Diet vs. Exercise - Which One Is Better For Weight Loss

Some people out eat exercise and negate the benefits they reap from exercising. Exercise is necessary not just to lose weight but because it offers a number of health benefits. But exercise is just one part of losing weight. The other part is watching what you eat and how much.

Some people think that an hour workout a day would suffice. So, after doing exercise they treat themselves to eating delicious foods. This thinking is very counterproductive.

This is because oftentimes delicious foods are not good for the body. Rewarding yourself with sweet treats after doing an hour of exercise will undo all the benefits that you acquired from the exercise.

If you don't watch out, calories could quickly accumulate. An innocent sundae could lead to other cravings and the next thing you know, you put on the unwanted pounds. It is important to watch what you eat. The basic rules - choose food wisely, exercise, drink plenty of water and sleep 8 hours a day - still apply. Always keep in mind to watch your food intake.

In order to lose weight, you need caloric deficit. Caloric deficit occurs when you burn off more calories than you ingest in a day. If there is a deficit then one loses weight. If one eats equal amount of calories to the amount burned, the weight remains the same. If you take in more calories than what you burn off, then weight gain results.

This is why nutrition is essential when trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, nutrition is often overlooked by most people. So, how does one succeed in nutrition?

To do this, one must first know what one is eating. This is the most basic and most important factor. Maintaining a food log and monitoring your basal metabolic rate (BMR) are essential. BMR pertains to the number of calories needed to sustain body weight.

To determine how many calories you need to burn daily then one must consider all factors - job, stress, things to accomplish, family and others. This is how you compute calories required to attain your goal whether to create a deficit and lose weight, maintain weight or gain pounds.

After determining how many calories you need daily, the next step would be to write down everything you have consumed that day - food and drinks. Oftentimes, people consume way more than what is required. Take note of even little excesses in calories - this could add up and could ruin your weight loss plans.

It is not important to keep a journal permanently. What matters is to acquire an eating pattern. This way, you will get accustomed to eating food at a particular time and within a specified amount. Do this consistently and it won't be long until you will attain a healthier and leaner body.

By Jason Yun