It’s an all too common misconception that you can lose
weight and stay healthy just by exercising regularly. The reality is that
exercise alone is not enough to overcome a poor diet.
The
Myth
Many Americans believe that if you exercise on a regular
basis you can eat whatever you want and still remain healthy. This myth has
been developed over decades of thinking that being inactive results in obesity.
In recent years, evidence has come to light suggesting that this isn’t the
whole truth.
We commonly associate obesity with lack of exercise, but studies
now show that inactivity is more of a side effect of obesity than a cause. This
means that the majority of people don’t become overweight solely because of not
exercising. In fact, it’s more common that people stop being active because
they are overweight.
That may sound like a catch-22 but research shows that a
healthy diet has more to do with your general health and ability to maintain a
healthy weight than exercise does.
To be clear, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t exercise.
Regular exercise results in numerous health benefits such as improved cardiovascular
health. The message you should take away from this research is that we need to
relearn what we think we know about being healthy.
Sugar
Overload
In order to be healthy and lose weight more effectively,
you need to cut down on your intake of sugar and carbohydrates. When it comes
to healthy eating, there is a list of excuses a mile long for why it is too
hard or too expensive. If you’re interested in living a long and healthy life, you
need to stop procrastinating and start making better decisions about what you
put into your body.
In this fast paced world full of fast food, the average
person eats far more than the recommended daily value of calories. If, like
many Americans, you visit the occasional drive through for a quick and easy
meal on your lunch break you may be consuming your daily caloric intake in one
sitting. A chocolate chip frappe from McDonalds boasts a whopping 66 grams of
sugar and 520 calories. Add a steak and cheese bagel to that and you get
another 670 calories and 35 grams of fat.
Why
You Can’t Lose Weight with Exercise Alone
According to traditional thinking all you need to do to
lose weight is burn more calories than you consume. That may sound simple in
theory, but in real life, it’s much more difficult than you may think.
Many people really believe that they don’t have to worry
about counting calories because they exercise every day; this is simply not the
case. Exercise is in no way a free pass to eat anything you want. If you want
to burn off that fast food cheeseburger you had for lunch you’re going to have
to work out for over an hour. If you are making unhealthy food choices all day,
the logistics just don’t add up. No amount of exercise can overcome the damage
done be a poor diet.
How to
Be Healthy and Lose Weight
If your goal is to lose weight and improve your overall
health, then you need to eat a balanced diet in conjunction with your workout
routine. Reducing your intake of foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates
is just as important as pulling yourself up off the couch.
The key is to set yourself up for success. Keeping healthy
and nutritious foods on hand can help you resist the temptation you face when
you go to the store hungry. Taking a little time out of your weekend to prep
meals for the coming week can make it easier to say no to fast food on your
lunch break.
Initially it will take a little will power to drop the
sweets in favor of a healthy diet but each time you choose an apple over a
candy bar or bag of chips makes the next time that much easier. If you want to
reap the rewards of all your hard work at the gym the best way to shed those
unwanted pounds is to start with the right diet.
Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/04/24/exercise-wont-save-us-sugar-and-carbs-are-our-bodily-downfall/
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