The food we eat plays a vital role in how we look and feel. Regular exercise is important but according to research, nutrition has the largest impact on our fitness. Here are 5 reasons why diet is as important as fitness:
- Exercise alone cannot drive significant weight loss:
Studies have proven that exercise alone cannot drive significant weight loss, primarily because the majority of us unknowingly compensate for the calories that we burn by being more physically active. In other to change this, commit to keeping a food diary that lists every single calorie that you consume. This will make your food choices abundantly clear and highlight any areas for immediate improvement.
- Exercise increases your appetite:
Restrict your diet at the start of your weight loss drive in a bid to optimize the impact of your exercise. Remember that feeling hungry is an inevitable side effect of losing weight and changing your dietary habits. You should only consider increasing your calorie intake as you increase the frequency or intensity of your workouts.
- Increase in physical activity has not countered rising obesity levels:
This only confirms that exercise is not enough to prevent weight gain or the onset of chronic dietary conditions. Reviewing the nutritional values of every meal and snack that you consume will help you to regulate the amount of saturated fat and sugar that you eat on a regular basis thereby optimizing the impact of any exercise that you undertake.
- Food is the fuel source that drives exercise:
Many people misunderstand the relationship that exists between food and exercise, but the fact remains that the former is an underlying fuel source that drives the latter. Without the right caloric intake, energy, and nutrients in your body, it is impossible to exercise effectively and achieve the weight loss that you desire.
- Short-term weight loss is also driven by diet:
Experts estimate that weight loss generally consists of 75% diet and 25% exercise. Majority of people see the most obvious short-term results through eating smart and dieting. Keep this in mind that as you initially focus on shedding excess calories before you consider undertaking cardiovascular exercise and toning regimes, change your diet.