Can you lose weight without exercising?
Q. My frustration is that I have no time to exercise, yet I eat very carefully. Is it at all possible for an aging 45-y.o. man to diet himself to better health without any substantive exercise?
A. Depends on what you mean by "better health!"
It's absolutely possible to lose weight without exercising. If you take in fewer calories than you burn, over time you will lose weight. For that matter, it's possible to lose weight eating nothing but junk food. The same math applies: As long as you take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight--even if all you take in are empty calories.
Of course, it's a WHOLE lot easier to create a calorie deficit (and lose weight) when you do both: eat less and move more. (See this related post.) I would also argue that you will feel a lot better on a low--calorie diet if the calories you DO eat are nutritious. When quantity is restricted, quality becomes more important.
But, here's the thing (and deep down in your heart, you already know this): Weight loss is not the only reason to exercise. Regular exercise reduces your risk of heart disease, helps prevent against bone loss, increases insulin sensitivity (which reduces your risk of diabetes), lowers the risk of getting cancer, and increases the chances of beating it. And that's the short list.
The same points could be made about eating a healthy diet.
So, if your goal is simply to lose weight, you can do that without exercising and without eating a particularly healthy diet, although I don't recommend it. If your goal is "better health," regular exercise and a healthy diet is the ideal formula (but either would be better than nothing).
And making time for exercise may be easier than you think. It needn't take hours out of your day. Even a few focused minutes a day can add up to a lot of benefit. Check out Steve's fitness blog for more on how to get maximum results from even short workouts.
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Posted by: wes | Mar 25, 2008 6:06:06 PM
And lets not forget that if you just cut calories your body will go into starvation mode and actually burn muscles instead of fat.....this is from weightlossforall.com....This is the most common cause of muscle loss. When your calories are too low, your body goes into "starvation mode." Your metabolism slows down and your body actually burns muscle tissue to conserve energy. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, requiring a great deal of caloric energy just to maintain it. That's why your body will shed muscle if it thinks you are starving.
Posted by: Nate Atkins(www.healthandfitnessfocus.com) | Mar 27, 2008 6:28:00 PM
Right at the end of this post is the most important part. Saying you have no time for exercise is usually just a cover up for lazyness. If you are looking to lose weight and you really want this you will find a way to make room for even 20-30 min of exercise a day.
Posted by: MizFit | Jul 25, 2008 1:16:17 PM
I have a number of friends who HAVE and the number of calories they need to eat (or not eat really) to maintain the loss is SHOCKING.
I dont get it...
Posted by: runrun ukiuki | Aug 5, 2008 11:19:45 PM
Nice site!
Myself, I, more and more sympathetic to the people want to
go and take them to Please, please link
Posted by: rsteine | Oct 21, 2008 8:48:32 AM
some people have medical conditions and cannot exercise I find several of these comments belittling those of us that CANT. There is a difference between "no time", "don't like it", etc. and a permanent orthopaedic injury.
Posted by: d | Jan 16, 2009 3:21:53 PM
I have always been an athlete and at the age of 40 trained for a bodybuilding contest. However, foot and hip injurues (congenital) have caused my workouts to come to a screeching halt. I am gaining wt and getting flabby...not allowed any weight bearing exercises. So, I am now trying to maintain my wt without ANY exercise (not even walking long distances). I am not having any luck either....any suggestions as how to do this in a healthful way? Iam pretty freaked out cuz I wanted tomaintain healthy wt as I get older. thnx Donna
Posted by: Mimi | Jan 30, 2009 11:14:15 PM
I agree that saying that someone who has no time for exersize is a cop-out or excuse for laziness. I used to swim 18 hours a week for five years. On days I didn't swim I'd spin or work the free-weights or even walk and ride horses.
Four years ago I developed Swimmer's Shoulder and now cannot swim, cannot ride and certainly cannot work free-weights.
Some people have suggested running on a treadmill, that would be a great alternative however I have a terrible knee injury from high school cross country.
Never attempt to put people in a category. People are diverse and diversity needs to be recognized and respected.
Posted by: | Feb 10, 2009 6:23:42 PM
There ARE some people who are VERY hard working who don't have time to exercise. How dare you call it laziness when you do not know each person's circumstance
Posted by: bunkbedbitch | Mar 15, 2009 8:37:25 PM
this shits intense, all you have to do is eat less & exersise. and life will be sweet.
:D
Posted by: ricky trentham | Jun 6, 2009 1:17:49 AM
can you come and sowh me . who you lost 9 pd in a day that sound cool but i no i cant lost 9 pd in a day thank..........
