By Marissa Gainsburg, Prevention
In truth, probably not that much. While burning calories through exercise can help swing the calories in calories out equation in your favor, you can certainly drop pounds without ever actually working out.
[post_ads]"Weight loss
is generally due to 75 to 80% diet, and only 20 to 25% exercise," says
exercise physiologist and certified strength and conditioning specialist
(CSCS) Todd Parker, founder of Todd Parker Training Systems. That means
that you can overhaul your diet to be lower calorie and more nutritious
(lean proteins, lots of green veggies, and minimal or no processed
foods and sugars) to hit your goal. It will just take a bit—in some
cases, a lot—longer to get there.
That's because your ability to lose weight
quickly depends on several factors. First and foremost: your
metabolism. While some of us are blessed with a genetically fast
calorie-zapping engine, some of us need to resort to greater and
longer-lasting changes to see a real difference. Your starting weight
also plays a role: The heavier you are from the get-go, the faster you
will slim down when you make better diet choices, says Parker. (Speed up your progress towards your weight-loss goals with Women's Health's Look Better Naked DVD.)
But that 75/25 breakdown might not be so cut and dry after all. More
research is showing that "you can also see results by improving your
sleep habits and stress levels," says Wil Fleming, CSCS, owner of Force
Fitness and Performance. You want at least seven to eight hours of
uninterrupted sleep each night, as well as effective stress-coping
skills to keep your body's hormones running smoothly.
Okay, so you can reshape your body sans exercise. But the more pressing question is should you?
"An active lifestyle provides so many benefits that a sedentary one
doesn't," says Fleming. Those include lower blood pressure, which means a
lower risk of cardiovascular disease, improved mental health, better
bone density, boosted brain function—the list goes on.
Not exercising means you also may lose muscle. If you're losing
weight for several months to a year or more (which is likely the case if
you're skipping the gym), your body will start using your muscles for
energy after it's done with your fat stores, says Parker. Losing muscle
mass means losing strength—aka you'll have a harder time lifting your
30-pound laundry hamper or overstuffed carry-on luggage. And, more
importantly, less lean muscle means a slower metabolism.
Bottom line: You don't have to hit SoulCycle three times a week or go
HAM at the gym every time you visit to lose weight. "If you really
don't like exercising, think more in terms of movement," says
Fleming."Instead of spending 150 minutes per week working out, get
several five to 15 minute bursts of moderate-intensity movement per
day." Power-walk your dog or take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Of course, finding movement you actually enjoy is key. So
experiment until you find something that makes you feel badass,
glamorous, or generally positive afterward—boxing, barre, and dance
cardio are all worthy options.
[post_ads_2]
And whether you're looking to lose a small amount of weight (say,
five to 10 pounds) or see a major transformation (20, 50, even 100
pounds) but don't want to spend much time in spandex, the best bang for
your buck is high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Make sure you hit the four major movement groups (squatting,
pressing, pulling, and hinging) and include a purely metabolic
component (anything that gets your heart rate soaring, like battle ropes
or high knees). Combine this twice a week with increased movement
(walking, jogging, stairs, etc.), clean eating, solid sleep, and stress
control and you'll be well on your way to your goal—much more quickly
than with diet alone.
