DIET versus EXERCISE

Let’s solve some myths right here right now. Yes exercise is very important and essential for improving your health. Exercise also has the power to boost your energy, prevent cancer, enhance your mood, reduce the risk of heart disease and potentially stop the onset of diabetes. However, when it comes to losing weight, the best and most efficient way to achieve this is to focus on your DIET. We explain why below.

The Goal: To Lose Weight

Focus: Your Diet.

Why: You may have heard of the 80% diet 20 % exercise ratio and the fact that abs are made in the kitchen, not at the gym. Whilst I do not entirely agree with this statement- in my opinion abs are made with Pilates- the ratio seems right on track. If you are falling short with your weight loss goals, the first thing to do is to look at your diet. If you are not fueling your body with healthy foods, you are never going to lose weight and keep it off. Also, never ever use exercise as a way to justify indulgent meals that you consume. It’s a terrible downwards spiral to say “I'll just eat a pizza / tub of ice cream / block of chocolate and exercise the calories away”. That would take many more hours than you realise!

The reason that diet is so crucial and directly linked with weight loss is that what you eat is much easier to modify than your exercise routine. If you want to lose weight, you plan an eating program where you ditch high calorie foods with high GI levels and little or no nutrients for low calorie foods with low GI levels and lots of nutrients. Saying no to the pizza and saying yes to a baked chicken breast takes all of a few seconds and reduces your copious hours at the gym to make up for eating that greasy pizza. Women’s Health Magazine weight loss expert Tara Diversi explains more. “A 7km walk takes a little over an hour for most people and burns around 2000 kilojoules. It takes much less time and less effort to cut 2000 to 4000 kilojoules a day with some small and consistent food changes”. Consequently a healthy balanced diet is the most direct and shortest way towards  dropping a dress size.

Without realising it, people tend to underestimate the calories they consume and overemphasise the calories they burn. Controlling your portion sizes and the food you put in your mouth is much simpler and more efficient than going for a 5 hour run every day (and who has the time to exercise 5 plus hours a day! Not I).

A nutritious diet is imperative to weight loss, as your body needs energy to function. You cannot go on a 10 km walk/run or participate in a tough Pilates class without your body functioning at its best ability.

We definitely do not mean to say that you should cease exercise and lose weight by just eating well. Exercise is vital because if you never challenge your body, you will never see results. Toning and sculpting muscles comes from regular and frequent exercise. Pilates, swimming, running, lifting weights, whatever your exercise regime is important as it assists you in increasing muscle mass, strength and endurance. Diet alone will not and cannot do this.

It appears that the old saying is true; it really does take two to tango. With a healthy and nutritious diet and frequent exercise weight loss will happen! It won’t be easy by any means, but the things we want most in life never are. One thing is for certain though; it will be worth it.

x Emily