5 Reasons Why Diet Is As Important As Fitness

Maybe you want a perfect set of “Washboard” six pack abs, maybe you want to slim and tone so you can fit into that sexy little black dress in the corner of your room. 

So, you jump on the fitness bandwagon. You make the decision to finally get up and get it done.

Life-Cycle of a Fitness Enthusiast

With this new found sense of motivation you pick up that little computer we all spend way too much time on. You hop on google, and immediately type in “How to get 6 pack abs”.

You get flooded with information, a literal ton of advice. It’s safe to say that 80% of this advice probably revolves around finding the perfect workout routine to get those abs you desire so much.

Yes, the articles mention diet. There's a jumble of words about protein intake and calorie counting and what a balanced diet is for muscle growth. But these articles are few and far between, and typically slip through the cracks behind the “PERFECT 6 PACK ABS ROUTINE”

So, you ignore the recommendations of diet or follow them half-heartedly.

A few weeks go by and you start to see the weight loss you were hoping for. You’re so caught up in the excitement and joy of seeing those pounds drop off on the scale that you don’t take the time to notice how your body actually feels.

One day it all hits you, you’ve been exhausted lately. Feeling lethargic and can’t seem to find enough energy to do anything. We haven’t even talked about how sore and achy your muscles probably feel.

You decide you missed something along the way, you go back to the beginning and look at the exercise routines you found to be begin with. And there it is, the recommended dietary changes that you so willingly overlooked before.

Let’s see why ignoring a proper diet harmed your fitness goals. Or better yet, let’s learn how following proper diet will help you in achieving your ideal weight.

80-20 Rule

If you are on your journey to lose weight to gain a better BMI, you must shift the balance of energy towards negative. But what exactly does that mean?

Exercise, as we all know, is a tool of burning additional calories. But if we are not sticking to the recommended diet we might end up consuming back all the calories we have burnt during the workout session.

What’s the result? Energy output, from exercise, equals energy input, from excessive eating. And we maintain our current weight.

A better alternative is to lose weight through calorie counting, without losing the quality of nutrition we get from these calories, and then combining a smaller energy loss from workouts.

80-20 rule is not the only reason we should focus on our diet while striving for the ideal physique.

Diet Helps in Workout

If you are cutting back on your diet completely, you will soon notice that you have no energy left to train.

Even if you manage to exercise at your third day of self-induced starvation, that workout may not bring the required results. You may not break a sweat. Or you may feel over-tired afterward.

On the other extreme, no control on diet may lead to lethargy and lack of motivation. Heavy diet can also decrease activity during the workout.

Other consequences of an unhealthy diet can appear in deteriorated health. These health issues can indirectly hinder you from continuing your exercise routine.

You Get Instant Gratification

Instant gratification is the new norm.

Why shouldn’t it be? If that cool beauty from your class could win at getting her ideal weight within two months, are you worse than her?

In such times, it’s easy to lose motivation when we don’t see results for a couple of weeks.

Our mind starts playing games with us.

You are not following the right path!

You need to rethink your exercise plan!

There is something inherently wrong with you!

And you know that there is only one way of silencing your hyperactive brain and that is to earn some instant gratification.

And what is a better reward than knowing that you are losing weight? Finally!

Calorie counting is a surefire method to bring your long-term goals into your short-term reality. Referring to the 80-20 rule above, you can have more success with weight loss if 80 percent of your negative energy balance comes from diet than if you focus on exercise as your primary source of burning weight.

Shedding weight through dieting is not only easy it also gives instant results.

Diet Has a Powerful Impact on Your Physique

You may want to believe otherwise, but the reality is; your body mass index depends a lot more on what you are eating rather than your physical activity level.

Lack of exercise only worsens the problem created by poor eating habits. Poor eating choices result in one of the main factors of laziness and, in turn, lack of exercise.

Excessive intake of carbs results in unwanted fluctuations in energy levels in our body. These fluctuations keep us from moving and also impact other lifestyle choices.

This study, for example, found out that lack of exercise had only minimal impact on the obesity epidemic in children. On the contrary, you will get more results if you establish a well-thought-out plan which combines diet with exercise, according to this study.

And then don’t forget the last mind game our hormonal system plays with us.

Exercise Makes Us Hungry

Why should you define your calorie intake goals when embarking on your new workout plan? 

It’s because it’s easy for you to forget that the primary purpose of the exercise was to lose excess energy in your body.

Imagine this:

You enter into your new fitness regime. You think that exercise alone will save you from your weight-related health issues. And conveniently forget the diet part.

You work out, feel hungry, and fill yourself with all the calories you so dutifully burnt.

You end up adding in more calories than you burnt (because even long durations of exercise burn only as many calories as we eat in two packs of potato chips).

Where this scenario will finally take you? To increased weight or to weight loss?

Wrap Up

You think you can leave calorie counting out of your fitness plan and succeed at gaining your ideal body.

After all, you are patient and gritty. You wouldn’t give up. Success comes to those who persist. 

But hey! Remember, persistence will only bear results if you work in the right direction.

And a fitness plan based solely on exercise is not the right direction to attain your ideal weight. Combine it with an appropriate diet plan to get the best result.

Need some help figuring out the correct diet for your health and fitness goals? Fill out the quick form below for some support!