Why Diet Is as Important as Fitness: The Importance of a Healthy Diet
Physical activity has been pushed and promoted as the most effective way to achieve weight loss for at least a few decades now. However, while a viable exercise regime is undoubtedly important for your health and overall well-being, many people overlook the importance of diet in achieving sustained weight loss. Keep reading to find out some of the main reasons why diet is just as important as exercise, along with some steps you can take to benefit from this.
A Poor Diet Cannot be Out-Trained
You have probably heard the saying “abs are made in the kitchen”; this saying is very popular because it is true! And not only for abs but for one’s physique overall, a bad diet cannot be out-trained. Whether you are trying to achieve weight loss, build up strength and muscle mass, or purely achieve some nice bodily aesthetics, nutrition will play an essential role in getting you the desired results, and it cannot be overlooked.
Unfortunately, you cannot expect to see much progress at all if you do not structure your diet plan around your training habits and long-term goals, whatever your fitness goals are.
Why? Any physical activity puts stress on the body, and it is usually extremely taxing on your body; to recover, the body requires macro and micronutrients it needs to repair and restore homeostasis. If your diet is not properly planned out, you will not provide your body with the macro and micronutrients that it needs, which means your body will fail to recover.
This means you will be slacking off at the gym, your performance will become sluggish, and you are looking at the nasty injury if you continue down that road. Remember, a poor diet plan cannot be outperformed.
Food Is Natural Medicine
If you talk to any doctor or any physician, they are very likely to tell you that prevention is the best medicine. The focus of your meal plan should be on whole and nutritious foods that will help you balance your weight, meet your caloric needs, and reach your fitness goals faster. The best bet is ditching processed foods, sugary substitutes, and snacks that have no nutritional value whatsoever. You can, of course, enjoy these meals from time to time, but they should not be a standard in your diet and meal plan.
Healthy and nutritious foods contain ample amounts of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, which are important macronutrients that will provide your body with the energy you need to push through every workout and live your day-to-day life. On top of that, whole foods are also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which are micronutrients essential for improving all daily functions, battling inflammation, and protecting and improving the health of your central nervous system.
80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule states that weight loss results from 80% diet and 20% exercise.
For example, suppose you are actively trying to lose weight by being in a caloric deficit, and you are aiming for a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day. In that case, you could consume 400 fewer calories (which is 80% of 500 calories) and burn 100 calories (which is 20% of 500 calories) from exercise.
Many people are not aware that burning extra 500 calories every day requires a significant amount of movement while being time-consuming and taxing on the body. Achieving calorie deficit through smaller portions and healthier food options will be much easier and much more sustainable in the long run.