cutting calories without exercising

I was wondering has anyone lost weight just by cutting calories but not exercising.  I want to lose 20 lbs, however I hate to exercise.  I am just starting to work on cutting my calories and I hope to lose the weight, but without excersize.  If you have lost weight this way how much did you lose and how long did it take.  Thanks for you input.

yes you can lose weight this way but it's not ideal since you will lose a greater proportion of muscle mass than if you incorporated weight lifting while reducing calories.

you lose 1 pound for every 3500 calories regardless of how you create the deficit.

Diet is 80 percent, exercising is 20.  There are many benefits to working out, not just weight loss.  But yes, you sure can lose weight without it.

I don't work out, and so far I have managed to lose 17 pounds (Started in August).

Exercise allows you to eat more, but not just because of actual calories burned in the workout session:

**You maintain more lean muscle mass, which ups your metabolism.  So you burn more calories at rest when you work out regularly**

You don't have to exercise but you should try to find some activity that you enjoy that gets you up and moving around.  You don't need to do this for weight loss but you should do it for your health.

Hi Moon77.  I'm the posterchild of not exercising and still losing weight.  I started mid august at 205, and am down to 179 this morning.  I have excercised maybe 7 times total, only on cheat days, just because I'm otherwise too busy (I'm a law student, full time swim coach, and part time legal assistant).  This being said, my activity level is moderate (coaching=lots of standing and walking around; law student=lugging lots of heavy books).  

However, I'm going to echo what those above me have said: This isn't the ideal way to do things.  I know that I'd probably have lost more inches if I'd been working out during this whole time. I also wouldn't have plateaued the last two weeks of October. My game plan: get down to my first goal weight of 165, then start building in the exercise.  Hope this helps, and good luck.

Oh my god excercise. At least walk. Your body is made to move.

Original Post by raynsong:

Oh my god excercise. At least walk. Your body is made to move.

 i have to agree with this one.. its healthy for you and makes you feel great.. even a walk as mentioned.

I am the poster child for "hates exercise but does it anyway".  I really believe, as others have already said, that it is critical for our health to move more than our high-tech lifestyle forces us to.  Many credible studies show that it is far better, from a health standpoint, to be fit and fat, than un-fit and not-fat.  Of course, the gold standard is to be both fit and not-fat, but given a choice, choose fit over thin.

Find an activity that you tolerate and start doing it.  It doesn't have to be the gym, or running, or swimming -- something that you identify as "exercise", although those are all great things.  It can be heavy gardening, active housework, walking, dancing, skipping rope, playing volleyball.  Anything that gets you and your heart moving will work.  Over time, if you do it steadily, it will make a big difference in your health, it will make it easier to lose weight, and who knows, you may actually come to enjoy the activity itself.

If there is no exercise that you can imagine yourself doing, buy a pedometer and try to work up to 10,000 steps every day.  Make it a game.  Park a few blocks from your destination.  Take the stairs.  Get off the bus a few stops before your destination.  Walk around the block before dinner.  Every step helps you reach your goals.

You can lose weight without exercise but you won't be as healthy and you'll never look as good as you will with exercise. Especially weight training, without it you can't achieve the 'toned, lean' look.

I have lost weight when I was younger without working out.  Now at 39 I find I need at least a half hour to maintain my weight.  But I do like running.

Good Luck.

Moon777, I didn't see your age on your profile, but as a woman, one day you will need to be aware of bone loss that comes with age.  Weight bearing exercise is one of the best things you can do to prevent this.  Besides, muscle is sexy.

yes, but it was very slow and takes patience.  I can't exercise much because of medical problems.  It has taken me 3 years to lose 50 pounds.  That's a long time, but it's staying off, which is what's important.

Hello everyone, thanks for your responses,  Maybe I will try to at least walk a little everyday, maybe if I do it enough I will start to like it.  I do want to be healthy and look toned.  So I do agree with everyone.  I just need to get in the right mindset and do it.  Thanks everyone.

Moon, I can relate to that and have to admit I hate exercise, too, so I don't.  I've lost 41 pounds since May 23rd.  Because I'm sitting at my computer about 12 hours a day, I bought one of those little pedaling machines from Walmart (less than $30).  I set it on the floor near my chair, and can just swing around and pedal for a couple of minutes a few times a day.  You can also put it on a table and exercise your arms, though I haven't done that.  I first saw it when my mom was in rehab after her hip surgery. 

I definitely don't think exercise is bad.  Not at all.  I know it's good for you.  It's just not something I like.  Who knows, maybe when I've lost another 20-25 pounds, I might feel differently.  Actually, if I had one of those recumbent excercycles, I would probably use it daily.