Diet VS. Exercise

Which is more important for healthy weight loss? That’s a slightly complex question but if I had to choose one for weight loss the answer would absolutely be a healthy diet over exercise.

Exercise is great for fighting off disease, and turning on some important functions (like reparation) in the body. It’s also great for helping maintain weight loss so that one doesn’t gain it back after all of the effort and dedication needed to lose it in the first place. When we intentionally stress the muscles, bones, and other tissues with exercise, that stress puts the body into “Repair Mode” which has benefits beyond strength and weight loss, so exercise is very important for health and longevity. I highly encourage exercise for stress relief and simply for sport.

Bur for weight loss exercise isn’t enough. If we spend 30 minutes on the treadmill that may burn off enough calories to have an Oreo. I hate eating one Oreo. One Oreo makes me want to break a lamp.

To lose weight we need to learn how to eat the correct amount of calories for our lifestyles (desk job anyone?) and for our age, and height. We need to eat in style that is mostly permanent. We may adjust our calories up and down, but we don’t want to switch from Keto to Vegetarian if we know we are going to be vegetarian for life. We don’t want to lose weight drinking only smoothies if we intend to be omnivores for life. If we do that, we have not learned how to manage our regular-life nutrition. Learning to manage our regular-life nutrition in a way to reduces calories, satisfies, and is sustainable is the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

Now let’s say Keto really suits you, and you feel completely satisfied with very low carbs, and don’t miss sugar (or the sugar cravings). Fine, let’s make sure we are doing Keto properly and not just living off of bacon and Velveta cheese. You will want to make sure you are still getting proper nutrition, and not overdoing the protein. This is just one example of a diet that maybe you could maintain for life. BUT if not, and you are just doing it for a few weeks and can’t wait to get back onto those waffles, this is NOT the diet for you. Does this make sense? Ya feel me? You picking up what I’m putting down. Great. Let’s move on.

So, exercise is extremely important. How much exercise? That depends on your goals. But when it comes to weight loss, proper nutrition is where it’s at.