Exercise and Weightloss: Do you really need it? [VIDEO]

Do I Need to Exercise to Lose Weight?

Losing weight is simple, eat less then your body needs. But most bullsh*t programs tell you to count calories and bust your ass at the gym to burn more.

Here’s the simple truth: You don’t have to exercise for weightloss, but you should question why you do or do not exercise. 

Watch my Facebook live video to listen to me discuss exercise, why and how to get started moving, a tour of my home gym, and a Q&A about exercise and weightloss.

The key to weightloss is learning how to commit. We know how to go all in, but we’re not as good about being reasonable about our expectations of ourselves, setting ourselves up for success, and putting that on repeat. When success is on repeat, you’ll lose weight.

When I was 250 pounds, I had never exercised in my life. I wanted to become someone who moved every day. It was scary because I knew I was going to have to go to a gym and have people look at me. Part of what helped me lose my weight was going from someone who worried about what people thought about me to someone who was more concerned about listening to how I was thinking about myself and changing the judgement I had about me.

You have to get past judgement of others and judgement of self in order to lose weight.

I used to judge others and think “she’s thin, it’s easy for her.” You don’t know other people’s stories and thinking things like that is not helpful. It doesn’t matter if it’s easy or hard for someone else. Are you making it easy or hard on yourself? That’s what’s important.

Do not use “I don’t have a lot of money” as an excuse to not workout. YouTube has tons of workouts for free (check out Fitness Blender). I often asks for fitness equipment as gifts for Christmas and my birthday.

I’ve slowly been adding to my home gym for 15 years. I started with a couple sets of weights, a step bench, and some resistance bands. I started with 15 minutes of walking every day. I wanted to prove to myself that I could decide to do something and stick with it. I wanted to do something that I could do every day that would help me to feel better.

How to Start Exercising 

1. Decide if you want to focus on your food first or your exercise.
2. Choose something small that you think you can stick to and start there.
3. Make it reasonable and doable.

Exercise allowed me to commit and learn that just because I had drama thoughts, it didn’t mean it was true. Just because I was worried that people were looking at me, didn’t meant that I couldn’t also think “one day I’ll be proud of myself.”

You are allowed to have competing beliefs. The shitty thoughts don’t necessarily have to go away for you to become a new person. You can show up as the new person and bring those old thoughts with you. Eventually the new, positive thoughts will become louder than those old, negative thoughts.

Exercise is important, but not for weightloss.

Exercise is important because it will give you quality of life as you age.

For me, exercise did not make me lose weight. It was not the calories I burned. It was the first time in my life that I promised myself that I would do something and I followed through, even on the days it sucked. In the moments my brain screamed that I was a failure because I missed a day, I kept showing up. I kept showing up until I really believed in myself.

Exercise gave me friends that I never would have met if I would have stayed in my house worrying about what people thought. If I had kept thinking that I should stay home because no one wants to be friends with the fat girl, I wouldn’t have my weightloss coaching business and changed the lives that I have changed. 

I started walking and still enjoy walking today. Walking is a gift that I give myself because it is good for me mentally and physically.

I had to practice being scared and do it anyway. Now I do things I’m scared of all the time. I created a business. I wrote the © No B.S. Weightloss Course. I do Facebook Lives. I now know that you don’t necessarily have to know what you’re doing to do amazing things in life.

You don’t have to exercise for weightloss, but you should question why you do or do not exercise. 

1. Figure out what you love and do it. If you love to dance, throw on some music and dance.
2. How do you want to move your body? Movement is a gift you give yourself.

My best advice for exercise: try some shit. There’s so many options out there:

• Dancing.
• Peloton.
• Weightlifting.
• Yoga.
• Walking, etc.

I try to move every day. Somedays it’s a lighter workout and somedays it’s something tougher.

All of my workouts came from a place of “I want to see if I can do this” “I want to see what I’m made of” and “this is my time.” I wanted to be someone who moved and I was tired of identifying as someone who can’t do that. I was holding myself back and didn’t want to do that anymore.

I work out for an hour most days because it is my time. I listen to self-development. I catch up with friends. I Marco Polo (video chat app).

That time is connection to self and others and connection to my brain, heart, and soul. Exercise taught me how to get over shame. It taught me to do something for myself instead of worrying what people were thinking.

I’m training for a half marathon right now. I have done nearly 60 half marathons since I started at 250 pounds because I always wanted to be a runner, I wanted to challenge myself, I wanted to become a finisher. I didn’t do them for weightloss. I found something I liked.

I host a race for my members each year called “Don’t Stop Believing.” I stay until the very last person finishes. There are no time limits. The members cheer each other on. They get a coach for 16 weeks that helps them with their training. If you’re not in the weightloss program, check out Jill Angie at “Not Your Average Runner.” She has training programs.

Exercise is about becoming someone you never dreamed you could be before!

Are you ready to get started on your weightloss journey? Sign up to take my free Losing for Life Kickstart Video Course!