The "Eat Less, Exercise More" Myth
“Eat less, exercise more”
We see this message across all forms of media. We are told that it doesn’t matter so much as to what we eat, just as long as we don’t eat very much and spend a lot of time at the gym. That is how we will get the body we want and get into amazing shape.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth!
Have you ever heard the saying, “Abs are made in the kitchen”? It is 110% true! When it comes down to it, nutrition is the key factor in weight loss, weight management, and overall health.
Yes, you can exercise like a fiend, spending all of your time running on the treadmill, counting every minute, but trust me, there is so much more to health and wellness that exercise. It starts with the food you are using to fuel your body.
And we know this to be true – have you ever known someone who exercises a lot, but yet still carries extra weight? Their exercise may be “on point,” (or even excessive!) but when it comes to nutrition, maybe they are struggling.
Or just take a look around at society - do you honestly think our obesity problem would be solved by eating less and exercising more? We've been told to do that for years, and look where we are at. Obviously, something isn't working with that advice.
We often think that if we just workout extra long at the gym, it will make up for our poor diet choice, but unfortunately, our body doesn’t work that way.
Instead, our body readily responds to changes in our nutrition and lifestyle, not just changes in exercise. These are shifts that make huge changes in our health and wellness. These are the changes that make the difference.
However, these are also some of the hardest changes to make. Anyone can go and start an exercise routine pretty easily – 20-30 minutes here or there – it’s doable.
But, when it comes to changing what is on our plate, things start to get crazy. People refuse or sometime can’t make the changes that they need to in order to lose weight, gain health, and feel better.
Why? Because when our body and mind has been fed the wrong food and information for years, it’s hard to make the change! It’s hard to switch from eating processed, refined foods to real, whole foods. It’s hard to stop believing the “eat less, exercise more” myth. It is difficult.
But, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.
On the contrary, it is totally possible, and it starts today with one simple change to your plate. Slowly start increasing the fruits and veggies, while crowding out the inflammatory foods like sugar, vegetable oils, margarine, and refined carbs. It may take a couple of days or even weeks to shift your palate, but trust me, it will be totally worth it.
This may seem like odd information coming from a professed fitness junkie, but I’ve been through it myself. I was exercising for hours a day, running endless miles every single day. Yes, I was thin, but was I healthy, strong, and vibrant? Nope – not even close. I wasn’t fueling my body properly, and I was suffering the consequences – lack of energy, pale skin, acne…
But then I switched to strength training, cut back on my crazy cardio, and started eating a ton more. And guess what – my body loved the switch! I have more energy, I am strong, rather than skinny, and I’m eating more than ever before. Now, I am nowhere near perfect health – I still have my own struggles, but I am so much better than when I was so caught up in the eat less, exercise more world.
So, my takeaways from today: eat more REAL food, exercise less – but smarter! Abs and health are made in the kitchen – what is on your plate makes the difference.
Looking for more help? See these past posts for more information and guidance!
