To think I can lose weight exercising 5 x per week?

[SwimmingOnEggshells]

I fucking hate to diet. I'm short (5'0) so any of those apps tell me I need to eat 1200 a day which leaves me starving and I end up bingeing.

So I've started spinning at home 5 times a week for 35-45 minutes, high intensity and I'm a sweaty mess after.

Please tell me that by eating a normal, healthy diet with no major blips/binges AND exercising at this level of intensity will make me lose weight??

I want to hear your stories!

I agree with everyone, sorry OP! Also not to sound mean, but that isn't that much exercise. It's a lot compared to many people but we are all supposed to be doing 30-45 minutes of exercise to a level of intensity that leaves you breathless daily! So unfortunately you aren't doing a particularly high amount of exercise, just the minimum for health. It's depressing, I know.

But hey, try it. Don't do a diet if it's not your thing.

@SwimmingOnEggshells

Wow, thank you everyone for your replies. Hearing people's different experiences is great. I'm going to slog on for now and continue to eat healthy, nourishing food, no snacks, no cake and limited alcohol on the weekend and see how I get on.

If I don't get any results after a few weeks I might add in some weights.

@neverenoughchelseaboots I might set up a thread on the weight-loss section if you fancy joining me?

@SwimmingOnEggshells Yes! That would be fab.

I agree with everyone else. Even when I was running 4 or 5 days a week, often 10k or over, I didn't really lose weight unless I seriously watched what I ate as well.

We are the same age, OP, and very similar. Until last year I was cycling 150-250 km a week, and running twice a week up to half-marathons, plus riding and walking the dog and my weight went up and up and up.

I have been doing some version of IF most of this year and I've at last lost 1.5 stone, just a few pounds left to go. Either 16:8, which sounds like a good option for you, OP, as you would just have to have black coffee instead of the cappuccino, or 5:2 (nothing in the day but eating whatever I fancy for my evening meal (and that's sometimes a takeaway pizza)).

Both of these have been amazing for me, as there's no hassle for counting calories, no foods off the menu. I can have whatever I fancy, but sometimes I just have to wait a bit for it. Although it has also made me eat more fruit and veg incidentally. It's tricky to get into the habit, but so easy once you are! I can also exercise fine when fasting, although I didn't for the first few weeks, just to get used to it.

Don’t eat anything until lunch so 16 hour fast but weirdly don’t get hungry before then realise now my being starving before lunch was a carb crash 🙄
I agree, I never eat breakfast, just have a cup of tea then out the door for a 10 mile run, no food until lunchtime. Skipping breakfast is the easiest fast to do.
@SwimmingOnEggshells definitely continue with the exercise, it is good for the mind as well as the body. Once you get used to it you will get the endorphins. Sadly they don't come immediately for people not use to doing exercise which is why a lot of people give up doing it, but they do come eventually.

Another vote here for low carbing and seriously watching where the fork goes... I do 2 x hiit and 3 x strength classes per week and a long intense bike ride once per week. I weigh daily and hover around 69kg. I lose no weight unless I stop the carbs 🤷

I joined a gym about 6 weeks ago and used to go every other day. When I weighed myself I hadn't actually lost any weight but did appear to look a little slimmer. Apparently I'd gained "muscle" which weighs more. I'm only 5ft 3 so I know how you feel.
In the end I did an extreme diet and ate around 1,000 calories a day. This worked and within 2 months I'd lost 2 stone.
I guess you get used to the diet in the end and don't feel as hungry after a while.
I didn't miss food as I was quite depressed at the time.

Not "weeks" "6 years"

I had the same issues at 4ft 11. I started running doing the couch to 5k and didn’t lose any weight. I then joined slimming world (though didn’t follow it to the letter), and it was only then I started losing weight. Roll on six years and I haven’t followed slimming world at all for four years now and I run around 12 miles a week over three runs, and I’m over two stones lighter than when I started the couch to 5k.

I think for me a combination of diet and exercise lost me the weight but the exercise has maintained the weight loss without having to think about what I eat.

Chances are that unless.you watch what you eat as well, you're just going to eat those calories burned (which are far less than you think and you need to burn 3500 calories a week to lose a pound) and not lose any weight. You can't out train a bad diet, and weight loss is 90% what you eat.

I can lose weight through exercise alone. I'm 38 and not overweight but I can loosen trousers and feel lighter for sure. However, it's a lot of exercise and heavy duty. Long mileage on runs and heavy weights six times a week and sometimes a double work out on some days. It's the only way I can still eat chocolate and stuff. I HATE dieting!

