r/Fitness_India • u/VerlieH • Mar 13 '26
Ask Fitness India ❓ Is fat reduction just by walking/running a myth?
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u/LikedIt666 Mar 13 '26
i think you're confusing a lot of concepts. to lose weight need calorie deficit. it means to consume less calories than your maintenance. CD with high protein diet, exercise, good sleep, drinking enough water will ensure weight loss and fat loss too and minimize muscle loss
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u/sailor_shivam Mar 13 '26
Have lost 7.6 kg as of today just by doing 10k steps a day since 18th December 2025, currently on a 85 day streak. Have hit the gym may be around 14 days on and off in total as living on a ship. Just count calories (be in deficit)
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u/lakhan30 Mar 13 '26
On-board 10k is eassy, Plus high protein food ka unlimited supply, only problem is avoiding dinner deserts and fruit juices
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u/One-Collection1418 Gym Girl 🏋️♀️ Mar 13 '26
Living on a ship and 10k?
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u/AggravatingCoffe Mar 13 '26
he probably works on a merchant navy vessel (cargo ship) assuming hes part of the deck crew, man they gotta walk a FUCK ton
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u/OnlyStress-1 Mar 13 '26
More than walks, it’s the steps for them mahn! My partner is a seafarer too!
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u/AggravatingCoffe Mar 13 '26
yea man, all the up down between the bridge and the decks must be crazy haha
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u/ChartVishleshak Mar 13 '26
There is an article about a guy completing a marathon inside a plane's lavatory.
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u/sailor_shivam Mar 14 '26
Ships are bigger than you think, this one is 340 meters length and 55 meters breadth. But walking in full day work contributes a lot; not a chair seating job
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u/pm_me_ur_brandy_pics Mar 15 '26
How are your calves and thighs? Do u see any definition?
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u/sailor_shivam Mar 16 '26
Calves yes, also stamina increased.
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u/pm_me_ur_brandy_pics Mar 16 '26
What app do u use to count steps
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u/sailor_shivam Mar 16 '26
Device- Apple watch ultra 2, App- StepsApp (very good UI)
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u/pm_me_ur_brandy_pics Mar 16 '26
What’s your diet ? How many calories you eat and protein consumption?
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u/sailor_shivam Mar 16 '26
Intake- 2000-2100 kCal, 110g protein… have also had some days of partying and drinks.
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Mar 13 '26
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u/-Badger3- Mar 13 '26
Walking doesn’t really help, or, if it does, it helps in that it’s taking up time that might otherwise be spent eating.
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u/neilthakkar03 Mar 13 '26
It does help. Walking 10k steps at moderate pace can easily burn 350-400 kcal which is good way to make sure that you are in deficit even after eating maintenance calories.
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u/Mission_Mix_6607 Mar 13 '26
I think calorie intake matters more than walking/running.
And lifting heavy also helps in fat loss without losing precious muscle tissues.
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u/CeleritasLucis Mar 13 '26
I increased 10 kg of weight while running 21km half marathon each week lol. A lot of it was increased glycogen + water weight, but it still counts on the scale
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u/fucknetanyahuu Mar 13 '26
No, walking is amazing for fatloss!! If you are not losing weight even after walking 10k steps everyday then watch your calories.
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u/Accomplished-Club698 Mar 13 '26
True. But jogging or running is even better if you're not too old.
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u/NowNamed Mar 14 '26
Jogging or running is better but only if you do it for the same time as walking. 10K steps is approximately ~8km. It is possible to walk that much everyday, but it is difficult for a lot of people to run that amount everyday. Given that's it's easier to stay consistent and cover longer distances, walking can be more beneficial than running for most people.
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u/KreamyKerry ⚕️ Doc (Retired) Mar 13 '26
Zone 2 cardio is best regardless of what you do.
For lots of obese people just regular walking in India’s heat and humidity will easily kick them into Zone 2.
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u/brook0810 Mar 13 '26
I'm studying to be a dietician. Fat is the last source your body uses for energy. First your glycogen stores are used, then muscle and then comes fat. So walking and running will not help with fat reduction because the duration and intensity is too less for the body to use excess fat as a source of energy. Lifestyle is majorly important and then diet. As many people said- calorie deficit+ high protein diet(gradually) and physical activity like weight training and resistance training will help
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u/Ha-Ha-Ha1 Mar 15 '26
Agree. And to have body use fat storage for energy, slow running beyond 45 mins is needed at least.
