STUDY SHOWS DIET MORE IMPORTANT THAN EXERCISE IN LOSING WEIGHT
Physical activity plays many substantial roles for the body. It strengthens muscles and bones, improves cholesterol levels, reduces blood pressure, and decreases your risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer. While it is important to have this as part of any program, many individuals do not understand the impact nutrition plays as well. People believe because they have exercised they are allowed to consume more, but they end up eating more calories than what they spent an hour burning off! Ultimately this leads to weight gain, and can cause frustration for those who are not losing weight even though they continually exercise. Live Science Staff. "Study: Exercise Won't Cure Obesity." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 06 Jan. 2009. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.
Researchers from Loyola Health System compared a group of African American women living in Metropolitan Chicago weighing an average of 184 pounds to rural Nigerian women weighing an average of 127 pounds. The researchers believed the results would show Nigerian women being more physically active than the Chicago women; however that was not the case. The study concluded that there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the amount of calories burned through physical activity, showing that physical activity may not be the driving force of being overweight. Therefore, diet is more likely the explanation than physical activity for why the Nigerian women weighed less than the Chicago women. Looking into the Nigerian diet, researchers found that it was high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, while being low in fat and animal protein. In contrast, the Chicago women consumed a diet that was 40-45% fat and contained highly processed foods (LiveScience Staff, 2009).
More and more studies are showing the benefits of healthy eating habits contributing to weight loss, and more importantly to overall health. A good rule of thumb to follow is the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of losing weight comes from your diet, while the remaining 20% is from exercise. A diet full of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and protein coupled with moderate-intensity exercise is the key for maximum weight loss (University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007). But don’t be afraid of food--use healthy food to nourish you body. Eat to live, not live to eat. Just remember you can’t out-exercise a bad diet!
A few simple strategies to avoid overeating:
- Eat a bigger breakfast- Those who make breakfast their biggest meal eat less throughout the day and increase metabolism!
- Pack healthy snacks- Snacks that are more nutrient dense, such as nuts, lean protein, and complex carbs will keep you more satisfied and in return you will eat less!
- Drink a full glass of water twenty minutes before eating- Many times you may just be thirsty. This can suppress hunger and enhance feelings of satiety!
- Get enough rest- Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep can cause hormones such as ghrelin to rise, which signals the body to eat! (Health.com, 2015)