Does exercise help with losing?

[mom2jjl07]

Has anyone found that once they incorporated exercise into your low carbing it helped with getting the weight off?

[Nancy LC]

Not me. I exercise for health though. I take a 30 minute walk most days.

[zeph317]

doesn't help me with weight loss but i know it's good for my heart and bones among other things, so i've been trying to be more active.

[Cocoatime]

It definitely helps me. I lose fat more quickly when I'm exercising. I think it has something to do with turning my metabolism around, or something. Not 100% sure on the mechanism. In the past when I've done LC with minimal exercise, I lose slower than LC w/ exercise.

[ktbrew]

Ugh, these responses aren't motivating at all. Been considering adding some exercise to my LC regimen in an effort to lose more weight (inches). I'd hate to invest the time and effort and then get stuck with no loss. UGH!

[mychele]

I am all about exercise. Not sure what type you are doing, but in general, it helps me. Also, it provides me with a new attitude which in turn helps me to stay motivated on taking care of myself and sticking to low carb.

I burn more for sure with exercise. Most of the time, if I can just not be swayed to eat carbs after my workout, I always lose weight with both.

[Liz53]

I burn more for sure with exercise. Most of the time, if I can just not be swayed to eat carbs after my workout, I always lose weight with both.


That's the thing, isn't it? Vigorous exercise makes you hungry and you want to eat more to compensate. Actually, I find my appetite is decreased immediately following exercise, but is higher the following day....as if my body knows I've burned fat and it wants to replace it. This does not keep me from exercising....I enjoy it and on balance it is helpful, but not necessarily for losing weight. Eating properly is much more influential for that.

[anglgrl]

Been considering adding some exercise to my LC regimen in an effort to lose more weight (inches).

Losing weight and losing inches are two different things. You can lose inches without losing weight (or you might gain weight if you add enough muscle).
To answer your question - no, exercise has not helped me lose weight. The inch loss has been mediocre.

[kaylakala]

I actually gained 5 lbs weight lifting but I lost almost 3 inches all the way around. Totally awesome!

[mychele]

I actually gained 5 lbs weight lifting but I lost almost 3 inches all the way around. Totally awesome!


Congrats. That is great! I hope to lose some inches soon in my belly.

:)

[bkloots]

in an effort to lose more weight (inches) I'm with the other poster who said these aren't the same.

Weight training will strengthen muscles and tighten up the parts--you'll lose inches because of the tightness and because of the density of the muscle, even with fat on top.

When the fat on top diminishes--voila! Great arms, great abs, great butt. Check the guns on the gal with the red hat. She's 58 (not any more, but still....)

Go for it. Weight training is the BEST adjunct to a healthy diet. Moderate cardio keeps your lungs and heart pumping. But pumping iron is the best.

[mychele]

I'm with the other poster who said these aren't the same.

Weight training will strengthen muscles and tighten up the parts--you'll lose inches because of the tightness and because of the density of the muscle, even with fat on top.

When the fat on top diminishes--voila! Great arms, great abs, great butt. Check the guns on the gal with the red hat. She's 58 (not any more, but still....)

Go for it. Weight training is the BEST adjunct to a healthy diet. Moderate cardio keeps your lungs and heart pumping. But pumping iron is the best.


Thanks:) So, right now I am in the phase of losing the fat because I was off the last few months on my diet. I am hoping that if I stay back on track and reduce carbs, I can shed the fat and just have some lean muscle..

Thoughts?

[Pinot-Girl]

Hey - great topic!!!

I lost more last summer when combining a lot of walking with LC'ing. This time around, I didn't do as much walking and the weight isn't coming off.

I have now started the walking - 40 minutes twice / day through the week to and from work, and more at weekends. Added to the fact I feel more energised with the walk, it's also a mental shift in being outside that I enjoy. I'm hoping now I've started my weekday walks again the inches and weight will start shifting. I tried a skirt on yesterday that last summer was loose and it was tight so I know I have some work to do!