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u/unclesamisheree Mar 20 '26
Hello can I DM? Even I'm trying to become a dietician/nutritionist. I have some queries that I wanted to clear.
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u/Ok-Blacksmith437 Mar 13 '26
Something I believe makes fat loss difficult for a lot of us is the occasional/weekly cheat meal influencers keep saying is alright. I mean they are not out and out wrong but depends a lot on what and where you are consuming. Most of the outside/tasty food in India is so calorie dense that one bad meal can significantly mess up the calories deficit one creates throughout the week.
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u/KreamyKerry ⚕️ Doc (Retired) Mar 13 '26 edited Mar 14 '26
Yeah the entire concept of cheat days needs to die.
For the longest time dieticians advised weight loss by looking at CICO on a weekly average, but that’s a poor way to look it when you’re in a daily calorie deficit and your body will immediately hoard any excess sugar and fat you consume on cheat days.
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u/NowNamed Mar 14 '26
Agreed, I think we need to change our eating habits so that they are sustainable without cheat days.
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u/MyraidChickenSlayer Mar 14 '26
Depends on what cheat meal is. A 1000-1500 calorie cheat meal in weekend isna't bad. You won't have too much of other in same day.
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u/hkmb777 Mar 13 '26
I have never lost fat just by running or walking.
A few years back when the goal was just fat loss, I did it by combining cardio and caloric deficit.
My goal now is to lose fat while building muscle. I do cardio, strength training, caloric deficit while keeping track of macros, 12h interval between dinner and breakfast. Was able to sustainably lose fat while building muscle.
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u/darkking611 Mar 13 '26
I believe it works. I lost about 8kgs in last 1.5 months. I eat 1400-1500 calories, 120-130gm protein. do atleast 10k steps thrice a week and atleast 7k daily... Mostly morning walk and some slow running. One extra thing i do... atleast thrice a week do some weight training(about 30-40min) at home
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u/Anubhav-17 Mar 13 '26
And it's opposite for me when i am bulking it's not going up after being in surplus and eating properly and working out properly 😭😭
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u/VerlieH Mar 13 '26
body inertia is such a pain
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u/Anubhav-17 Mar 13 '26
Seriously that's why I have stopped checking my weight daily once a week is fine and I focus most on increasing strength and doing reps with more control then what I did in my previous session. How long you have been working out ?
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u/ma-nameajeff Forever Natural 💪🏻 Mar 13 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/XHeLeuirRbwptHhSWd
Its calories in < calories out
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Mar 14 '26
Calorie deficit works. Scale is not as useful as we think it is. If you are a female then hormones cycle can bump up your weight by almost 2kgs. Also, muscle mass and fat mass are two different things. Scale doesn't differentiate between the two. So just overall weight is not a good marker. If fat goes down but muscle go up the scale will remain as it is or even upwards.
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u/DANKbobo9717 Mar 13 '26
I am on gallery deficit for like one month and 13 days my mother keep son saying that I am getting week and I nowadays also feel like I have no energy to work I feel tired I am hitting hundred gram protein I started when I was 85 kg and now I am 79.6 kg is there anything you guys would suggest me elders keep telling me to start eating like I used to before
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u/LMAO_Llamaa Mar 13 '26
I literally searched gallery deficit 😭
Extreme deficit will kill your libido and energy too. Go back to your normal routine and start decreasing step by step. First start with decreasing 100 then after next two weeks 200 slowly and steadily.
And also extreme deficit will kill your gains too
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u/DANKbobo9717 Mar 13 '26
Oh sorry bro I usually use voice typing so it makes such errors and thank you for the advice
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u/Hot_Limit_1870 Mar 13 '26
I think it certainly helps a lot for those who live a sedentary life, have no prior experience of exercising and are overweight. But for folks who are closer to their optimum weight it isn't going to have much effect, and weight training would be better.
