There is a
strong debate on which method helps people lose weight faster, is it diet or
exercise?
Source: womenshealthmag.com via Vanessa on Pinterest
First, let
us dissect EXERCISE. Weight trainers, body fitness enthusiasts defend that the
more you build muscles on your body, the faster you burn calories and lose
weight. Well, to burn 1 kilo in a week, you are required to exercise intensely
and vigorously twice a day. This rigid training entails running and walking in
kilometers, lifting weights, stretching, pushups and crutches. Now, I could
read your mind. You simply do not have time for this regimen ("I am too
busy") and like you; I could find a thousand excuses not to engage in such
activity. We all know the reason to that; it is not an easy way to lose weight.
Do not argue, it is a fact!
Let us
consider the situation wherein there is no other way but to exercise, would you
still consider reading all the wondrous benefits it could give your body? Just
stay with me and do not count. Just keep on reading.
|
|
I guess I
have made my point, now let's go to DIET.
In many ways, many of us have done dieting in many phases. The most
popular diets we know that really work if followed religiously are South Beach
diet (a three-phase plan that starts with eating less carbohydrates, except for
essential vegetables, while consuming lean protein), GI (Glycemic Index) diet (for
diabetics), organic, Sonoma diet (consists of three different phases and
focuses on ten "power" foods such as lean protein, feta cheese,
almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach,
strawberries, tomatoes, whole grains and wine), Jenny Craig diet (Jenny Craig
is a personal consultant that helps build a diet that works for each
individual's weight-loss needs and also serves as a motivator to stick with the
plan), Weight Watchers (There are two plans to choose from: a Flex plan that
lets a client eat the foods they want, but control the amount with a point
system; or a Core plan that doesn't tally points, but consists of only
nutritious food. ), vegetarian, detox, low carb diets, Atkins (has four phases
– all with a carefully controlled level of carbohydrate intake), Beverly Hills
(diet is based on a food combining principle called conscious-combining. The
main food group of the diet is fruit, but the diet has vegetable-only days,
fruit-only days, and other days when some starchy carbohydrate is allowed), HCG
(core of the HCG diet consists of extreme Calorie restriction of around 500
Calories a day mainly from lean protein and a daily injection of 125mg of the
HCG hormone. Other programs promote taking the hormone orally. The diet
proponents’ claim that the body will begin to burn fat reserves as the HCG
prevents the body from breaking down muscle for energy. They claim that dieters
can expect to lose “26 pounds in 26 days” with up to 3100 fat calories being
used for energy per day).
There seem
to be so many choices and yet people are unable to lose weight and if they did,
they gain the loss pounds back after a few months. Have you really read what I
have written? Yes, these diets really work IF you follow it RELIGIOUSLY. You
see, that is the hardest part. It may be teaching us what healthy eating is but
many diets are too restrictive and are not designed to be sustained over time.
Losing weight through dieting is not a quick fix but rather a more sensible and
long-term approach to a healthy lifestyle. Many are not prepared for this and
many people will always hunger for the forbidden.
The
Verdict
Which do you
think has a more impact on losing weight, diet or exercise? Surprisingly, the
bigger influence on weight is your diet, not exercise. What if you exercise
like crazy, and you eat a diet that promotes fat-storage, you will probably
lose some weight (although many people do not). However, if you did no exercise
at all, but changed your diet to something that keeps your metabolism faster,
you would lose considerably more weight than the other scenario. The point is,
you should exercise, but GET THE RIGHT DIET IN PLACE FIRST!
Remember, both diet and exercise has the
importance in life. A well-balanced diet helps to make our body system work
effectively whereas exercise helps our body to revitalize. A combination of the
two is what you actually call, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Post a Comment