Is Diet or Exercise More Important for Weight Loss?
The two most preferred options are “Diet” and “Exercise” when trying to lose weight. But which one is more important? This million-dollar question has been asked very often. This blog will give all the information about these two options and what works in the long run.
Weight-loss Options
To lose weight, your body must burn more calories than you consume. One can achieve this by any of these three means:
- By eating and drinking fewer calories
- Burning a higher number of calories through exercise physical activity
- A healthy combination of Diet and Exercise.
Dietary Benefits for Weight Loss
Many people prefer dieting because it’s easier to manage your calorie intake by modifying your diet. Burning more calories significantly after consumption involves hard work. Most people work off the 80/20 rule, which is 80% diet and 20% exercise.
If you aim to reduce by 500 calories, you consume 80% of those 500, which is 400 calories and burn only 100 calories (20%) from exercise. This is easily achievable by many rather than burning all 500 calories via exercise/physical activity.
A time tested healthy diet plan focuses on eating whole, minimally processed foods that are high in fibre, protein, and healthy fats.
How exercise promotes weight loss?
Exercise offers lots of benefits apart from just weight loss, such as:-
- Strength training is excellent in preserving and building muscle mass.
- Exercise increases your metabolic rate over time, and over time even while resting, your body burns calories.
- Do you know that a single strength training session has the capacity to increase your metabolic rate for up to 72 hours?
A low to moderate intensity of 30 minutes or longer aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging, or cycling burns a significant number of calories in a single session.
Regular exercise regulates hunger hormones and helps manage hunger. This helps in reducing overeating and excess snacking.
Doing too much exercise will increase appetite and increase injury risk, so moderation is best.
Finally, by burning extra calories and increasing your metabolic rate, the physical activity allows you to have more flexibility with your diet, making weight loss more enjoyable and less restrictive.
Recommendation: Combination of diet and exercise
Although the 80/20 rule is a helpful guideline, don’t follow it blindly. Instead, plan to make positive changes to your diet and exercise routine that works for you. If it is convenient to reduce 50% of calorie intake and the remaining 50% by exercise, follow it. It has always been true that healthy, long-term weight loss and management can be achieved by combining both diet and exercise.
Research has shown that combining modest calorie restriction and exercise gave excellent weight loss results. In some cases, combining the two led to over five times more lost weight than exercise alone.
Ultimately, adopting a lifestyle that suits you. Everyone has their unique body and metabolic patterns. Even while exercising, try out various routines. Yoga, strength training, core training, walking, jogging, swimming are all excellent physical activities in reducing weight and making your body fitter. If there is a favourite sport, make it a daily practice. This way you get to enjoy your favourite sport and lose weight too.
Even with diet, consider your current health profile. It is worth visiting a good dietician and getting a diet chart that suits your body and personal goals. Following crash diets may give instant results but are not sustainable in the long run. Some crash diets may also cause health problems due to reducing protein, vitamins and minerals intake.
Dr V.Pareek will guide you in the best possible way to lose weight. Our comprehensive team consists of excellent dieticians and fitness experts. So reach us today at +91 91-777-77715 and strengthen your weight loss journey.
