How to Lose Weight Without Going to the Gym

Co-authored by Pouya Shafipour, MD, MS

Last Updated: February 25, 2024 Approved

To lose weight, most health professionals recommend diet and exercise. This combination has been shown to help you lose weight and maintain your weight loss long-term.^{[1]
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Lyssandra Guerra
Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Expert Interview. 25 March 2020.} But you don't necessarily have to hit the gym as your form of daily exercise. Health clubs and gyms can be expensive, far away, not enjoyable or even intimidating for some people. Fortunately, studies have shown that dietary changes have more of an effect on weight loss compared to physical activity.^{[2]
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Research source} In addition, there are plenty of ways to exercise and be active that don't include going to the gym. So skip the gym and instead make a few dietary changes to help you lose weight.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Losing Weight with Dietary Changes

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1
Eat high protein, high fiber breakfast every morning. Eating breakfast is an important part of weight loss. Studies have shown that regular consumption of a high protein, high fiber breakfast can help you stay satisfied longer and decrease hunger cravings during the day.^{[3]
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Pouya Shafipour, MD, MS
Board Certified Family Medicine Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.}
- Fiber not only adds filling bulk to your meals, but also has been shown to prevent constipation and certain cancers like colon and rectal cancer. Starting out your day with a fiber-rich breakfast can help you reach your daily goal of 25 g for women and 38 g for men.^{[4]
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- Examples of breakfast meals include: scrambled eggs with sautéed vegetables and 2 ounces of lean sausage, 1 cup of low-fat greek yogurt with fruit and nuts or an omelet with spinach and bacon and a glass of milk or milk substitute.
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Eat mostly lean protein, fruits and vegetables for every meal.^{[5]
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Pouya Shafipour, MD, MS
Board Certified Family Medicine Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.} Studies show that one of the best diets for weight loss is a moderate to low-carb diet that emphasizes lean protein and includes lots of fruits and vegetables.^{[6]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- Try to make most of your meals and snacks protein, fruits and vegetables. Focusing on these food groups will help you minimize the amount of carbohydrate-rich foods you consume. Make sure you include healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) as well, as they are an essential part of your diet, too.^{[7]
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  Pouya Shafipour, MD, MS
  Board Certified Family Medicine Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.}
- Examples of meals include: grilled chicken and vegetable stir fry, lettuce wrap with low-fat cheese and lean deli meat, grilled salmon with steamed vegetables, or a sliced apple with low-fat cheese. Try a big salad with tuna fish, or egg salad, or a chef salad.
- Minimize carbohydrate-rich foods when you can. Items like bread, rice, pasta, bagels, crackers, chips and couscous are higher in carbohydrates compared with other food groups. Although these can be part of a healthy diet, limiting your intake may help speed weight loss.^{[8]
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3
Avoid mindless snacking. Snacking or grazing throughout the day or late at night can sabotage weight loss. While planned, healthy snacking can support weight loss, mindless eating or grazing can counteract it.^{[9]
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- Mindless eating and snacking is when you're consuming food and not realizing how much you're consuming or what you're consuming. This may happen out of boredom when you're watching TV, driving or doing work at home. When you're not aware of how much you're eating, you're more likely to overeat.
- If you are mildly dehydrated, your brain may confuse a need for water with hunger. Avoid this by making sure you drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Aim for eight 8-ounce glasses (2 liters) every day.
- If you feel like you need to snack, make your snack planned and mindful. Sit down, portion out your food, consume it and then move on with your daily activities.
- Try to avoid eating from the box, bag or package. It's tough to know how much you've consumed. Also try to minimize other distractions while you're eating — like watching TV, doing work or checking emails. Focus on your snack.
4
Don't drink your calories. One common cause of weight gain is the consumption of calorie-filled or sugary beverages.^{[10]
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Research source} Ditch the sweetened drinks and consume clear, sugar-free, hydrating fluids instead.
- One danger of drinking calories is that you don't necessarily feel full or satisfied after consuming that beverage. You're more likely to eat your normal calorie intake in addition to the calories from your sweetened beverages.^{[11]
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- Aim for adequate fluids from drinks like: water, sugar-free flavored water, decaf black coffee or decaf tea.
5
Avoid regular indulgences. A sweet treat, a glass of wine or sweetened coffee drink are types of treats that should be watched when you're trying to lose weight. Little items like these, over time, can slow or even stop your weight loss.^{[12]
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Pouya Shafipour, MD, MS
Board Certified Family Medicine Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.}
- Limit treats as much as possible. This is important for weight loss when you're not planning on exercising often or strenuously. You will not be burning enough calories through physical activity to cover a lot of indulgences.
- If you're really craving a treat, calculate how you can fit that treat in with your desired caloric goals each day. If you can have a smaller lunch or skip a snack (but never skip a meal) and stay within your daily calorie goal, it's appropriate to have the treat.
- Use your favorite treats as a reward for maintaining your diet!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Losing Weight with Lifestyle Changes

