No Bull Advice About Diet and Exercise

Some people like to believe that if they exercise, they can eat whatever they want as long as they are not gaining weight. Others think that if they eat well most of the time, they can avoid exercising. While both sentiments carry some truth, as with many things in life, it really isn’t all that simple.

Yes, you can eat bad foods and make up for it calorie wise on the cardio machines or by running, swimming or whatever else it is you choose to do, but your health inside will not be flourishing by any means. If you are eating at a calorie level where you are not gaining weight yet the foods are not the most ideal choices, you will be lacking vitamins and minerals. That’s because the foods produced today contain fewer vitamins and minerals than the same foods produced decades ago – which means that you have to eat more of something to get the same amount of vitamins and minerals you would get in less of something 10 or more years ago. People are eating far too many packaged foods, found typically in the inside aisles of the grocery store, and not enough whole, unprocessed foods. Part of this is due to the misleading marketing of many products being whole or unprocessed, such as whole wheat bread.

When it comes to choosing the ideal foods, forget what the food industry marketers tell you. Conduct your own research, read studies and learn the “whys” of nutrition. If you take a diet that is handed to you and you follow it but do not understand why you are eating what you are eating, then eventually you will fall off track.

The other part of the equation of why eating poorly and exercising it off is not ideal is that a calorie is not a calorie. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates act differently in the body; eating a 100-calorie chocolate bar does not do the same thing in your body as does a 100- calorie serving of chicken or vegetables. People often neglect the effect of insulin in the body, which is crucial – the increasing number of people with diabetes and even juvenile diabetes is proof of this. Carbohydrates, especially simple, more processed carbohydrates, raise insulin levels much more than fats or proteins. If somebody is constantly eating these types of foods, their insulin levels never drop, and stay down, - and this is when issues arise.

Then there are people that diet without exercise to keep their weight down. This can work in terms of weight, but when it comes to one’s inner health, so much depends on what and how often they are eating. Following a weight program that allows one to eat what you want but in limited amounts does not make for ideal health. Nor does losing weight through diet alone.

THE BEST APPROACH FOR LOSING WEIGHT IS TO EAT GOOD FOODS WHILE KEEPING THE CALORIC LEVEL DOWN; TO MAINTAIN WEIGHT, OPT FOR HEALTHY EATING COMBINED WITH EXERCISE.

Another negative aspect to controlling weight through diet alone is that you’re missing out on many benefits that come with exercising. Exercising helps to increase bone density, strength, joint stability and hormonal responses, and to lower blood pressure. If you want to stay feeling young and energetic, then exercise is definitely part of the answer. But walking is not enough; muscles need to be challenged and to adapt to different types of resistance if you are trying to even maintain your strength.

Strength training beats cardio in the long run. Also, the more muscle you have on your body, the higher your metabolism. Strength training also positively affects bone density, physical strength, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and muscle imbalances. It has been shown to help fight diabetes and arthritis more effectively than cardiovascular training.

Finally, seek the advice of both a nutrition expert and a personal trainer. They can help you reach your goals.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

Exercising without a diet plan can work for weight loss but not for long-term health.
Dieting without exercise also works for weight loss, but you will be missing out on the other benefits of exercise.
The best solution is a healthy eating plan combined with strength training.

About the Author:

Chelsea Boissonneault is a an Ottawa-based certified personal trainer and nutrition advisor, author of Abs on the Go and co- founder of Free Form Fitness, the no bull – just results personal training centre.

www.freeformfitness.ca