How to Lose Weight Without Exercise

Losing weight is the bane of many people’s existence.

And losing weight while on a busy schedule?

Between work and kids, finding time for friends and dealing with unexpected visits from your parents, now you are expected to lose weight and stay healthy?

Forget about finding the time for that, right?!

Well… maybe not.

Losing weight doesn’t always have to involve hitting the gym 4 times per week with cardio run days in between. 

You don’t have to get up at 4am and hit the pavement.

There is a better way for those of you short on time.

Debunking Weight Loss Myths

There are so many diets and fads out there, it can be hard to tell which way to turn. 

Everyone has you trying different methods that all contradict each other.

Before we get into how weight loss works without extra, rigorous exercise, I wanted to debunk some myths about weight loss that I have experienced during my weight loss journey.

If you want to skip down to my answer for how to lose weight without exercise, click here .

You Have To Get Up At 5am

I don’t know about you, but I think getting up early sucks.

I already have to get up around 6am for work, and that’s after going to bed around 11pm or midnight.

By the time I get the kids to bed and my wife gets home around 10:30 from work, walk the dog, and eat a snack and hang out with my wife I haven’t seen all day, getting up at 5am or earlier to go for a run isn’t entirely plausible. 

I was afraid I was never going to lose weight because I never had the time.

What I found out through Noom was that you can work weight loss into whatever busy schedule you have.

It’s something you have to be aware of in many of your decisions throughout the day, so it’s not easy.

It’s not a set it and forget it kind of deal.

But the best part is that it’s doable even for the busiest person.

You Can’t Eat Cake and Lose Weight

There are so many restrictions out there for weight loss, and that is a dangerous method to use when trying to lose weight sustainably.

I’m sure you’ve been there with past tries at dieting.

Don’t eat carbs.

Don’t eat cake.

Don’t eat red meat.

Only eat red meat and carbs.

Drink this shake.

Don’t eat ice cream.

On and on and on!

And what ends up happening?

You hit up your little nephews birthday party and promise yourself you will only eat half a slice of cake.

Next thing you know you find yourself binging on 5 pieces and 3 scoops of ice cream while some of the other little kids were too slow to even get a piece.

When you deprive your inner elephant completely of what it wants, you are damn sure that it will break free before too long and you will go on an eating bender that will wreck all progress you have made.

The key here is moderation and time lapse.

Don’t eat too much bad food. Don’t eat bad food too often.

BUT DEFINITELY EAT IT AT SOME POINT IF YOU WANT IT!

You Have to Be On A Certain Diet to Lose Weight

Keto, Mediterranean, Paleo, Atkins, Fasting, Intermittent Fasting, Vegetarian, Vegan, South Beach, Whole 30… GAH!!!!!!

It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin! 

Which one do you choose, and which one will best fit your lifestyle and health goals?

There isn’t any one magic solution here.

It’s important to do what works for you, but what I’ve found is that you need to find a plan that has longevity and a good balance of nutrients and splurging to keep you from going insane!

Whether that is finding healthy foods that you love to replace some of the bad choices out there, or just cutting back on some portions or helpings, you don’t really need a special diet plan to get you to your health goals.

To talk up Noom again (because it’s what worked for me), take responsibility for your food intake and make sure you aren’t overdoing it. Adding an exercise routine helps, but again isn’t necessary to lose weight if you are busy.

Don’t want to try Noom? 

Find a free calorie tracking app and help regain your control over food that way.

Just learn to take responsibility for your actions.

You Have to Have a Rigorous Workout Schedule to Lose Weight

This touches on the point of this article. 

You don’t need scheduled, planned exercise in your daily routine to lose weight. 

Does it help to?

Absolutely! 

I’m not bashing exercise at all. Do it if you have time. The health benefits are amazing for your body and your mind.

My point is that if you are in a busy spot in your life working a full-time job with little kids at home and a spouse you like to connect with now and again, not all hope is lost.

The Truth About Weight Loss: Losing Weight is Math

If you find yourself in this busy position where you cannot work a formalized exercise routine into your schedule, not all hope is lost.

To find a solution to this dilemma, we simply need to look to the math.

Do you know why the government recommends people eat around 2000 calories per day?

2000 calories is basically how many calories you burn per day by just existing.

By breathing, moving around a little bit, you burn calories without rigorous exercise.

What happens when you eat below 2000 calories?

You create a deficit and weight loss begins.

Now I’m not talking eating 1997 calories per day and seeing weight loss.

Every body is different and every person has different genes and history of weight gain and loss.

If you are busy and restrict your calories by a decent percentage, you will see weight loss over the long-run.

Restricting calories doesn’t always mean eating less, but just eating better.

Substitute bad foods for better foods and slowly work your diet to the healthier side with healthier portions.

On Noom I was on around 1450 calories per day. I lost 35lbs over the 16 weeks. Pretty sure that my results are not typical, but you will see weight loss over time if you stick with the plan, don’t lie to yourself, and be patient.

There is no set amount of weight you will be guaranteed to lose each week. You can do the same exact things day in and day out and lose 3lbs one week and zero the next.

I plateaued at the same weight we almost 3 weeks during my Noom program, and it is a frustrating experience.

The key is to focus on life-long health choices and patience.

If you focus on these key elements, math will take care of your weight loss and you won’t need to allot the extra time for rigorous exercise.

If you need support or guidance in weight loss, I highly recommend trying Noom .

They will teach you how to change your life habits for long-term success in weight loss, no matter what your schedule looks like.

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