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1
Go to bed at a set time. Sleeping is crucial for your overall health, but even more so for weight loss and maintenance. Studies have shown that decreased sleep affects your body's hunger hormones — increasing your cravings and hunger the next day.^{[13]
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Mayo Clinic
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- Aim for between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. This is a general recommendation and should be an appropriate amount of rest for most healthy adults.^{[14]
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- To help you get to sleep and sleep soundly, practice good sleep hygiene. This includes turning off all lights and electronic devices. It's also recommended to stop using bright, stimulating devices — such as smartphones, tablets, TV, and laptops — about 30 minutes prior to trying to fall asleep.
2
Start a food journal. Journaling has been shown to be very effective for weight loss. You can track a variety of items (like calories, activity level, hydration, sleep, etc.) to help keep you on track. The more accurate your journal, the more likely you are to be successful. It's easier now than ever to keep a food diary — download an app like MyFitnessPal onto your smartphone and use it to log your food.^{[15]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

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- One thing to keep track of is your food and beverage intake. Food journals can provide you insight into your diet and what may or may not be working for your weight loss plan. Food journals can also help keep you accountable.
- In addition, you can also track your progress in your journal or on your app. That might be weight, pants or dress size and what physical fitness progress you have made. Those that keep track of their weight regularly are also more successful long-term.
3
Get support. Weight loss can be difficult — especially if you've been trying or plan on trying to lose weight for a long time. Finding a support group can help build your confidence, keep you motivated and help your success long-term.^{[16]
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American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists

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- Ask friends or family members if they'd like to join you on your weight loss plan. You can plan meals together or find fun, physically active things to do together. You're more likely to stick to your plan if you're doing it with a friend.
- Consider joining online groups or forums of others who are trying to lose weight. There are a variety of people who do not like or cannot be physically active but are still trying to lose weight.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Exercising Outside of the Gym

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1
Use exercise DVDs or online videos. If going to the gym or going for a walk or jog isn't enjoyable, try using online videos or exercise DVDs to help you get in some physical activity.
- Both of these options are fairly low-cost or even free and are available in a variety of skill levels to meet your needs.
- Research some exercise DVDs or online videos to see what ones might be fun, geared to your fitness level and whether or not they require extra equipment.
2
Do bodyweight exercises. Strength training, toning and building muscle can also be done at home. You don't need special machines or weights to perform many of these exercises.
- Incorporate bodyweight exercises for simple strength training at home. You can try: pushups, sit-ups, tricep dips, lunges or planks.
- You can also use household items for weights. Try using a water battle, canned beans or a gallon jug filled with water. Use these items when you're doing exercises like bicep curls or lateral raises.
- You may also want to consider purchasing a set of inexpensive free weights or resistance bands so you can do a larger variety of activities at home.
- Aim to do about 20 minutes of strength training two to three times weekly.
3
Go for free cardio. There are a variety of cardiovascular exercises that you can do at home or in your local community.^{[17]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK

