The time has come again, to lose some pounds. You have to go to the gym yourself. But you really don’t expect that. You are busy with your work or you just don’t feel like exercising. It is also possible that you are unable to exercise due to a disability. Hence the question “can you lose weight without exercising?” This article explains whether this is possible and how you can do it.
Is weight loss possible without exercise?
It is sometimes said that abs are made in the kitchen. This is completely true, because if you want to lose weight, it largely depends on your diet. So it is certainly possible to lose weight without exercising. On the other hand, it is not possible to lose weight and not pay attention to your diet. A well-balanced diet is very important for successful weight loss. A diet plan is therefore also recommended if you want to lose weight without exercising. Exactly how you can burn fat without exercising is explained below.
Nutrition
If you want to burn fat without exercising, nutrition is the most important thing. Your body needs a certain amount of calories every day to function. To burn fat you have to maintain a calorie deficit. This means that you have to eat below your calorie requirement. If your daily requirement is around 2400 calories, you need to eat 2000 calories to lose weight.
Protein
Proteins digest very slowly. Because proteins are digested slowly, you also feel full for longer, so that you are less hungry. Muscles are also broken down less quickly by proteins. When you lose weight without exercising, you naturally want to keep your muscles. Some examples of protein-rich products are: meat, fish, dairy, maize, peas and soybeans.
carbohydrates
Carbohydrates give your body energy. If you do not want or cannot exercise, carbohydrates in large amounts are not necessary. Of course, you should not completely eliminate them from your daily diet. Carbohydrates in whole grain products are sensible to eat. These are also known as slow carbohydrates. Some examples are: brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and whole-wheat bread. The fiber in these products makes you feel full for longer. You also get energy from the carbohydrates in the whole grain products, so that you can still carry out your daily activities.
Drinking water
Drinking enough water makes you feel full. A very big advantage of water is that it contains no calories, so you can easily drink it. It is recommended to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. To achieve this amount, you can fill a 1.5 liter water bottle with water and make sure you drink it every day. Water also ensures that your body continues to function properly. For this reason, you should always drink enough water.
Daily Movement
It is of course possible that you cannot or do not want to exercise. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to do anything all day long. So be creative with activities. For example, you can cycle to work or get off a bus stop earlier. If you move a little more during the day, you can also take in more calories. So you can eat more, so that you are less hungry during the day.
Keep eating the right fats
By fats we actually only mean unsaturated fats, because these are good for your body. You should avoid saturated fats if you want to lose weight without exercising. Unsaturated fats are very important for the functioning of the human body. They lower the bad cholesterol in your body. The products that contain a lot of unsaturated fats are: nuts, seeds, avocados and oils.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is important if you want to lose weight. A good night’s sleep is different for everyone. On average, between 7-9 hours of sleep is sufficient. When you don’t sleep well, the hormones in your body get confused. You also burn a lot of calories in your sleep. You can even turn down your heating to burn some extra calories.
Lose weight fast without exercising
You prefer to lose weight as quickly as possible. If you want to lose weight without exercising, you can’t do that quickly. Losing weight is already a fairly slow process, and without exercise it is even slower. But this doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You only need to maintain a calorie deficit of 300-400 calories and your body will do the rest. It is unhealthy to lose weight too quickly, this will ensure that your muscle mass will also decrease. When you lose muscle mass, you also use less energy. This is because your body no longer needs to maintain your muscles. As soon as you stop dieting, you will gain weight faster.
Benefits of losing weight without exercising
Losing weight without exercise naturally brings a number of benefits. You can see the benefits below:
Time
You are working all day and you are thinking about taking a rest in the evening. But you know that you still have to work out, so you can’t watch your favorite series. Losing weight without exercising is therefore an advantage, because you can easily save 1-2 hours a day.
No hunger after training
Your body uses energy during exercise. After exercise, your body wants you to eat something to replenish it. If you do not exercise, you will not suffer from this.
Disadvantages of losing weight without exercising
Of course it sounds nice, burning fat without exercising, but are there no disadvantages? There are indeed drawbacks. The disadvantages will be explained below.
Muscle mass is lost
If you don’t exercise, but do maintain a calorie deficit, your muscle mass will decrease. This is because your body is going to burn your muscles. Of course, your fat is also burned, but at the same time your muscles are also burned, because they are not stimulated by a sport. Your body is built to survive and will therefore break down your muscles. It also takes energy to maintain these muscles, which in turn ensures that you can eat more calories.
General health
Exercise is good for your physical as well as your mental health. During exercise you can get rid of the thoughts you have had during the day. You also improve the health of your lungs and heart. So exercising is actually very healthy for you.
You burn fewer calories
If you don’t exercise, you also burn fewer calories, this is because you move less. You can therefore also eat fewer calories in a day. This also means that you get fewer minerals and vitamins.
Conclusion
Now that everything has been covered, an answer can be given to the question: “how do you lose weight without exercising?”. With the right diet, protein-rich products, slow carbohydrates, water, daily exercise, enough sleep and eating the right fats, this is certainly possible. Losing weight without exercise naturally has advantages and disadvantages. You have more free time and no hunger attacks after a workout. Exercising is good for your general health, so if you don’t exercise this can work to your disadvantage. You also burn calories during exercise so that you can eat more. Although it is possible to lose weight without exercising, it is more difficult. Do you suffer from lack of motivation to exercise? Read our article about sports motivation!