I'm with flossletsfloss. I can lose weight through exercise, but I did need to work out what I was eating to make it work.
It turns out that if I don't exercise and just ate the amount of calories I needed to lose weight, I was always hungry. If I ran and ate pretty much what I wanted, I lost weight. But I'm lucky in not wanting to eat much sweet stuff or drink much alcohol.
But it did really help to work out how much I was eating in calorie terms, so I spent about a week putting everything into My Fitness Pal, which was very tedious.

I think the focus on weight is the problem.

Correct. People should be focusing on body fat %. If you are doing lots of exercise then you will be gaining muscle mass which is heavier then fat. A healthy diet and regular exercise regime should see your body change shape and tone up without necessarily losing a lot of weight.

If you are doing lots of exercise then you will be gaining muscle mass which is heavier then fat.

The effect of this is so over stated though. Doing "lots of exercise" as described on this thread, ie, 3-5 x per week 30 minute gym sessions, won't have you gaining muscle. For that you need to do serious heavy weight training and be a man. In fact even men don't gain muscle that easily.

FWIW I trained for a half marathon about 2 years ago (was 35) and was running around 30km a week. I was the thinnest I’d been in years and couldn’t eat enough calories to gain weight. I found I could eat whatever I wanted and the weight just fell off. I already don’t drink alcohol though. Sadly I put it all on again when I stopped training!

3-5 x per week 30 minute gym sessions, won't have you gaining muscle

Well, it depends on the exercise doesn't it. If you are doing low rep weight resistance work then you absolutely will put on muscle. Cross training or aerobic work will see initial gains as your muscle groups respond to the new regime but you will eventually plateau despite seeing improved cardio vascular fitness.

Well yes and no, your body composition might change slightly but you will not become heavy with muscle!

Anyway that type of work out is rarely mentioned on here. It's always "I walk my dog for 30 minutes a day, why aren't I losing weight?" Dozens of replies "OP you are gaining muscle!"

I lift weights, some of the women I train with are unbelievably strong, lift insane weights, physically they look no different to my friends that don't exercise at all.

Don't get me wrong, any exercise is good, I'm not knocking it. But there is a perception that many light exercises, like walking, are actually heavy intense work outs that will leave you looking like a body builder. Nope, you have to be a man and take drugs for that.

Reduce the amount of food you are eating and you will drop weight. But don’t reduce it for o 1,200 if you are starving.

I don’t count calories, but I also don’t snack. I eat 3 well sized meals. And then won’t eat for example after dinner even if I’m hungry. I’ve had 3 kids (youngest is 9 months) and I gain 23-25 kilos each pregnancy! But I manage to lose the weight each time barely doing exercise (other then walking and standing a lot in the park when I take my kids daily). I am the size I was pre baby. I think it’s bc I don’t snack.

Exercise has many physical and psychological benefits, but weight loss is not one of them.

I'm 4f11 diet does fuck all for me. If I exercise daily I loose weight fast.

Well yes and no, your body composition might change slightly but you will not become heavy with muscle!

In fairness I did not say you would put on weight just that you may not loose it quite as quick as you would like which is why I mention tracking body fat % instead. Anyway, I think we are pretty much on the same page as I too get a bit annoyed on here with some of the claims of doing loads of exercise when in reality that equates as a mild raising of the heat rate.

The women down my rowing club are terrifyingly strong in what they can squat, dead lift or their performance on an erg.

Cycling or running alone while great for your heart will not tone up your upperbody/waist. Keep your exercise varied. I swear weights are much more effective than cardio for improving your figure and metabolism

@SwimmingOnEggshells

I'm 39 but in my mind I'm 21!

Ballbags, you're all telling me what I don't want to hear. My BMI is currently 26 and I'd like to get down to 23, so about a stone to lose.

Anyone out there lose weight through exercise only?? Clutches tightly to straws

It depends on if you are exercising enough to create a calorie deficit. No one here can tell you if you are doing this. You have to work it out for yourself. Just anecdotal though, a lot of people find it works in reverse, ie they gain weight if they suddenly find themselves unable to exercise (through injury, eg) and carry on eating as they were when they were more active.

I swear weights are much more effective than cardio for improving your figure and metabolism

No, cardio is best for you heart, metabolism and weight loss. Not saying weight aren't important for building body strength but cardio is more important if you want to lose weight