PG!

[ojoj]

Fortunately,(cos I hate it) I lost and toned without exercise. What always fascinates me is the amount of energy and stamina I have if I ever exert myself - I can outrun my 18yo son and I can outdance friends and family and I'm a smoker (and fast approaching the dreaded 50) - that said, I certainly dont go to the gym, run, train or anything!

Jo xxx

[AnnetteW]

I have to exercise to keep my joints moving. Yet I can't overexert or I irritate a bad neck and get sore hips. It's kind of a fine line....but exercise is important.

The move you move the more you will always be able to move. You don't want to become old and feeble, with no muscle and walking around with a walker if you don't need to be. Just keeping active everyday is so important.

I have used a Fitbit for the past few years to track my daily burn. I'm not counting calories right now but if I walk and stay active during the day I will have a good caloric burn that day, versus sitting on my backside doing nothing.

Exercise is supposed to be fun too, find things you enjoy to stay active. My husband and I country two-step two nights a week and get a great workout. We walk the dog regularly and garden and such. Nothing organized, just regular daily exercise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oops, forgot to answer your question. Does it help with weight loss while low carbing? I don't know. I think moderate exercise helps me, but strenuous exercise does make me hungrier, but not till after a few days. I'm eating to my appetite though.

[Carson35]

I started doing the fat burn on the bike. We will see what happens.

[IvannaBFit]

Yes, it helps me tremendously -- weight bearing and dumbbell exercises, to be specific (eg: push-ups, reps). Running isn't as helpful for the fat loss itself unless I sprint, or sprint on an incline.

[gonwtwindo]

I'm sure it was key to me losing 60 lbs. I did a half hour in the gym and 45 minutes weighted walking (ankle and wrist weights) as near daily as I could.

I gained weight back a few years later - and with an injured back now, can't do those things. Have not been successful in trying to lose. I'm sure I would lose if I could go back to my routine with my previous vigor.

Throw yourself into it, but expect to put on 5 lbs of muscle (offset by eventual fat loss).

[Elizellen]

A member here used to have in their signature this Lowcarbing helps me look good clothed
Lowcarbing plus exercise helps me look good naked
;)

[TigerLily1]

Don't you hate it when the gym insist in giving you a free training session and you spend ages with a kid half your age who can eat his own body weight twice a day explainign to you how you should eat and exercise to lose weight !!

[Nancy LC]

I'm at the age where if I don't exercise, I'm going to find myself rapidly incapacitated due to muscle loss from aging, like my sister is (nearly).

My goal is to be able to stand up from the floor unassisted until I die. My sister lost that ability in her 60's.

[Merpig]

My goal is to be able to stand up from the floor unassisted until I die. . By that do you mean just not having to have someone give you a hand to get up? I lost the ability to get off the floor easily when I was young, fit and athletic 30. Shredded my left posterior cruciate ligament in a freak accident, and after surgery and a year of physical therapy regained much use of my knee - but anything that requires stress on a bent knee is pretty hopeless for me. Stairs are killer. I don't need a hand to get off the floor, but usually have to find something to pull myself up with. For most of the last 30 years I've managed pretty well though, but the last couple months my knee is really killing me. Until a couple months ago I was at least pretty good at walking, but now even taking my dog for a 10-minute walk has me in enough pain that I can hardly be on my feet the rest of the day! Heck, went to the pool for a swim the other day and even *swimming* had my knee in pain - my last frontier of exercise!

I'm hoping it's temporary. I've had bouts before where I was in pain - a few years ago I had to use a cane for all walking purposes for about 6 months - but it always got better. Even two years ago when I moved to Florida I was doing lots of walking and rough hiking to find some new birding spots I liked. Now walking to the mailbox is an effort. My son and DiL want to go to Disneyworld for my grandson's 4th birthday in September. We went there several times last year and walking all over the theme parks for several days was no issue. But as things are now I can't see how I could ever get around Disneyworld without a scooter - those things people always make fun of fat people for riding on. Grr, my other knee, which carries just as much weight if not more so (since I tend to favor the bad knee) is perfectly fine and I could walk all day on it!