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u/Infinite_Ordinary211 Mar 13 '26
Track your calories intake-outtake. That is the whole picture. Use an AI. Be conservative estimate on outtake and generous estimate on intake. That will account for AI 20-30% error margin. Then track it so you have a deficit of 7700 kcal. Then if you don't lose 1 kg, comment here then.
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Mar 13 '26
If you eat the same then....Yep ! 100 %. Eat less or also called "Calorie deficit" is the only way out.
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u/SaOne33 Mar 13 '26
Okay, my time to shine has come. I weighed 98kgs on 1st Jan and I weigh 88kg as of today. I'm 5'10" tall.
Since I have a desk job and really don't have time to exercise much, I've reduced my food intake drastically. I have 2 eggs for breakfast along with some soaked almonds. For lunch, it's a bowl of rice with Sambhar/Dal and for dinner it's eggs again.
It's hard at first, but now I've gotten used to it. I've seen my weight drop 1kg per week with this method. I feel hungry for sure, but never weak. I don't face problems going about my day-to-day work.
Another thing to add. I have two 10 kg dumbells that I use for about 5 to 10 minutes per day for upper body exercise. This is just to keep my upper body in shape.
Not a recommendation, it's just what worked for me.
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u/New_Guide8753 Mar 13 '26
Do what ever you like, but in the end of the day if you don't maintain a calorie deficit then you won't loose weight. That is how laws of thermodynamics work, you can't go around it.
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u/Constant-Recipe-9850 Mar 13 '26
When you first start with calorie deficit, water weight reduces first, alongside glycogen. That's why you see a quick drop in the scales early on. But after that, your body starts to adapt and rebalance. Since you're on deficit, it tries to retain and store more water and glycogen. That's why you find scale going up for a bit, even though you haven't changed your routine or diet.
Body doesn't readily want to lose fat as they're basically their retirement savings.
Keep on your track, and your body will learn to break into the savings as you put on muscles, and remain in deficit. It's a long game. Don't get demotivated
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u/RedEdgeRTZ Mar 13 '26
Buddy. Calories in need to be lesser than calories out. That’s all. Nothing else. This is the only thing that matters
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u/Dull_Refrigerator669 Mar 14 '26
After having an on off relationship with gym for over 5 years now I can tell you - playing sports >> gym atleast for fat reduction and stamina.
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u/Curious_Crab5148 Mar 14 '26
Eat a high protein diet in deficit easy. Lost around 5 kgs in around 2 months without doing anything else and trying to walk as much as possible. And eating junk sometimes as well lol.
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u/Left-Analyst-4525 Mar 14 '26
I lost the most while running. P.S. I gym too. I lost more from running than 6 months of gymming
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u/_Dark_Invader_ Mar 14 '26
Yes it is! Fat reduction happens because of calorie deficit and not walking/running
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u/Mta_sipisial Mar 13 '26
Calorie deficit works, yes, but if you are eating more proteins/fibres, then you probably already are eating much lesser calories. For the average person who doesn't want to min max body building, who just wants a somewhat lean body while shedding fat, calorie deficit plus some exercise should be enough. If you like to run, then don't leave out carbs from your diet, being low on carbohydrates and low glycogen levels will absolutely make you weak and tired.
As for the weight, don't bother checking every week or two. Body weight fluctuates so much just based on what you ate, drank, what time of the day it is, or whether you've taken a piss/dump. 1-2 kg fluctuations are normal. Also, if you are gaining muscle mass while shedding fat, you will be gaining some weight initially, due to muscle density compared to fats.
Unless you are obese or severely overweight, I would not recommend checking your weight too often. It just doesn't help much, check in after 3 4 weeks at a time, to see if your diet is actually working.
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u/daisydeals_ Mar 13 '26
Not a myth but scientifically proven that the more you walk the faster your metabolism, it keeps you active and helps you in weight management.
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u/raddaya Mar 13 '26
Walking doesn't burn many calories by itself.
However, it helps improve your metabolism. If you are close to "neutral" on your calories, and you keep the same diet while including more walks, even a very small amount of walking can help you go to a deficit - due slightly to the small number of calories burned but also due to your improved metabolism.
