Losing more weight NOT exercising???

[SleeveToBypass2023 1,907]

So I noticed that when I miss 2 or 3 days of exercising (my granddaughter was just here from another state this weekend and my work out schedule kind of went by the wayside) I actually lost 4 pounds. In 3 days. But when I work out, I tend to hold on to whatever weight I'm at and fluctuate by a pound here and there. I like working out, but I'm confused why I lose more weight when I don't do it versus when I do. Anyone else experience this? My work outs are twice a day:

25-30 minutes on the treadmill on 3.5 speed and 3.5 incline

15-20 minutes on bike at resistance 13

50 stomach crunches

50 sit ups

Typically I do the longer times in the morning and the shorter times at night, because by the end of the day I'm just too tired to do the same longer time that I did in the morning. Am I doing something wrong with my workouts, or does my body just not like to do it?

[kcuster83 1,503]

hmmm I don't know the answer.

However, I have not exercised at all so far. I find it hard to get motivated to exercised when I am already loosing weight so rapidly.

I am generally way less lazy though. I don't just come home from work and lounge on the couch. I do random stuff, park further away when going places. Take the steps more. I live in the city, so I walk places more rather than driving a mile away and looking for parking... all that kind of stuff

[ShoppGirl 3,424]

I was told that exercise is important for your overall health and to aid in keeping weight off but it doesn’t really contribute THAT MUCH to weight loss. The biggest majority is diet. Perhaps you ate less while you had company and maybe you even did more activity around the house or around town than you normally do because you had company? I honestly don’t know, just speculating??

[Recidivist 1,141]

6 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

I was told that exercise is important for your overall health and to aid in keeping weight off but it doesn’t really contribute THAT MUCH to weight loss. The biggest majority is diet. Perhaps you ate less while you had company and maybe you even did more activity around the house or around town than you normally do because you had company? I honestly don’t know, just speculating??

Exactly right. You will lose weight whether you exercise or not. Personally, I did essentially no exercise at all for two years after surgery. I considered an exercise regimen as "Phase 2" of my overall health plan, which I started in year 3. I'm getting more toned and have more strength, but the impact on my weight even at this point is minimal.

[RickM 1,747]

There is some Water retention associated with exercise, particularly if you continue to challenge yourself and increase things over time, as inflammation occurs where tissues are rebuilding themselves after the exertion, and inflammation requires......water. So, yes, it is not unusual to see such things, particularly when people increase the amount of exercise they do in an attempt to boost their weight loss rate (and get the opposite effect, at least temporarily.)

As noted above, exercise is great for your overall health and longevity, but doesn't seem to make a big dent in weight loss (the experts are still debating exactly why that is!) at least at the relatively moderate levels that most of us are working at.

[Splenda 251]

1 hour ago, SleeveDiva2022 said:

So I noticed that when I miss 2 or 3 days of exercising (my granddaughter was just here from another state this weekend and my work out schedule kind of went by the wayside) I actually lost 4 pounds. In 3 days. But when I work out, I tend to hold on to whatever weight I'm at and fluctuate by a pound here and there. I like working out, but I'm confused why I lose more weight when I don't do it versus when I do. Anyone else experience this? My work outs are twice a day:

25-30 minutes on the treadmill on 3.5 speed and 3.5 incline

15-20 minutes on bike at resistance 13

50 stomach crunches

50 sit ups

Typically I do the longer times in the morning and the shorter times at night, because by the end of the day I'm just too tired to do the same longer time that I did in the morning. Am I doing something wrong with my workouts, or does my body just not like to do it?

I think there are two parts to it.

1. As someone mentioned, exercise tends to increase Water retention as muscles hoard it to help with inflammation.

2. Part of weight loss stalls is that your body adjusts to your routine. When you stop exercising for a few days, you change the routine, forcing your body to re-evaluate.