Though in all my years of on-and-off low carbing I can't say that I ever found exercise helped at all in losing weight.

[Merpig]

Don't you hate it when the gym insist in giving you a free training session and you spend ages with a kid half your age who can eat his own body weight twice a day explainign to you how you should eat and exercise to lose weight !! :lol: where's the "like" button?

[TigerLily1]

You may laugh, this happened to me today, I was thinking, I should be open minded and go and see what exercises he'd suggest, but we spent an hour talking and talking about food and diet, he does agree about cutting starches, then he recommends I eat bananas to do my exercise :lol:

The he insists on giving me another hour session to go through my exercise routines as it seems am not pushing myself enough (which is true actually) but I just want to do some exercise for health reasons as well.

I believe exercise can help with weight loss, but one has to do quite a lot, like running a few miles every day, or working out for hours (ala biggest loser style) but who has the time to spend 3 hours in the gym every day? My problem I can only spare 30 minutes at lunch time for exercise (the rest of the lunch break is taken up by change of clothes showering etc) so I need to maximise the time I have, it would be good for firing my metabolism a bit and other health benefits, but actual weight loss, am not sure it would help greatly.

I know some people say the long workouts can stall you, but have you see long distance runners? Not an inch of fat on them, and they run and train long long hours.

[Liz53]

I know some people say the long workouts can stall you, but have you see long distance runners? Not an inch of fat on them, and they run and train long long hours.

Well, I've seen lots of long distance runners (the Houston marathon used to go within a block of my house and I'd be out at 7:15 am cheering them on). The leaders, yes, thin and sleek. The others, not so much. I would suggest those that excel at long distance running do so because they have great metabolisms that allow them to burn calories immediately for energy. But the rest of the pack could be just about any shape. Gary Taubes talks about people who train vigorously week after week and yet find themselves with a net gain.

Exercise can definitely help you lose weight as long as you don't eat more to compensate for the energy expended. Therein lies the problem.

That said, I do enjoy exercise and try to walk and/or do weights and/or pilates just about every day. And I figure it lets me eat a little more than I would be able to without exercising (but still in a deficit to lose weight).

[Cleveland]

I'm at the age where if I don't exercise, I'm going to find myself rapidly incapacitated due to muscle loss from aging, like my sister is (nearly).

My goal is to be able to stand up from the floor unassisted until I die. My sister lost that ability in her 60's.

This is a huge motivator for me. While there are some things we have no control over, getting fit and healthy is something we do. I would prefer not to have years of incapacity if I live into old age because I let myself decompemsate. Plus muscle burns fat like crazy, so what's not to love about weight training!

[Nancy LC]

And if you exercise too much, you'll lower your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate). So if you do exercise, do it in moderation. Don't hamster-wheel!

[Cleveland]

And if you exercise too much, you'll lower your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate). So if you do exercise, do it in moderation. Don't hamster-wheel!
Ha no worries there for me! I love Mark Sissons (marks daily apple)description of "chronic cardio" -something I don't do. I'm a heavy weights and sprinter (on low impact machines), and pleasure walker.

[Merpig]

Well, I've seen lots of long distance runners (the Houston marathon used to go within a block of my house and I'd be out at 7:15 am cheering them on). The leaders, yes, thin and sleek. The others, not so much. I would suggest those that excel at long distance running do so because they have great metabolisms that allow them to burn calories immediately for energy. But the rest of the pack could be just about any shape. Gary Taubes talks about people who train vigorously week after week and yet find themselves with a net gain.Yeah, my son used to read Men's Health magazine, and I remember an article they had once about a guy who was a triathlete and competed in Iron Man competitions, running a marathon PLUS biking and swimming, and this guy was 5'8" and weighed about 250 pounds, and no matter what he did he didn't lose an ounce. He was never the front-runner in any of these competitions. In fact he was usually dead last or close to it - but he did FINISH every race. He thought all the training for Iron Man stuff would drop the weight but it didn't do a thing.