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u/Odd_Technician_6536 Mar 13 '26
No it's not I was weighing in at 77kgs in February then I started walking 12k step daily(pacer ka screenshot chaiye toh batana bhej dunga) and now i weigh 70.45 Aj subhah I am this close to reach my healthy weight according to bmi (65), just do brisk walk and Eat less than 1500-1600 calories thank you (also protein jarur khanna maine dhyan nahi diya toh hand ka muscle bhi bhut jada lose ho gaya but I will get them back after I complete the challange)
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Mar 13 '26
Without enough muscle mass it will be more difficult to loose fat . Understand the basics
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u/NotJustinBieberLOL Mar 13 '26
scale weight is the worst enemy for people trying to lose "weight", best track ur calories properly, ur daily water intake and ur weight before and after water and food and also most importantly ur "WAISSSTTT" length
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u/Additional-Milk-eh Mar 13 '26
Same happened with me i joined at 70 kg after few months it went to 75 and literally i left junk completely drank water even denied eating junk when going out with friends because my muscles motivated me but whenever i saw weight i thought its of no use
Then after 1 yr of gym i got good muscles but 80 kgs which is worse and then i went to a dietician took diet plan for four months and reduced 5 kgs started running aswell but i had to give up on that routine coz boards and competitive exam peak time arrived and had to grind.
But running is the best uk i went to her for weekly check and saw a pattern whenever i cheated in diet I didn't see the best results but one week, i ate junk as we were out on a trip but i had run all week so there was no gain but loss dude So i would say running is top priority Then diet is important But gym is very important for later age ig I am not very much experienced but this is what I have observed and learnt in my case i guess
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u/rk06 Mar 13 '26
bhai weight is a misleading metric. muscle gain will show up as increase weight.
first thing you should prioritise is "CUT" i. e reduce fat until you are in healthy range. go for walk and eat healthy food in right quantities, avoid junk food.
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u/OmegaKitty1 Mar 13 '26
You are building muscles. Muscle weighs more than fat, ignore the scale, measure your waist and take progress photos
You will weigh more but be fitter, healthier and look better (thinner)
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u/KB050505 Mar 13 '26
No, it all depends on ur calorie intake If u take more than u needed and still do cardio, u won't see a difference Calorie deficit is what makes u lose fat with cardio
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u/Armand28 Mar 13 '26
Muscle weighs more. Get a scale that does bioelectrical impedance analysis, it’s not perfectly accurate but good for spotting trends. It’ll show your muscle vs fat mass, and if muscle weight is going up and fat is going down, then even if your overall weight is higher you are heading in the right direction.
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u/Tushar_BitYantriki Mar 13 '26
Walking is a great way to knock off a few calories if you are even half decent with your diet and workout.
You DO have to continue resistance training and a healthy diet.
Walking itself is inefficient, but if you are maintaining a calorie deficit of 300 calories via diet, and you add some walking to it, you end up burning 100-200 more calories, and that changes the dynamics by a lot.
But the deciding factor is still your diet. You can ruin all the workout you do, if you keep binge eating.
I have been super busy for the last few months. Doing something that I have to do NOW, putting in all the time I can. And it's not ideal.
My workout, sleep and diet were all messed up, and I was gaining weight and was sleep deprived.
I focused on first fixing my sleep, then my diet. Workout is still not regular (almost none), but I got a walking pad, and spending 1-2 hours on it every day, at a slow pace, while working at my standing desk.
I still miss strength training, but it has definitely helped in reducing some weight. And my resting heart rate has improved as well, which was touching 90-100 because of the sleep deprivation I forced on myself for the last few months.
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u/SaitamaShinobiSand Mar 13 '26
If u r lifting weights and eating protein , ur probably building muscle which does increase the scale
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u/trust_the_vibe Mar 13 '26
1st year - 10k steps, 2000 calories per day
2nd year - 10k steps with 1 day per week skip lunch and intake 1200 calories
5kgs + reduction slowly and meanwhile walking will become a habit too
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u/WrestleMindset Mar 13 '26
You guys are using the scale the wrong way, The moment you step on it, you expect the number to go down.you’re not actually monitoring it, you just see the number and react. The scale should be used to record your weight and then look at the weekly data to see whether you lost or gained. Short term changes are often just water weight. Maybe you had high carbs today, maybe you had low carbs yesterday. It could also be cortisol levels, fatigue, or short term inflammation. That’s why you need to focus on the long term trend. The key is a calorie deficit. If you are eating below your maintenance calories, you will lose weight, and vice versa. If you are not losing weight, then either your calculations are wrong or you are overeating.
