Fitness for weight loss - high vs low impact?

[edgeofheaven]

Group of my friends were chatting.

Friend 1: great shape, primarily does Pilates and a bit of Kayla Itsines type workouts

Friend 2: overweight, does HIIT/boot camp/kickboxing 3x per week

F1 says she does even though lower impact exercise burns fewer calories, she doesn’t get as hungry afterwards so can control calorie intake better.

F2 feels she wants to maximize calorie burn at each workout. But she definitely eats more than F1 which is why she’s not losing weight.

Do you think F1’s theory is correct? That choosing lower impact exercise is better holistically?

I’m trying to decide which path to take for myself. I have a bit of weight to lose (3-5 kg) and my gym offers a mix of all of these class types.

@KatharinaRosalie that’s the whole point!

F1 is saying it’s easier to diet if you’re not doing high impact workouts. So then you can do less calorie burning exercise to tone while you lose weight.

I’m asking if others have a sense that this might be true and if so then what’s the right balance of toning/strength workouts to go along with reduced calories.

I’m not F2! She indeed does hard core boot camps then eats loads as she’s “starving” and remains overweight.

I have some to lose, I do a mix of high and low impact but considering F1’s strategy now instead and just do less and eat less.

HIIT is better for weight loss than long easy workouts.
www.bbc.com/news/health-47242940

But if you then stuff your face afterwards, you won't lose weight.

You say you've been doing high intensity exercise - are you unable to keep yourself from eating the contents of your entire fridge afterwards? Do you eat all calories back? If that's not the case, then swapping it to pilates won't help. (Personally high intensity does not make me hungry, quite the opposite, can't stomach any food for quite a while)

I don’t have a huge amount of weight to lose Katharina. I’m not stuffing my face.

I feel like you’re not reading my posts correctly. I’m trying to get back into shape post baby. I don’t have an overeating problem.

Yes I am a little confused, as your main reason for not doing high intensity exercise seems to be that Friend 2 gets very hungry after theirs?
If you don't get hungry after intensive exercise then I personally would not swap for less intensive ones, if you want to get in shape faster.

My advice would be to do what you enjoy. If you like doing something you're more likely to stick at it. Try and vary your exercise too. Not all high intensity. Mix in some strength, stretching and conditioning too. But really for weight loss you have to have a calorie deficit. Eat less. It's very easy to over estimate the calories burned through exercise and under estimate the calories consumed. Good luck!

@SarahGod19 can I ask about the deficit. Mine averages about 600 cals a day - sometimes more - is it too much?

My hospital consultant (for a condition that means I need to lose weight to help control it) suggested nothing that massively builds muscle as it makes you hungrier after a workout and negates the calorie burn.

My hospital consultant (for a condition that means I need to lose weight to help control it) suggested nothing that massively builds muscle as it makes you hungrier after a workout and negates the calorie burn.

Interesting.

I know you are asking more about exercise than diet, but I find that a mixture of cardio (mainly treadmill and cycling), some weights, especially stuff that targets abs and arms and a low carb diet is a great combination. I also do yoga a couple of times a week. I find with the low carb, higher fat diet, I don’t get hungry regardless of exercise.

Good luck with the weight loss after your baby. I found I had to re-think things a bit post menopause 😊🧘‍♀️🏃‍♀️

makes you hungrier after a workout and negates the calorie burn. - being hungry does not negate calorie burn. Eating too much would.

I obviously meant if you then eat after the workout. If you feel hungrier then you can easily over eat and therefore cancel out the calories burned. Didn’t realise i would need to spell it out.

I recommend swimming and walking. I swim up to 5 hours a week, and walk 8-12 miles a day. I usually walk 4 miles an hour (this isn't for fitness, it's part of my life.
I've lost 5 stones from my heaviest weight in 2011, and my body looks almost the way I want it to, though I've accepted it's never going back to the way it used to be when I was young.
Re your appetite following exercise, you need to factor that in to your day. If you feel very hungry after your workout then have your main meal with a decent portion of protein after it. If you think you're going to be tempted by the vending machines then have something prepared.

Yes I am a little confused, as your main reason for not doing high intensity exercise seems to be that Friend 2 gets very hungry after theirs?

I have already said I play a high impact sport as a hobby 5 months per year and didn’t experience much weight loss during the season. Then after this conversation I noticed that I also get very hungry when I’m very active and wondered if I was just eating back the calories.

I’m off season now and wanting to make some changes, diet is part of it but also perhaps a different type of workout that despite being lower impact could maybe be a better holistic choice.

I started 16:8 2 days a week (my doctor advised me not to do more than this for a health condition I have) about 6 weeks ago so dealing with the diet part already.

@Alpacathebag this topic seems to bring out some less than pleasant people! I’ve been treated like a food addict who doesn’t know anything about exercise. When actually I’m really sporty and active just still carrying extra weight from my babies

Was Friend 1 previously overweight/flabby? And did she lose weight on this exercise regime? It’s possible I guess, but I suspect that it’s more likely that she’s always been slim and this happens to be her preferred form of exercise.

Was Friend 1 previously overweight/flabby?

She says that she was but it was before I knew her.

I agree OP cardio makes me hungrier constantly so unless I’m training 4-5 times a week I have to watch what I eat

I’ve done long term high impact cardio and in my late forties have a number of cardio related injuries which will probably cause me arthritis problems later in life

On the flip side my heart health and fitness levels help keep menopausal tiredness at bay and give me lots of energy

Both in moderation is probably the answer but cardio fitness is important in later life

@edgeofheaven I agree. I know I don’t have the best diet, but my weight gain is largely due to an incurable medical condition. I am treated as stupid by people all the time, including some medical professionals.

Also I agree with @catwithflowers about the mixture of exercise. I largely follow slimming world, but on a lower carb basis and mix that with low impact exercise. I use the cross trainer and stationery bike for cardio and the rowing machine for full body resistance work out and some yoga for flexibility etc.

this topic seems to bring out some less than pleasant people!

Really?

I think you'll find that people have been trying to work out what your issue(s) is/are, and have been trying to help you.

The famous saying goes "!abs are made in the gym, you can't out-train a bad diet"
I do a mixture. running, swimming, cycling and yoga.

Swimming makes me hungry. Running reduces my appetite. there is no logic to that.
Running tones my legs and abs and burns fat. Swimming tones my arms and back. Yoga stretches everything out nicely and helps prevent injury.

Find what works for you. It has to be something you enjoy or you won't stick to it.

i meant abs are made in the kitchen. whoops

I would do a mix. Yoga/pilates also work on balance, core stability, strength, flexibility-- all are important. I had a baby 6 months ago had a c section so could only exercise after 12 weeks - I put on so so much weight in the pregnancy and down to 3 dynamic yoga a week I've lost a stone in a month... my waist is a lot slimmer again and I've only got a little bit of flab on my tummy. I can't do high intensity as it aggregates my pelvis (very severe pain in pregnancy and hasn't resolved)

I would do a mixture if I could.

@BIWI when I said I want to lose 3 kg I was asked if I find myself unable to resist eating the contents of my fridge!

... because lots of people have been pointing out the same things to you?!

a) that diet is more effective than exercise when it comes to weight loss

and

b) you can't use the calories that you've burnt by eating more food!

No-one was actually saying that you do eat the entire contents of your fridge. And nobody was being unpleasant. But yet you write a blanket post implying that this thread/posters have been unpleasant to you.

Whereas people have just been trying to help you with their questions and explanations.