The great weight-loss debate: diet vs. exercise
| 2 min read
If you had to choose one way to lose weight–diet or exercise–which would you pick? Many people have a definite preference when asked this question, so we thought it was time to reveal which option is actually the best for slimming down.
Most researchers agree that consuming fewer calories through dieting promotes greater weight loss than exercise does. That’s not too surprising when you consider how many people hit the gym every day but don’t seem to shed pounds. Why the disparity? Most of us tend to overestimate the number of calories that we burn through exercise. Raise your hand if you’re guilty of thinking a three-mile run justifies a cheeseburger and fries at the finish line. Most people also find it easier to consume fewer, and healthier, calories than they do to burn the same number of calories through exercise.
But don’t take that to think that exercise isn’t important to reaching your weight loss goals! Studies show that ongoing exercise is the best way to keep off the weight you’ve lost through dieting. Plus, regular workouts offer way more health benefits than just a trimmer waistline. Exercise beats out dieting when it comes to improving your mood and boosting your energy levels. It also helps prevent diabetes since active muscles use the glucose in your bloodstream for fuel, which helps keep your blood-sugar levels stable.
So rather than weighing healthy diets against exercise, it’s time to realize that both of these strategies work together to create a healthier you. Time to run to the grocery store!
Photo credit: Fuangg’s Photo