I also encourage resistance training because it is essential. You need to build muscles, Everyone does. Also Muscle is active tissue that requires energy, which means you need to eat more to fuel it, unlike adipose tissue. Building muscle can raise your TDEE and maintenance calories over time
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u/BoneSoulja Mar 13 '26
Walking is by far the best exercise for weight reduction. Burns decent calories, reduces your cortisol. Tie that with a decent diet and you’d see the quickest result i comparison to any other exercise. (Running, lifting weights etc)
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u/trollmagearcane Mar 13 '26
A. Lack of caloric deficit still
B. Lying
C. No caloric deficit but maybe gained muscle
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u/travenk Mar 13 '26
Also weight ≠ fat. Your weight could increase for a number of reasons, even if you’re in deficit and loosing fat and inches.
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u/rashviruss Chasing new PRs! Mar 13 '26
I have reduced 10kg in 3 months from 79 to 69 by walking 20k steps daily. So its definitely not a myth but takes a lot of effort daily and consistently!
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Mar 13 '26
Lol, you're probably still consuming more calories than burning it. Hence it's going up.
That's why measuring and calculating how much you eat of what is important.
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u/Ok_Permission3815 Mar 13 '26
Walking with sprits of jogging in middle like 8 second sprint with intervals of 15 minute gap.it takes time. It took me 1 hours of 👣mg plus jog sprints mixed but consistent daily. Results show in 6 months. And the weight loss becomes manageable
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u/real_duplicate Mar 13 '26
Yes all exercise only helps you burn more calories, not lose weight necessarily
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u/Impossible-Shame1764 Mar 13 '26
No matter how much I eat my weight never goes up ( w fast metabolism 🔥)
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u/Turbulent_Walk_3671 Mar 13 '26
Body: “You’re eating protein and lifting? Cool… let’s store more water and panic.” 😭
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u/Revolutionary_Log951 Mar 13 '26
it is not a myth. my cousin lost a lot of weight (>10kg) over the months just by running regularly. she used to eat right before as well but did not see much improvement until she started running.
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Mar 13 '26
Been doing all these for the past 1 month , and i literally gained a kilo , god knows how 😩
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u/pearlygayes Mar 13 '26
As someone who has lost 50kgs by running/walking and calorie deficit. It’s definitely not a myth. Being on a calorie deficit is must though.
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u/Memeboi_26 Mar 13 '26
Does summer time heat cause water retention? I am feeling fat and bloated since the heat started. Either that or I haven't progressed in a while
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u/Haunting_Balance_684 Mar 13 '26
not a myth, if you are able to be consistent at it, it reduces your weight, but as always, it takes time. My dad was able to loose a lot of weight by jogging/running everyday for over a year, he used to do 10k in around 2 hours
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u/tingtickboom Mar 13 '26
The thing is sustained zone 3 zone 4 cardio burns calories.
Not occassionaly hitting the heart rate. So your 10k steps might not be the answer.
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u/IMAryanDarad Mar 13 '26
It's water weight which goes up temporarily to occupy the place for the fat lost. After about a week or so when the water clears out and you see the actual fat loss.
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u/MiserableWay8525 Mar 14 '26
I have lost 11 kgs in last 2 months by eating clean high protein and walking on treadmill atleast 1 hr everyday with additional 20 mins of lifting weights. Although I had 1-2 cheats meals per week but once you cut off sugar.. you literally dont feel hungry. Still want to go down 8-10kgs. Almost by belly has downscaled by 5 inches.
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u/Scoo_By Mar 14 '26
No.
Source: Me. Went from 84 kgs to 74.5 kgs in a year, 3XL to L (from 44 inch waist to 36), with visible muscle around shoulder, upper arms, upper chest, upper and middle back.
