Has anyone considered that we are not actually after weight loss, we are actually after fat loss and better health? And if that is the case, stop relying on the scale. I use a measuring tape, pictures and the way my clothes fit as an indicator. I think telling people not to work out because they won’t “lose weight” is not telling the whole story.

It is true that you can lose weight on diet alone, and it is also true that exercise alone will not necessarily yield weight loss. However, when you have muscle composition you burn more calories in a resting state. Also,there have been studies that directly link heart and brain health. There are even claims that physical activity can fight alzheimers. I think it is irresponsible to tell people to throw out physical activity because of what some number on a scale might say. Scales do not tell the whole story. For instance, I work out six days a week. Sometimes I do two a days. I freaking love love love fitness. I run, cycle, lift weights and do HIIT, circuit training and kickboxing. Keeping a varied routine keeps me motivated! Anyway point is, I gained three pounds. If I were only relying on the scale I would have given up and gotten all woe is me, but I pulled out a measuring tape and saw that I had lost another half inch in my waist! Muscle does not way more thab fat but it is more dense and you can gain muscle at the same rate you are losing fat. Also, when you are building muscle the little tears in muscles can cause inflimmation which causes the scale to move up. So, screw the scale! Embrace a healthy lifestyle in all of its’ forms and remember that we don’t wear our pounds on our clothes for the world to see. It is just a number!

Some people truly enjoy exercise as well. And how would you know if you are one or not of you have never tried? Don’t rob people of that experience by throwing the baby out with the bath water.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with exercise. There are huge benefits to be had in exercising. I walk and/or ride my bike every day. However if you are 300 pounds and can barely walk let alone do exercise then realistically modifying your diet so that you eat less is your best option rather than exercising more. Your aim is to run at a caloric deficit. You can achieve this by eating the same amount and increasing your expenditure (exercising) or keeping expenditure the same and reducing caloric intake.

Very late to this party …

While I’m sure one of the links posted probably talks about this and maybe everyone knows about it, but exercise can also make you lazy when you aren’t exercising. To some extent people trade activity. Exercise is still really good to do it just may make you sleep more and move less outside of it.

The little things like, eating a bit more, moving a bit less and replacing a bit of fat with a bit of muscle can really add up. This can cause one to really be confused about what is going on.

I’m in my forth stage of getting in control of my body weight.

Stage 1: 106kg & waist ~125cm (Never really measured it.)
(Action) – improved my diet, ate less did almost daily Tabata style workouts less than 20mins
(Result) – 92kg & waist @ 109cm in about a year, ALWAYS HUNGRY

Stage 2: 92kg 109cm
(Action) – running, push-ups, pull-ups, jumping, biking 600kc to 1000kc / day. Kept improving diet.
(Result) – 94kg 106cm after 2 years. Gained 2kg and lost 3cm around waist. Always HUNGRY

Stage 3: 94kg 106cm
(Action) – On a whim I cut deserts, and then most refined sugar in diet. Added in healthy fats. Also realized I could workout some before eating and live.
(Result) – 86kg 87cm in 4 months!!!!!! Turns out I’m a little sensitive to sugar. I also lost my hunger and started trying skipping a meal here and there. Once I hit that level I stopped losing weight.

Stage 4: 86kg 87cm (After about 2 months of being stuck)
(Action) – 5:2 (no eating on fast days) Switch to sprint 8 workouts 3 days a week. (HIIT 8 reps 30 seconds each at max)
(Result) – 83kg 85cm … less than a month so far. Still not hungry! 🙂

So excise is hard on the fat but the numbers don’t always show that.

BTW – I’m loving 5:2 and hating HIIT. Thankfully only 3 workouts a week. I’m not crying by the end of the workout, but I want too …

I think that misinformation is easy to pass off as real, and as such, can lead others astray.

The bottom line:

Exercise improves the fitness and size of muscles – Not only does exercise burn calories in the process of performing the exercise, but it also DEVELOPS and INCREASES the fitness and mass (size) of muscles …. Increased muscle mass = INCREASED BMI – Your basic metabolism is increased, which will help you reduce fat storage EVERY DAY, fasting or not …. Muscle development is the only means I know of to increase your basal metabolism ….

Whether working out or laying on your back – increased muscle mass burns calories at a higher rate than muscles that are NOT exercised.

When trying to meet your fast day goals, physical exercise will help you keep excess calories from ruining your fast …. Eat a little too much ? …. Walk for a while and reduce the impact.

My primary goals have been to 1) Lose fat and 2) Increase muscular fitness.

After losing 100 LBS and spending 1.5 years lifting weights – My body composition has completely changed. Where I was obese and disgusted, I am now much leaner and happier …

Exercise does not harm …. It greatly helps in my view …

When you are on the 5:2 fast diet, you need to abstain from too much of exercise. Something like a walk everyday and light exercises are enough for you to lose weight and stay healthy.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, I was just ready to give up my ADF, because i was exercising and still not losing weight fast enough. Now it not only makes it clear as to why it’s taking so long but i feel so encouraged to continue. You have given me hope so that i will continue exercising for my health. My first thought this morning was to double-up on my exercise and just give up the ADF. I now have a path to follow with encouragement from you.