be ready for a 6am class that I enjoy. One poster said they swim and do things with family that she doesn't consider exercise...yet it is and if everyone could find that thing that is exercise but doesn't feel like exercise, wouldn't that be grand?
I admit I was not an exerciser in the past by choice, but I've come to see the tremendous benefit of it and have FINALLY found some things that I really feel good about after I do them. And the weight is dropping off at a better rate as a result. For those who haven't found their "thing" yet and want to, I wish you luck in the search!
I lost my first 60lbs without doing any exercise. Diet alone.
Now I exercise twice a day. Weight training or boxing and running.
Why?
Well, if you don't exercise you lose muscle with fat. Don't want to be called "gaunt" at goal...better hit the gym.
Cardio also does help with burning calories. Granted, not if you run a mile but my 12 miles last Sunday had an impact. And cardio is great for relieving anxiety and improving your general fitness (heart and lungs).
They say that if you incorporate exercise and dieting, you will lose weight AND keep it off. It makes sense if you think about it. If you're just dieting sooner of later you're going to slip a little and it's no one's fault but it's human nature. Old habits die hard. If you make a habit out of exercise, and stick to it, sure you might go back to eating in the old ways but at least the exercise will remedy you somehow because you're aiding your bones and muscles and working off some of that food. So I think that pairing up exercise and dieting is essential. Besides what if you lose like 100+ from dieting alone? Let's not forget the lose skin here people! I for one want to look good thin, not just be thin. But that's just me.
Besides what if you lose like 100+ from dieting alone? Let's not forget the lose skin here people! I for one want to look good thin, not just be thin. But that's just me.
Unfortunately excercise for the most part isn't going to stop loose skin. There's plenty of people on here that lost weight with excercise and still had large amounts of loose skin. There's just too many other factors that also effect it.
Unfortunately excercise for the most part isn't going to stop loose skin. There's plenty of people on here that lost weight with excercise and still had large amounts of loose skin. There's just too many other factors that also effect it.
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones on here because I've been toning up and loose skin isn't a problem for me. In fact I have very little to none.
I don't like having to force myself to do anything. It might be good for you but i resist it. If i don't feel motivated to do something, most of the time i give in and don't do it. I just hate the feeling of forcing myself to do things. I have to find a ways to make myself want to do it.
I'm dealing with procrastination about my work at the moment. And i had to take a couple of big steps to find a way to rein spire and motivate myself so that i don't have that feeling of forcing myself. Today was day 1 and it went well.
I weigh myself everyday and trust my diet to lose the weight for me. My diet works. Its all i can say. But if you are going through menopause, yep it seems it would be tougher, i.e. slower. And if you are insulin resistant again slower and tougher. But if you have a thyroid issues, as i do, then take medication and once stabilised your metabolism should be fine.
If you are having trouble shift weight at 200 pounds and you are not insulin resistant and you are sure your calories are low enough, maybe they have become too low. Many people who get that issue, find when they increase their calories they start losing weight again. This comment directed to the person above blondie. I mean if you are 200 pounds you do not need to be eating 1400 calories. IN fact, i would say you shouldn't. Its just easier if you eat more and it has a better result. Yes the scales go up and down daily and sometimes quite dramatically but there are so many good reasons for it and if they are going down over time, then its good. YOu are doing the right thing.
LIttle miss warhead, you are young. Your skin has more elasticity. But you've also got a way to go and that skin looseness may not show up for some time.
One of the reasons why i don't go exercise and find it hard to start sometimes, is because i'm depressed. Now of course i know that exercise helps with depression but most people who suffer from depressions have serious motivation issues. Doing anything is hard. And depression also makes you fatigued so that even walking down the street a little way can feel very very hard sometimes. you feel like you might be walking around with lead weights in your muscles. Its a really unpleasant sensation and if you don't have the support its virtually impossible to make yourself do stuff.
Exercise puts me in a blissful state of mind. After a good jog, I breathe better and I feel like I float when I walk lol. I can also tell my lung capacity is improving because I sing so much better now
I agree with the bum thyroid crowd! My body needs exercise to lose.
Before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I had no problem losing weight with diet alone. Then the two years leading up to and one year after diagnosis, I could only GAIN weight. No matter what I did, how low my calories went, or how much exercise I did! (In this time I ate at a calorie deficit and trained for and finished a speedwalking half-marathon.... All while not losing a single pound.)
After my dosage was upped and my thyroid numbers were finally in the correct range, I (at long last!) can lose weight-- but ONLY if I exercise regularly.
I have come to grips with the new reality. It is time consuming, can be tiring, and is expensive to be a gym member. However, I finally feel in control now. And because I feel in control again, it is much easier to feel successful at dieting and other arenas of life as well.
I think exercise has a slightly different relationship with weight loss for each person. I do not feel like it should be overemphasized. I also do not feel like anybody should be criticized for not being able to lose weight with diet alone.
I agree with OP that the benefits are great. But quibble on her use of language, nobody who is working to improve their own life should be called "lazy." Ever. Period.
Who's hating on exercise? I know a few people in real life who don't exercise formally but they stay active by walking a lot and playing with their kids.
What I can't stand is when someone takes the easy way out every time. Get up, sit around and drink coffee, get in your car or the train and just sit there. Take the escalator and the elevator. Use your lunch hour to sit around. Get home and plop in front of your tv. This type of lifestyle is half the reason Americans are dying.
Many days I go without exercising. But I walk to the market every single day. If I have to drive somewhere I park really far away and walk the rest of the way. If I have to go by train I get off one subway stop early and walk the rest, same on the way back. If I have a 45min meal break during work I eat and then walk the rest of the time. When I get home I don't turn on the tv. I don't watch my kid play at the playground, i'm climbing with him and going down the slide. If I do watch tv I make sure to get up for a few lunges every once in a while. I wear a pedometer and accumulate 10,000 steps on the days I don't exercise.
You don't have to exercise to be active. I despise shows like The Biggest Loser, they promote the idea that you have to sweat and huff and puff and puke in order to deem yourself worthy of losing weight. I hate the gym, I hate the treadmill. I like physical activity but I'm not willing to formalize it. At the end of the day I want to look back on the day and know that even if I didn't do formal exercise I was active all day long.
And truthfully, really hard core exercise makes me soo soooooo hungry dude. How can I focus on my diet when I'm starving?
Also I would like to add when your starting on a weightloss journey (especially a big one like 60+) it pretty darn daunting. You're changing the way you eat, that is a big change, hopefully it will change your life forever (atleast as far as I know thats most people's goal). Adding another component in like exercise can definitely cause people to give up. Okay todays the day, I'm going to live my normal life go to work, take care of my kids, change all my eating habits and work out an hour a day for 5 days a week. There is nothing wrong with focusing on one, because its not an easy thing.
My mom is one of those people (well, she doesn't "hate" on exercise, but she focuses on diet rather than exercise). She's never really enjoyed any physical activity. She has asthma and hates the outdoors. So for her, exercise is torture. It's something she tries to make herself do, but she doesn't enjoy it. She is much happier she takes care of her diet. I notice she has more energy, and obviously the weight loss is good for her health. I'd love to see her incorporate more exercise, but I can only imagine how dreadful it must be for her to get up and get on that elliptical they have in the basement.