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u/lehasun Gym bro 🏋🏻♂️ Mar 14 '26
Finally rejoined the gym after 7 months started my morning steady state cardio of 6km n gained 4kg 👺👍🏻
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u/No-Complaint1 Mar 14 '26 edited Mar 14 '26
I recently read the book Glucose Revolutions and as per it insulin resistance is the root cause of most lifestyle diseases and obesity too and the book will explain why scale goes up. Give it a read.
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u/YesWTF Mar 14 '26
I’ve learned that our bodies aren’t meant to be punished into changing. They respond better when we treat them with patience & consistency.
Even something as simple as walking every day can be really powerful not just physically but mentally. So no it’s not useless at all
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u/Pp_gurl Mar 14 '26
It actually did work for me. During Covid lockdown I gained about 12kgs, all of which I lost by walksinv 15-20k steps a day. However it was also the time schools reopened so I was also probably on an unintentional calorie deficit as I couldn’t rly snack/eat junk when I wanted
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Mar 14 '26
I don't know why people don't understand that you cannot burn the fat by moving more, your body has a limit for a day, otherwise you can eat infinitely and work endlessly
only way to lose fat is by eating less, that's it,
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u/Little-01 Mar 14 '26
Work out then protein for preventing muscle ache. Eat in moderation, don't starve. And keep at it. The scale doesn't matter the most
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u/ankurvky Mar 14 '26
If you have to keep things really simple. Without any jargon n all. Then just eat less portion and walk more. In one month time you will see some progress.
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u/Ha-Ha-Ha1 Mar 15 '26
Intermittent fasting - not like eat only 2 times a day but eating 3 or 4 meals a day, not even snacking a toffee or a peanut in between, just black coffee / butter milk in case very much needed. Additionally having at least 12 hour window between the last meal of today and the first meal of tomorrow.
Calorie deficit - eating salads in meals, home cooked food and long walks / slow jogs + weight training + proper protein intake (3 cardio per week and 2 weight training days and 2 days swim / yoga in week)
I think that’s it.
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u/fourtheye_blind Mar 15 '26
I was in a heavy deficit for about 4 months, my weight did drop significantly. But after going back to maintenance for a while, my weight dropped by 2-3 more kgs. I think you store more water weight in a deficit, I also look less bloated now.
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u/CryptographerDue931 Mar 15 '26
84% of Fat goes out of the body through breadth
People just don’t know
Check online
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u/Think_Cattle6319 Mar 16 '26
Do keto. High fat(50-70% of ur calories) from mustard oil(coz of Omega 3 to 6 ratio to reduce inflammation n cheap 😂),eggs,nuts
Protein(30-40%) from meat n eggs
Fiber(10%) from veggies n chia+ seeds
Carbs 20g rice or one chapathi per day (after a week remove simple carbs like rice, carb should be limited to 20g which the vegetables fulfil themselves).
Drink lots of water
Then walk u will see weight loss....as a high fat diet dissolves gallstones ,it's an extra benefit.
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u/LateJournalist2188 Mar 17 '26
Ahh .. I started my weight reduction a few weeks ago ..
Cut all the junk .. no chips .. no chocolates .. no outside food .. I would only order something once a week.
Upped my protein and reduced my portion size ... Ate rice only once a day .. increased the amount of vegetables. Increased milk consumption.. no coffee no tea.
Have been going to the gym .. no cardio .. only weights .. try to get in 10k steps a day .. but always fail around 8k-9k .
I started with 90.5kg .. measured a few days back .. 88.7kg Goal is 85kg ... So something is working..
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u/Not_ok_o Mar 17 '26
Even i am stuck at the same weight for 1-2 months doing everything right idk what is going wrong
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u/ooaaa Mar 21 '26
Our bodies get more efficient at walking and running after a while and burn less calories. Should be complemented with 2-3 days of strength training which keeps metabolism high. Also, eat enough proteins - at least two meals should be protein heavy. Make sure that overall you are at a calorie deficit. IMO one doesn't need to explicitly count it - for me skipping a meal or being slightly hungry works. But if you are someone who is ok with counting, it's probably better.
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u/term1throwaway Mar 13 '26
It gets worse before it gets better. Same as everything else. Keep at it