26 votes

If you stop thinking of exercise as a way to lose weight, you may actually enjoy it

19 comments

  1. [18]
    cptcobalt
    Link
    This matches one of my big realizations as I've been on my diet: it feels like only 25% of my progress is due to is exercise, and 75% of it is calorie reduction and lifestyle adjustments (no...

    This matches one of my big realizations as I've been on my diet: it feels like only 25% of my progress is due to is exercise, and 75% of it is calorie reduction and lifestyle adjustments (no soda/etc.). When I bike for 30 minutes per day, my activity tracker always shows fewer calories than I expect.

    5 votes
    1. [4]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. [3]
        masochist
        Link Parent
        The important thing is to find something that you like. It doesn't have to be a boring routine of using the same gym equipment in the same way a few times per week. I tried that and hated it so,...

        I still hate it though!

        The important thing is to find something that you like. It doesn't have to be a boring routine of using the same gym equipment in the same way a few times per week. I tried that and hated it so, so much. Tried yoga and I absolutely love it. Beyond the obvious fitness applications, I'm building strength, flexibility, balance, peace of mind (the actual reason I started), and a community of friends. Maybe try a sport or something else if you hate what you're doing now.

        2 votes
        1. [2]
          Neverland
          Link Parent
          I’ve always thought of my city/mountain biking habit as a bit of cheating. The adrenaline is so fun that an hour of cardio goes by without me even noticing.

          Maybe try a sport or something else if you hate what you're doing now.

          I’ve always thought of my city/mountain biking habit as a bit of cheating. The adrenaline is so fun that an hour of cardio goes by without me even noticing.

          1 vote
          1. masochist
            Link Parent
            That is exactly what you need, something that produces results but feels like cheating. You're so much less likely to give it up that way. Good for you!

            That is exactly what you need, something that produces results but feels like cheating. You're so much less likely to give it up that way. Good for you!

            1 vote
    2. [14]
      Octofox
      Link Parent
      I don't know how effective it is for losing weight but I have found that daily cycling has done wonders for my health and how I feel. I have ended up having to spend more on lunch though because I...

      I don't know how effective it is for losing weight but I have found that daily cycling has done wonders for my health and how I feel. I have ended up having to spend more on lunch though because I actually burn a lot of energy on my ride home (1:20 hours at about 250w average which ends up being over 3000KJ)

      4 votes
      1. [11]
        unknown user
        Link Parent
        Are you ripped yet?

        3000KJ

        Are you ripped yet?

        1 vote
        1. [10]
          Octofox
          Link Parent
          Legs look great, arms are twigs

          Legs look great, arms are twigs

          2 votes
          1. [9]
            unknown user
            Link Parent
            Makes sense, 'cause you're cycling. Have you thought about lifting weights, to make your arms and torso look great, too? I hear it's the shit to get the upper body into shape. (Don't quote me on...

            Makes sense, 'cause you're cycling.

            Have you thought about lifting weights, to make your arms and torso look great, too? I hear it's the shit to get the upper body into shape. (Don't quote me on that. It's based off of an opinion piece from NerdFitness, or whatever it's called.)

            1. [8]
              CALICO
              Link Parent
              Can confirm. A couple years ago I had a schedule that enabled me to hit the gym regularly for comprehensive workouts. I wasn't doing it long enough or hard enough to get huge—more of a...

              Can confirm.

              A couple years ago I had a schedule that enabled me to hit the gym regularly for comprehensive workouts. I wasn't doing it long enough or hard enough to get huge—more of a Michelangelo's David than a Ronnie Coleman—but my muscles were well defined for the first time after just a couple months. I look back at old photos and miss my shoulders terribly. I felt better, I looked better, clothes fit better, I slept better. All around absolutely worth doing.

              1. [3]
                unknown user
                Link Parent
                What happened?

                What happened?

                1. [2]
                  CALICO
                  Link Parent
                  Shit happened, life happened; depends on your perspective. Things just got too crazy for a while to keep up with my routine.

                  Shit happened, life happened; depends on your perspective.
                  Things just got too crazy for a while to keep up with my routine.

                  1 vote
                  1. unknown user
                    Link Parent
                    Damn shame. Hope everything turns better for you.

                    Damn shame.

                    Hope everything turns better for you.

              2. [4]
                masochist
                Link Parent
                Get back to it then! Today really is the best day to start. It doesn't have to be a lot, it doesn't have to be a full hour, it just has to be something. And as I said elsethread, the important...

                Get back to it then! Today really is the best day to start. It doesn't have to be a lot, it doesn't have to be a full hour, it just has to be something. And as I said elsethread, the important thing is to find something you can enjoy. For me that's not cardio, but for others it is.

                1. [3]
                  CALICO
                  Link Parent
                  I recently have actually. I love working out, I love lifting heavy weight. Deadlifts are my favorite, got up to a 415# 3x5 before I fell off the wagon. Things in my life have started to stabilize...

                  I recently have actually. I love working out, I love lifting heavy weight. Deadlifts are my favorite, got up to a 415# 3x5 before I fell off the wagon. Things in my life have started to stabilize again, so I've been getting back into it with a full-body dumbbell workout I do at a Planet Fitness until I get back to the point to join a better gym.

                  1 vote
                  1. [2]
                    masochist
                    Link Parent
                    Good on you. Keep it up! You'll be back where you used to be before you know it. There was actually a post here not long ago that shows that it's easier to get back to where you used to be which...

                    Good on you. Keep it up! You'll be back where you used to be before you know it. There was actually a post here not long ago that shows that it's easier to get back to where you used to be which is really inspiring for me.

                    1 vote
                    1. CALICO
                      Link Parent
                      I've read similar literature previously, and can attest that even after two years of fucking off I'm making noticeable gains after hardly any time at all. It seems that it won't take all that long...

                      I've read similar literature previously, and can attest that even after two years of fucking off I'm making noticeable gains after hardly any time at all. It seems that it won't take all that long to get back to where I was when I stopped.

                      1 vote
      2. [2]
        masochist
        Link Parent
        If you're burning more calories than you're eating, it's effective at losing weight. As FreeLunch said above, if you have an awful diet, you won't see any weight loss, regardless of how hard you...

        If you're burning more calories than you're eating, it's effective at losing weight. As FreeLunch said above, if you have an awful diet, you won't see any weight loss, regardless of how hard you exercise.

        1 vote
        1. Algernon_Asimov
          Link Parent
          I had a friend who complained that, no matter how much he exercised, he couldn't lose weight. I told him that, even though he was exercising enough for two people, he was eating enough for three!

          if you have an awful diet, you won't see any weight loss, regardless of how hard you exercise.

          I had a friend who complained that, no matter how much he exercised, he couldn't lose weight. I told him that, even though he was exercising enough for two people, he was eating enough for three!

          3 votes
  2. Sahasrahla
    Link
    One thing that I find helps: when I get serious about exercise and strength training I eat better because I don't want to waste my hard work with poor nutrition. If I'm not exercising I take more...

    One thing that I find helps: when I get serious about exercise and strength training I eat better because I don't want to waste my hard work with poor nutrition. If I'm not exercising I take more of a "one day of poor eating won't kill me" attitude which is far from ideal as it's easy to think that every day. That being said, if I'm not exercising there's probably something disruptive going on in my life which will make it harder to eat well too. A healthy body is a (not necessarily guaranteed) consequence of a healthy lifestyle and that, unfortunately, can be a constant battle to maintain.

    3 votes