Exercise, nutrition & weight loss - 3 different results
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008Exercise, nutrition and weight loss are three separate and distinct ideas that our culture has collapsed into one idea when we think about losing weight. Therein lies the problem.
Exercise for weight loss: If you are overeating, it’s almost impossible to exercise enough to counteract the effects. It takes a 200 pound person 30 minutes, walking 2 miles per hour, to burn off 1 ounce of tortilla chips or 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing. If the main reason for exercising is to lose weight by burning calories, can you ever really win that game?
Nutrition for weight loss: Choosing foods based on their content doesn’t produce long-term weight loss. If certain foods made you thin, you’d be thin today. Eating more nutritious foods will make your body run better, just as better gasoline makes your car run better. But that’s all they will do. Even steamed veggies will make you fat if eat them when you are not hungry. Giving your body more food than it needs, regardless of its content, is still overeating, and the reason for weight gain.
I, personally, tend to make wholesome food choices. I believe that this contributes to my health. I also am dedicated to vigorous daily exercise. I love it and I believe it contributes to making me fit. However, neither my food choices nor my exercise habits is the reason I have maintained my goal weight for more than five years. I have maintained my goal weight simply because I no longer overeat.