Fact Check: Can You Lose Weight Without Exercise?

Losing weight without exercise is a complex topic with many grounds of contention (Image via Pexels/Shvets production)
Losing weight without exercise is a complex topic with many grounds of contention (Image via Pexels/Shvets production)

There has been a never-ending debate on whether or not you can lose weight without exercise. There is a lot of unchecked weight loss advice on the internet, and the majority of it has been demonstrated to be ineffective or untested.

Moving more and eating less is one of those common weight-loss advices. These two bits of advice, despite being mentioned together, do not need to be treated equally. Losing weight without exercise is a complex topic with many grounds of contention, so let's start by separating fact from myth.


Is it true that you may lose weight without exercising?

You must exhaust more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. It seems obvious that eating less and moving more will lead to weight loss.

While this suggestion seems good in theory, especially if you make a long-term lifestyle change, it's not a good idea for people who are overweight.

Due to physiological and metabolic considerations, most people who follow this advice gain back any weight they lose. It's also impossible to lose weight solely through exercise because there are scientific reasons why exercise can induce weight gain.

To begin with, exercise raises your appetite, which may lead to overeating. Excessive exercise can also throw off the balance of appetite-controlling hormones. Excessively intense workouts can temporarily suppress your appetite, leading to overeating at the next meal as a compensatory response.

To reduce weight with food and exercise, a significant and long-term shift in perception and behavior is required. It's not enough to limit your food consumption and increase your physical exercise.

Advising an obese person to simply eat less and move more is akin to telling a depressed person to brighten up or an alcoholic to drink less.

People tend to overestimate how many calories they burn when they exercise, according to a study published in Obesity Reviews. As a result, most individuals eat more calories than they spend to compensate for their workouts.


Many ways in which exercise is helpful

So, does this mean to lose weight you don’t need to follow any workout routine?

The truth is, you need to set a balance between exercise as well as your diet, if your goal is to lose weight. Moreover, exercise does not only help you to shred some extra kilos; there are numerous other advantages of consistently working out.

Check out this list of benefits you can reap by working out regularly:

1) Stress reliever

Exercise releases endorphins, which help you relax and feel better. Even 30 minutes of gentle exercise every day can help reduce tension and anxiety, as well as combat depression.

2) Improved brain function

Exercise not only makes you joyful, but it also helps you focus and retrieve knowledge. The hormones released while exercising increase your brain's cognitive functions.

3) Maintain blood sugar levels

Exercise is a natural aid for diabetics who want to help their bodies self-regulate their blood sugar levels. A particular molecule (cytokine interleukin-6) is created during exercise that clears glucose from the muscles into the bloodstream, keeping blood sugar levels in check.


How your lifestyle changes help to lose weight?

Your unhealthy lifestyle is one of the major reasons for weight gain. To lose those extra pounds, be mindful of the following:

1) Additives

It's one thing to eat less, but it's also important to know what you're eating. Artificial additives and preservatives in food can damage your gut health by altering the number of microorganisms in your gut. As a result, your metabolism may be affected, contributing to weight gain.

2) Working night shifts

People who work the night shift burn fewer calories than those who work during the day, which may seem counterintuitive. It all comes down to your body's circadian rhythm, which is a delicate balance of sleep, nutrition, and metabolic rate. If you work late hours and are having trouble losing weight, it may be time to invest in more nutrient-dense foods to give your body that extra boost!


Bottomline

Weight loss is both a science and an art. As a result, mindlessly following a pre-made or even someone else's weight-loss plan will not guarantee you favorable outcomes. Trial and error take time, but it allows you to gain a better understanding of the process and how it impacts your body.

If you're trying to lose weight, you've probably heard a lot of the same myths. You might have even believed some of them, given how common they are in Western culture. The majority of these misconceptions are untrue.

However, the interaction between your diet, metabolism, and weight is rather convoluted. If you want to lose weight, learn about evidence-based adjustments you can make to your diet and lifestyle.