A lot of people are curious to know which is more important when it comes to weight loss--diet or exercise? You may hear people say it's 80% nutrition 20% exercise, 50-50, or 60-40. Is one really more important than the other, however, and if so, why? In the scheme of things they both have their place.
Cutting calories
Some studies suggest that caloric deficits are more effective in promoting weight loss than physical activity alone, but that both have a positive effect in weight control.
When attempting to lose weight, most experts recommend a well-balanced, restricted calorie diet. This means the right proportion of carbohydrates, fats, and protein while reducing the total number of calories you consume. Unfortunately, many people believe that "dieting" means fad/crash dieting which may only provide short-term weight loss that is quickly regained. Avoid crash dieting and instead utilize a caloric deficit (burning more calories than you consume). To achieve this most professionals suggest cutting 500 calories from your total caloric intake per day. One pound is equal to 3,500 calories, so a caloric reduction of 500 calories per day will effectively result in a healthy weight loss of one pound per week.
If you have trouble tracking all of your calories on your own, try Fitday.com which contains a wide database of foods and their caloric value. To figure out how many calories you need to consume daily click here.
Physical activity
Even though cutting calories may promote weight loss more than exercise alone, that doesn't mean you should cut exercise out of your daily activities. Regular exercise has numerous benefits including, but not restricted to:
- Strengthening bones, the heart, the brain, muscles, and the like
- Lowering cholesterol
- Promoting healthy weight maintenance and avoidance of Type II Diabetes
- Improving mood
- Reducing stress
- Improving self-esteem and building confidence
- Improving posture
- Reducing low back pain
- Improving flexibility
- ...and the list goes on
In addition, if you are trying to lose weight, combining exercise with a well-balanced diet can help you get the edge on weight loss. Having trouble losing those last stubborn pounds or building sexy abs and legs? Then you need to exercise. Other studies show that people who maintain a successful weight loss in the long run engage in regular physical exercise. Exercise can help you burn off extra calories and speed up your metabolism.
Diet v. Exercise: Who wins?
When looking to lose weight, cutting calories seems to get one-up on exercise. However, exercise helps with long-term weight maintenance and the prevention of many diseases. Exercise also helps burning excess calories, muscular development, and toning. For best results, be sure to both cut calories and engage in daily physical activity.
View a local list of Dietitians in Santa Ana that can help you create the ideal meal plan.
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