So you finally decided it was time to shed a few pounds. But, you can’t decide whether you should go on a diet or exercise, or do both.
First of all, we spend most of our calories to stay alive. For example, someone who weighs 200 pounds needs about 1,775 calories a day just to stay alive. In addition, that person needs about 175 calories to digest and absorb food. Also, that person needs another 175 calories for things other than eating, sleeping or exercising. For example, going to work.Finally, that person needs another 175 calories to get out of bed and do their daily routines like going food shopping or cleaning the house.In summary,this person with a desk job, burns2,300 calories every day. While anything more turns to fat.
So how do you lose weight? First of all, you have to burn 3,500 calories, just to lose one pound of fat. Therefore, to lose one pound in a week, you have to burn 500 calories each day of the week.And, there are two way you can do this. First is by exercising and the other is by dieting.
Exercising
For example, one way toburn500 calories is by someone, weighing 154 pounds, running or joggingat 5 miles per hour for 50 minutes everyday. Now, if you don’t eat more calories to make up the 500 calories you just burned by jogging, then, indeed, you will lose weight.Regrettably, however, because you are exercising, you likely also end up eating more. As a result, you may or may not burnthe 500 calories by jogging.
In addition, not everyone is able to or want to run or jog at a pace of 5 miles per hour every day. Also, running or jogging every day gets tedious and at some point you likely lose interest. Finally, burning a net 500 calories by jogging is only 18 percent of the total calories burned including the jogging (2,300 + 500). As a result, by itself, exercising is not a game changer.But, exercise does make you healthier.
Dieting
On the other hand, another way to lose 500 calories daily is by dieting.And, this calorie deficit causes fat to be burned. Ultimately, it is easier to diet: simply eat less than you normally do. On the other hand, exercising,while burning calories, may cause you to eat more, possibly even more than the calories burned by the exercise.
Most of all, there are many kinds of diets to choose from. For example, because proteins keep you satiated, increase the amount of protein you eat.Moreover, you spend more calories digesting proteins as compared to digesting carbohydrates or fats.And, proteins help you retain your lean muscles while you lose fat.In addition, proteins are better than carbs because they take longer to digest and they help you feel full. In fact, proteins cause your body to produce the gut hormone peptide that reduces hunger. Finally, when proteins are 30% of your daily calories,you will naturally eat less.Indeed, a 2011 study recommended 0.8 grams per pound of body weight to fend off muscle loss when you are trying to lose weight.
Studies
Finally, a recent study looked into this very question of diet versus exercise. First of all, study participants, in the dieting group, had to choose between eating less saturated fats or eating more vegetables and fruits. While, study participants, in the exercising group, had to choose between exercising and reducing their screen time. Consequently, the study reported that dieting participants eating more vegetables and fruits as well as participants who exercised, successfully made their choices stick. Not surprisingly, the study also reported that participants eating more vegetables and fruits and also exercising did the best.
Moreover, a separate study also reported similar results. In this study, the first group of participants started on a diet and later added exercising. While the second group of participants started exercising and later added a diet. Lastly, a third group of participants started exercising as well as going on a diet from the very beginning. And, indeed the third group of participants were the most successful.
In conclusion, the take away is to focus on dieting but also exercise to stay healthy.
