Eating whatever but upping exercise?

[NellyandKelly]

Hi everyone,

I'm so sick of dieting all the time and am considering trying something new. Basically, eating whatever I want whenever I'm hungry and then upping my exercise game.

I'm a grazer, I always have been. When I had jobs that involved me being on my feet all day (retail, bar work) I ate ten times as much as I do now but I was skinny as anything! Now I'm an office bod I barely move, but am constantly eating salads and depriving myself.

So, I'm considering really upping my activity levels (mainly using stuff on YouTube) and just eating whatever I want when I'm hungry. Has anyone tried this? Any tips for the exercises or good channels to subscribe to?

I did this and put on lots of weight! Gradually losing it with Slimming World now. I'm an active person, walk 4-5 miles a day, run 3 times a week, gym a couple of times etc. None of it works as a weight loss tool on its own for me. There's a saying 'you can't outrun your fork'. That was true for me.

As the saying goes in the fitness industry you can’t out run a bad diet with exercise. To loose weight you don’t have to actually exercise just be in a calorie deficit. Exercise is for strength and fitness.

I've taken up running again bit haven't been dieting or really trying to cut back the weight isn't really budging even although I'm running about 3 x5k a week, doubt it will work.

I think it depends on how much exercise you plan on doing and what type of exercise. I have been going to the gym for the last 6 months 5 times a week. I do a mix of cardio and weight training - usually 1.5 hours per session. I've lost a small amount of weight but my shape has changed, inches lost off hips, thighs, waist and arms. I can see muscle definition and I think that helps burn calories has the muscles require more energy that fat. I don't think it gives you carte blanche to eat just what you want though, one chocolate biscuit can be 150 calories - that's 15 minutes on the rowing machine. I've just finished a weights session that burnt just over 300 calories - so whole 2 chocolate biscuits (I've chosen a glass of wine instead!).

Exercise is great for your health (physical and mental) and can also help reduce boredom/emotional eating and cravings if those are an issue for you, but I think depending on how badly you are over-eating you may find you have to exercise a LOT to lose weight.

What kind of diet plan have you been following and what about it is the problem? Are you finding you are hungry during the day? Or is it that you are missing treats and snacks? The key to successful and sustained weight loss IMO is finding a 'diet' that fits well enough into your lifestyle and preferences that you can make it your way of life forever, so it becomes not a diet but just how you eat, if you see what I mean? For some people that's low carb, others 5:2 or calorie reduction or SW, but really whatever you choose you need to be able to stick at it in the very long term....

I think it depends on what you eat.
If you eat a lot of relatively healthy foods and exercise regularly you may lose weight
If you eat loads of junk , but exercise a lot you may not put weight on but you probably will not lose it

I don't think exercise (by itself) will enable you to lose weight.

Though if you want to give up dieting, doing exercise will be great way to help improve your health

They say weight loss is 20% exercise / 80% diet. So you can exercise as much as you want, but unless you address what you are eating then you are unlikely to lose weight.

I think there is a happy medium between living on salads and eating whatever you want which you should strive for and should be achievable with good exercise levels.

It’s possible but you need to do A LOT of exercise. To eat without restraint I need to be hitting mileage of 60k of hilly trail per week (equivalent calorie burn of 80-90k flat on the road) and a few weights sessions.

Today I did a 21k run and then walked for an hour total with ds to go to the theatre so I’d be unlikely to be able to out-eat that but it also took about 4 hrs in total so it’s not like I’m going to do that in the week.

As previously said, you can’t out train a bad diet.

This can work though, but you have to be very, very disciplined around how you interpret it. You have to only ever eat when you are hungry, and you have to stop eating at the first sign your hunger is satisfied (so when the taste of the food changes slightly). No eating when bored, no “I’ll just finish eating the whole sandwich cos otherwise it’s a waste”.

It most definitely is possible. I managed to maintain six pack abs whilst eating loads of fatty and carb heavy meals but I am a guy so that is easier for me.

The secret is to lift heavy, women won't get bulky without artificial hormones and I don't anyone here is doing that (it's a terrible idea) but any increase in muscle mass you put on means you burn more calories as you sleep because you increase your metabolic rate.

Burning calories in your sleep is the secret.

I know you can loose weight through doing just exercise because I'm always a lot lighter in the summer when I ride about 20 miles plus a day on my bike and swim most days.

What I'd say is that yes it can work but you have to be doing a lot.

I'd have another look at what your eating and try to find things that are filling you up more,like porridge and scrambled eggs etc.

Also that advise that's given to get off the bus a stop earlier etc to help with weight loss is just an absolute insult to intelligence. Unless its like 5 miles to each stop and you're doing it everyday,it will make f all difference.

I've lost over 3st this year with mostly workouts 6x a week

I struggle with dieting alone so i use mfp.