This is how you lose weight with exercise

Can you lose weight without exercise?

“With strict diets and without exercise, it’s possible to lose weight,” says physician and nutritionist David Fäh (49). However, it gets especially difficult if you’ve already lost weight: “It’s very difficult to maintain the weight you’ve gained after dieting without exercise. Studies have shown that it takes about 60 to 90 minutes of exercise a day to counteract the yo-yo effect.” So if you want to be slimmer in the long run, you should start looking for a suitable sport for you.

What are the best sports for weight loss?

Basically, any move is better than nothing. “If you want to stay fit for the long term, you should choose a sport that you enjoy if you do it regularly,” advises Fäh. Endurance sports are not overdone, but are particularly recommended for weight loss. People who are particularly overweight or unaccustomed to physical activity should keep the risk of injury low. Cycling, nature walks and walks are very suitable for this, especially on roads closed to vehicle traffic.

Water, Fat and Muscle: What and How Much?

When it comes to the question of how a healthy body is formed, the main thing to pay attention to is the fat ratio. Guidelines for this differ by age and gender: “In middle age, it should not go above 30 percent for women and 20 percent for men,” explains Fäh. Especially when the fat ratio exceeds 35 percent in young people and 25 percent in men, it becomes a problem.

What is the maximum weight you can lose?

Many diet and fitness plans promise to lose a few pounds in a matter of days. As Fäh knows, such promises are unrealistic: “Of course you can lose weight faster with radical diets. But the weight lost is back on your hips at the same speed».

Realistically, depending on your starting weight, you can lose about 1-2 kg per month with a daily calorie deficit of 500 kilocalories. But if it’s a little less or more, you shouldn’t worry: “Actually, you just want to lose fat mass. Therefore, the focus should be on making the weight lost consist of fat, not weight loss,” explains Fäh.

When are you too fat?

A person’s ideal weight is usually determined using BMI (you can calculate it here). A BMI of 25 and above is overweight, and 30 and above is obese. However, people with a BMI between 25 and 30 don’t necessarily need to lose weight: “People with a lot of muscle usually have a very high BMI. Then it’s important to measure your body fat percentage as well. If that’s low, there’s no reason to lose weight,” explains Fäh. and mentions a second exception: “If a person’s body mass index is in the overweight range, but otherwise satisfied and above all healthy, it is not necessary to lose weight. Then it is important to avoid further weight gain and maintain a healthy lifestyle.” .