I've experienced the same phenomenon with my exercise and have decided that I will live with the slowed down weight loss to be in better overall health (my blood pressure and resting heart rate numbers are great).

[liveaboard15 1,292]

[The Greater Fool 1,971]

This is another place where the scale is just not helpful.

Even considering a change to exercise routines or food plan levels because of a number on a scale is... well... self defeating.

The exercise is healthy, it's making a healthier you. Your food plan is healthy(ish) and it's making a healthier you. But the scale is giving you the message something needs to change.

Imagine not having the scale, you would be following your exercise plan and food plan knowing they are the appropriate course for you. You would be getting healthier. You would feel good about the habits you are building. No scale to make you crazy.

Life is better without a scale.

Good luck,

Tek

[SleeveToBypass2023 1,907]

Thank you everyone!! I really appreciate it so much. I like the exercise I do and really don't want to change it. I may hold back on increasing anything else, though. I work up a good sweat now and feel great afterwards, so I think I'll just stay here for a while. I'm still trying to get my eating right (I eat too little and have major issues when I try to eat what I'm supposed to because I'm paranoid I'll gain weight...I found a therapist for that, so I'm starting to work on it, too). I honestly didn't know any of the things you guys mentioned about the inflammation and Water retention and all that. That's why I love this forum. Thanks again!!

[Arabesque 6,565]

Could just be how your body works & how it reacts & respond to different things. I sometimes weigh more after I poop than I do immediately before - weird.

Yes, exercise only contributes 10-20% of the weight you have to lose (though I read recently it’s only 5%). Personally I never exercised throughout the my whole weight loss journey & I lost all & more of my weight. I’ve tried all sorts of exercise programs over the years. Never really enjoyed any of them & they never helped me lose or maintain weight. Hate sweating & have never reached that exercise high people talk about. Never felt great like you do just icky & exhausted. More likely to have a drop in my blood pressure & a hypoglycaemic episode. ☹️

I do a few minutes of gentle stretches at night more for my back than anything else. Wouldn’t burn 20 calories 😆. I do do incidental activities like park further away from where I’m going, take stairs not the lift, make multiple trips up & down my stairs when I could do it in one or two trips, etc. but that’s it.

Yes, I know there are lots of benefits to exercising and with all things you have to do what is best for you.

PS - Glad you’ve found a therapist.

Edited July 12, 2022 by Arabesque

[KarenHoule 4]

Hello, I am new aboard; I feel the same stress and fear of not gaining weight. Tell me, pls, your therapist.

[RenyNicke 0]

You lose weight more when you eat less; this is the only way it works. You can’t lose weight when only exercising, for sure. Do you watch your eating? Do you have a diet? Do you follow it? I think she is essential for losing weight. Exercise is good, and it shapes your body well. But it burns calories so slowly that it is not an efficient way of losing weight. I suggest you choose a good efficient diet and don’t do so much exercise if it had for you. More healthy suggestion for helping to lose weight here on Orlando Magazine

Edited November 9, 2022 by RenyNicke

[katdfitness 11]

When working with clients I would ask them a simple question Do you want to lose 20 lbs or do you want to look like you lost 20 lbs? This always helped me get a snapshot of their thoughts in the fat loss zone. Which is more important to you - The scale weight or a smaller pants size?

After my surgery I had a lot of mental work to do on this! That weight can come off so fast at first but when I added strength training, I have been able to increase my metabolic rate which will help me maintain my losses in the future.

[ChunkCat 707]

There is some data I've read that says that aggressive working out can release stress hormones, particularly in women, which can slow weight loss. This is not the sort of working out that you enjoy, but really pushing hard in the gym with HIIT and not properly recovering. Me personally, I have enough stressors to add another one. So I'm inclined to do what workouts feel good and that I enjoy, give myself break days when I need it, and leave the hardcore workouts to those who like to put in time at the gym and don't mind stressing out their bodies. I get enough sympathetic activation in traffic. 😂