How Long Does it Take to Lose Weight Without Exercise?

Have you ever tried to lose weight?

Then you already know how hard it can be. Although it can be quite easy to pack on some pounds, cutting them down can be incredibly difficult.

Most people recommend exercise as the best way to lose weight. There are numerous health benefits to exercising, but regular working out won’t necessarily help you lose weight.

That’s because exercise doesn’t play any role in the hormonal imbalances that usually fuel weight gain – and ultimately make it hard to slim down.

If you’re considering losing weight without exercising, you’ve come to the right place. You might also be wondering, how long will this take?

The good news is that science backs that you can lose weight without working out. But the less-good news is that it isn’t always advised.

Let’s look at why…

Can You Lose Weight Without Exercise?

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As aforementioned, you can indeed lose weight without working out. You might have come across people saying that weight loss is usually 80% diet and 20% exercise, and many experts agree with this.

To lose weight, you should take in fewer calories than you burn. Having a proper dieting plan is much more effective than working out because it takes too much activity to burn sufficient calories to lose weight. So if you eat less, then you won’t have many calories to burn.

Nonetheless, exercising will help you to cut down weight and keep it off.

Researchers claim that exercise can assist you to break down the excess calories that you can’t lose from dieting alone. But don’t panic! It doesn’t mean you have to start going for runs and lifting weights.

You can burn some calories by going for a walk, dancing, doing some gentle yoga, or playing a sport. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of activity every week.

Once you incorporate some activity into your routine, you’ll be more likely to prevent weight gain. Being active also offers lots of health benefits e.g., halving the risk of stroke, heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. It also reduces your risk of early death by around 30%.

There’s no denying that working out will make you feel much better about yourself. Physical activity also boosts your self-esteem, mood, energy, and sleep quality.

How Long Does It Take To Lose Weight?

Here comes the critical question. How long it will take you to lose weight will rely on how much weight you cut per week multiplied by the number of weeks it takes you to hit your goal.

On average, you should lose between 1-2 pounds a week by following a daily calorie allowance. When it comes to men, this means following a calorie limit of up to 1,900kcal daily and 1,400kcal for most women.

For instance, if you lose 1lb weekly (a more conservative yet more steady goal) and your weight loss goal is 12lbs, then it will take you anywhere from over 12 weeks to reach your goal based on life events, hormonal changes, and how much you stick to your nutrition and workout schedule.

So if you’d like to know “how much weight you can lose in a month?”, just check out how much weight you can lose in two weeks and then use it to work out an estimate.

That said, it’s worth mentioning that the rate at which you slim down doesn’t necessarily take a linear pattern and there will be many differences for each person.

Try viewing your weight loss experience through a wider lens – in two-week and four-week averages instead of frantically searching online “how to lose weight in a week” or “how much weight can I lose in a week?”

In other words, longer time frames are usually a much more precise reflection of what’s occurring with your body as opposed to arbitrary daily changes.

It’s also worth mentioning that your body weight may fluctuate for a significant number of reasons, and not only a change in body fat. It might be because you didn’t sleep as well, had a larger meal, consumed more salt or carbs, or even your menstrual cycle.

Because of this, it would be prudent to assess your weight for weeks/ months, and not just days.

HEALTHY WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT

Remember, the best approach will always be a combination of limiting calories through diet and exercise.

Below is a list of several safe and effective ways to lose weight without reducing your metabolism process or making you go through strenuous workouts.

Find out exactly how you can lose weight without exercising.

1. Slow Down

Human bodies are complex and may be hard to comprehend. For instance, your brain needs time to process that you’ve had enough to eat. So when you eat quickly, you might put in far more calories than you’d require before your brain sends a signal that you’re full.

Several studies have proven that chewing your meals thoroughly and taking enough time with your food results in reduced food consumption and increased fullness. Simply put, when you eat slowly, you’re going to eat less — and this can help you slim down.

On the other hand, folks who eat quickly are much more prone to gain weight compared to slow eaters.
So if you’re looking to lose weight, try to chew slowly.

You could even count how many times you chew every bite. You might be surprised at how you will feel full with much less food than usual.

