Diet or Exercise: Which is More Important?

When it comes to losing weight, is diet more important or is exercise more important? It has long been believed that exercise is essential to effective weight loss. A study done by Loyola University Health System, however, reveals that perhaps exercise is not as essential to weight loss as once believed. In the study, two groups of Nigerian women were studied. One group lived in Chicago and one group lived in rural Nigeria. The researchers predicted that the women in Nigeria would lose more weight because they are more physically active, but the two groups of women were found to burn approximately the same number of calories per day. The only difference was in their eating habits. The women in Nigeria had a high fiber, high carb diet that was low in fat and animal protein. The women from Chicago had a diet that was made up of 50% fat. The end result? The Nigerian women did lose more weight, but it was based on diet rather than exercise.

While it is possible to lose weight without exercising, the best way is still to incorporate some exercise into your daily life:

Not only will exercise improve your heart rate, it will also make you more flexible and toned. Have you ever seen a person who has lost weight, but is still very flabbly looking? This is the result of diet without exercise.

Another consideration is in regard to metabolic set points. Anyone who has ever dieted knows that there comes a time when a plateau is reached, making it difficult to lose weight. One of the best ways to jumpstart your metabolism and start losing the weight again is to add some new form of exercise into your day.

Exercise will also make you feel better mentally as well as physically. Exercising sends a message to your brain that you are doing something good for yourself, and this can have a direct impact on your diet. Someone who has just spent an hour exercising is less likely to go eat a doughnut than someone who has not.

While on my weight loss journey, I have found exercise to be essential to my weight loss. It gives me an entirely new mindset. After a workout I have found myself actually craving a nice healthy salad as opposed to a trip to McDonalds.

Diet and exercise go hand in hand. Whereas dieting alone can result in weight loss, long term weight loss is more likely with a combination of dieting and exercise. Not only will your look better, you will feel better too.