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Do I need to exercise to lose weight? 

To lose weight you need to expend more energy than you take in. We all have a different energy requirement depending on your age, height, weight & gender.

We all burn energy at a different rate depending on these factors. This is called your resting metabolic rate. You burn energy every day for normal bodily functions.

 Even if we sat in a chair all day even though it would be considerably less we would burn a certain amount of energy every day just to regulate our normal functions.

Again this will differ from person to person. For example a 25 year old male who is 6 ft tall and weighs 18 stone will burn considerably more than a 50 year old female who is 5 foot 1 and 10 stone even if they did the exact same activities throughout the day. The rate at which we expend energy and potentially lose weight are based on these personal factors.

So to answer this question the answer is NO… not necessarily. If you consume less than you have expended, exercise or not you can lose weight.

However saying this there are many issues regarding not exercising and why we really recommend an exercise routine whilst on a diet meal plan.

Number 1 it will allow you to eat more! Yay! The more you expend through exercise the more food you can eat and we all love eating right!? Also you are less likely to overconsume if you have burned 500 calories through a workout. Depending on the duration and intensity of the exercise it will determine how many calories you have expended and how much more you can eat.

So the first key benefit of exercise and being active is you will burn more energy throughout the day meaning your calorie deficit will be bigger which can potentially lead to faster results.

 

For example:

Paul consumes 1500 calories on his diet plan and burns 400calories exercising. This means his total energy intake is 1100kcal after minusing the exercise.  Say Paul needs 2500 calories per day to maintain his weight. Now with the reduced calorie intake and exercise combined Paul is on a calorie deficit/reduction of 1400 calories per day.  If Paul can stay consistent with his calorie controlled diet plan and exercise routine you can see how he can see very good weight loss results quite quickly.

A 1400 calorie reduction is an aggressive approach, we recommend a 500 – 1000kcal calorie reduction per day. This will keep the hunger pains away and your more likely to stay consistent over a longer period of time. Also if you go too aggressive with your calorie reduction your body will start burning your muscle for energy and you definately do not want that happening!

This is why we do not recommend seriously low calorie diets and why we have multiple plans so we can help create the best results  for you.

Meals to lose weightBalsamic Chicken & Asparagus - meals to lose weightCreamy butter chicken - weight loss meal plan

The second factor in why we highly recommend daily exercise is that it has many health benefits which are not just related to weight loss.

Exercising reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, strengthens your bones and muscles and also helps your mental health and mood.

It has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression and stress. These three factors can all lead to over eating and gaining weight. With exercise yes you burn more calories which can help the weight loss but also helps your mental state which ultimately allows you to create a healthy routine. It will also help you make healthier food choices after you have had a workout.

This is the main reason why we really recommend exercise as it has a domino effect with your eating habits and your lifestyle.

You can definately lose weight without exercise and just with a calorie controlled diet, however to increase your chances of success and to help create a healthy lifestyle we recommend doing some sort of exercise at least 3x per week.

 

You have to be consistent on your weight loss journey otherwise you will not see any long lasting results. We recommend finding an exercise class or some form of exercise that you enjoy and you know that you can fit into your daily routine. It may be as little as walking the dog 10 minutes longer or it may be finding a spin class at the local gym. The type of exercise you take part in is really dependant on the individual and what you enjoy and can be consistent with.

This is how people change their lives in losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. Consistency is key!

So to help you on your fitness and weight loss journey…You can lose weight with only a calorie controlled diet and reducing your daily calorie intake. However to achieve faster results, to become healthier and to create a long lasting healthy routine exercise should be an essential part in your weekly routine.

If you need help on your weight loss journey we can help you with our calorie controlled diet plans. They range from 750 – 1750kcal plans and will be tailored to you when you take our nutritional assessment on our home page helping you get the best results possible. This will include breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack per day.

We have a fantastic saving of £25 on our 1 week taster plan, so you can try our meals/plan to see if we can help you. Use the discount code Taster25 at checkout for this saving. Really hope we can help you lose weight and with the advice above you can create long lasting results.

Any help of further advice about our plans send us an email at [email protected]

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