Go to source} Many are low cost or are free and do not require you to go to a gym to perform.
- Go for a walk or jog outside in your neighborhood, outdoor track or park. Enjoy the outdoors while you workout. If the weather is bad or you don't have a safe area to walk, try walking loops in the mall.
- You can also go for a bike ride in your neighborhood or take your bike to a scenic trail.
4
Increase your daily steps. If you don't have time or don't enjoy planned physical activity, try increasing the amount of steps you take each day. The more you move throughout the day, the more calories you'll burn.
- Think about different ways you could add more steps to your day. You could park farther away, walk the long way to your destination, or take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Also consider moving more. For example, you could do leg raises during TV commercial breaks or do sitting leg lifts while you're sitting at your desk.
EXPERT TIP

Laila Ajani
Fitness Trainer
Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 13 years as a trainer and exercise specialist, Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), and USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).

Laila Ajani
Fitness Trainer

Losing weight without regular exercise is possible. To lose weight, you must control your caloric intake. It's a crucial step you can't skip. Ensure that your diet is well-balanced and contains foods that are low in calories and high in nutrition. Additionally, try increasing your daily physical activity to burn more calories.

Expert Q&A

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How do beginners get fit?

Pouya Shafipour, MD, MS
Board Certified Family Medicine Specialist
Dr. Pouya Shafipour is a Family Medicine Specialist, Primary Care Physician, and a Weight Loss Specialist based in Santa Monica, California. Dr. Shafipour specializes in dietary, nutritional, behavioral, and exercise counseling to manage obesity and medical conditions related to excessive weight gain or loss. Dr. Shafipour received a BS in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, an MS in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University, and an MD from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine. He completed his internship in general surgery at UC Irvine and a residency in family medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and became board certified in family medicine in 2008.

Pouya Shafipour, MD, MS

Board Certified Family Medicine Specialist

Expert Answer

It is recommended you do a total of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.

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How can I lose belly weight without working out at all?

Lyssandra Guerra
Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant
Lyssandra Guerra is a Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant and the Founder of Native Palms Nutrition based in Oakland, California. She has over five years of nutrition coaching experience and specializes in providing support to overcome digestive issues, food sensitivities, sugar cravings, and other related dilemmas. She received her holistic nutrition certification from the Bauman College: Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts in 2014.

Lyssandra Guerra

Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Expert Answer

Your diet is a major contributor to your weight. One way to lose weight is to switch to a keto diet and cut carbohydrates out of your diet. When you switch to a keto diet, your body will burn more energy from fat since your body is producing less glucose to create energy. So, eating a ketogenic diet that's high in healthy fats, like as avocados, olive oil, and almonds, will help create ketones in the body that will help you burn energy, calories, and weight

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How do I calculate how many calories I need to cut out of my diet to lose weight?

Patricia Somers, RD, PhD
Registered Dietitian
Patricia Somers is a Registered Dietitian and an Associate Professor of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Texas at Austin. She received her RD from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 1979 and her PhD in Educational Administration (Higher Education Specialization) from the University of New Orleans. She received an Emerging Scholar Award from the American Association of University Women and the Faculty Excellence Award in Research from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock.

Patricia Somers, RD, PhD

Registered Dietitian

Expert Answer

For most people, cutting about 500 cal/day will result in weight loss of 1 – 2 lbs/week. You can combine cutting food intake with increased exercise for best results.

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Remember, losing weight requires a combination of lifestyle changes. You will lose the most weight with a combination of diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.^{[18]
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Lyssandra Guerra
Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Expert Interview. 25 March 2020.}

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Always talk to your doctor prior to making any dietary or lifestyle changes. They will be able to tell you if your plan is safe and appropriate for you.

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Going to the gym isn't necessary for weight loss. Physical activity, however, should be included weekly to help support weight loss and long-term maintenance.

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