And I had a friend once who broke a 10-month stall on low carb by adding 400 more calories to her daily diet and cutting in half the amount of exercise she did. After 10 months of no loss she finally began losing again when she made those changes.

Now I just have to find MY magic bullet to start losing again!

[CMCM]

I've gone back and forth on the exercise thing, but here's what I've decided according to what I myself have experienced: moderate, but daily activity definitely helps and no doubt about it. While you can exercise your brains out, I don't think THAT approach is helpful as it will increase your appetite too much. Mostly I don't think you can lose weight by exercise, I still think it's all mostly (maybe 80%) what you eat. So in the context of eating right, I think exercise moves things along better. It helps.

We are all far more sedentary that we realize, and I've modified my cardio workouts down from 45 min to an hour down to 20 minutes or so on the elliptical, incorporating one-minute high intensity segments (about 5 to 6 of them within that 20 minutes) as that is said to be just as effective as an hour of steady state cardio on elliptical or treadmill. More and more studies show this. Short but intense is SOOOO much more do-able and I can keep this up better than long sessions. And the intensity segments are challenging, but short, and you can put several minutes between each one. So this isn't horrible, you get used to it.

Then I also do a couple of 30-minute weight workouts about twice a week...lower body focus one day, upper body another day. As you get over 30, you lose muscle and then your metabolism gets slower because of that, and the result is that you put on fat more easily to replace the lost muscle. Weight work is essential to maintain muscle. This is VERY important, and if you keep up your muscle (and put back what you may have lost depending on your age), your weight loss efforts / maintenance of weight loss will be so much easier.

Muscle: Starting at age 30 most people begin to lose about half a pound of metabolism-reviving tissue each year. GONE, just like that! At age 50 the rate of loss DOUBLES to a pound a year. The average sedentary woman may have lost nearly 15+ pounds of muscle by the time she reaches her late 50's, a change that could cause her to gain nearly that same amount in fat. This is from the June 2013 Prevention Magazine.

All the weight work you need to do can be accomplished using dumbbells and done at home, so no excuses!

[Frederick]

Has anyone found that once they incorporated exercise into your low carbing it helped with getting the weight off?

It does, but only marginally.

Excercise certainly isn't the panacea all the "experts" espouse it to be. However, it is extrememly effective and beneficial when incorporated with an LC eating regimen.

For me, diet comprises of about 75% of the results and excercise about 25%.

[Firefly428]

sure it helps one lose weight. in the end exercise is extremely important for a zillion reasons for the old body.

of course the toning up/firming up makes one look leaner. nicer to be leaner than jiggle while ya walk :)

leaner appears thinner also. toned beats flabby.

exercise is important for many reasons from mentally to physically. plus it isn't all about treadmills and gyms. get out and move, simple as that. sports, walking, biking and a million other things.

[ktbrew]

I have started working out a few times a week for the last couple of weeks. I haven't seen much physical improvement but I definitely feel a lot better about myself.

[Cleveland]

Yes, it helps me tremendously -- weight bearing and dumbbell exercises, to be specific (eg: push-ups, reps). Running isn't as helpful for the fat loss itself unless I sprint, or sprint on an incline.
+1, except I do my sprints on a bike, rowing machine or eliptical.

[sarahnya]

Yes I think it definitely helps lose weight but take it easy if you are heavy and not used to it. I went to a kettlecise class several months ago when I was 17 stone and twisted my knee, it's still not quite "right" now.

I had good results with doing swimming and yoga 5 days a week, I wish I had stuck with it longer now as I don't think working out harder made me lose weight faster but I have noticed my overall fitness has improved and I can walk miles now.