2. Up Your Protein Intake

Protein is undoubtedly a powerhouse! Besides being vital for our health, it can also increase feelings of fullness and suppress hunger. As a result, protein may assist you to eat fewer calories and ultimately losing weight.

One study found that increasing protein intake from 15% to 30% assisted participants to trim off an average of 11lbs within 12 weeks and consume 441 fewer calories every day, and this is without exercising or intentionally restricting any foods.

If you’d like to slim down without working out or strict dieting, begin by boosting your protein intake.

Go for eggs for breakfast rather than breakfast cereals, or incorporate almonds into your meals as a snack.

3. Avoid Junk Food

For most people, when they have snacks, sweets, and other unhealthy foods around, it’s almost impossible for them to not eat them. And in many situations, you’ll need to have these foods around for guests, other family members, or for many other reasons.

Well, this can be an issue if you’ve been planning to lose weight.

The best way you can avoid this temptation is to stash these foods/ snacks out of your reach. When you keep cookies and chips on the counter, you might consider reaching for them when you want a snack or you’re hungry.

But if you place a bowl of fruit on the countertop instead, you’re more likely going to make a healthier decision when you like to munch on something.

4. Drink Plenty of Water

In general, staying hydrated is essential to losing weight. Most of us mistake dehydration signs for hunger, and eat whenever we’re thirsty rather than getting a drink.

If you drink plenty of water throughout the entire day, you can prevent dehydration.

Furthermore, drinking water before a meal can help you eat less. So when you take a large glass of water before your meal, you will eat fewer calories. And if you substitute sugary beverages with water, you’ll notice even greater weight loss.

5. Eat Enough Fiber

Fiber is great for your body. Apart from lowering the risk of certain forms of cancers, it may also assist to make you feel fuller and satisfied.

That’s primarily because viscous fiber — the type available in plant-based foods — creates a gel when it gets into contact with water. The gel typically enhances the absorption of nutrients and reduces the duration it takes to empty your stomach.

If you want to slim down, focus on eating plenty of fiber in your diet.

You can find a huge variety of great high fiber options, such as beans, oranges, apples, and asparagus.

6. Avoid Added Sugar

We can all agree that sugar is tasty. The sad news is that when you eat too much sugar, it could adversely affect your health. As such, this causes you to gain weight and puts you at risk for a range of diseases, including diabetes.

When you take in sugary foods and drinks, it mostly doesn’t make you feel full. And because of this, you might intake many more calories and eventually gain weight.

One of the simplest methods of cutting down the excess weight is to eliminate all sugary drinks, such as juices and soda, and substitute them with water.

You could also eliminate added sugars by restricting your dessert consumption and opting for lower sugar versions of your most preferred foods.

7. Get Enough Sleep

Did you know that a lack of sleep could disrupt the release of certain hormones in your body that control appetite? That means when you get poor sleep, or you don’t get adequate sleep, you might have increased hunger and then crave unhealthy and high-calorie foods.

So if you’re interested in losing weight, try getting sufficient sleep every night. Undoubtedly, a good night’s rest will make it easy to reach your weight loss goals.

EXERCISE CAN BE GOOD

Apart from its ability to burn calories, there are endless advantages to working out.

It can lower your risk of developing chronic diseases, improve bone density and posture, and improve heart health. More importantly, it can enhance the efficiency of your metabolism activity by building muscle mass.

According to health experts, exercise (particularly strength training) is imperative because it reminds your body to always keep much muscle (even in a caloric deficit).

The shape and contour of your body come from muscle. So if you lose a bunch of muscle, you’ll simply become a smaller and weaker version of your initial self.

If smashing a Crossfit class or pounding the streets seem to be difficult things for you, make it your mission to establish an exercise that you’ll enjoy.

Taking your kids to the trampoline park, walking the dog, and dancing all count as well. So, it doesn’t have to be hard and boring!

Final Thoughts

To lose weight, you’ll have to change your current habits. And this could mean consuming less and maintaining a healthy balanced diet. Since there’s no miracle way to lose weight, don’t shop for weight-loss teas and shakes.

Although it might not be necessary, staying active will make you burn more calories and ultimately help you lose weight.

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