Seven Compelling Reasons Why Working Out Beats Dieting for Fat Loss
You hear it all the time “Losing fat is 80-90% dieting and only 10-20% exercise.” The basic premise behind this statement is that as long as you keep a caloric deficit by eating less calories then you expend, then you’ll lose fat, no need for exercise. This is also the premise behind many of the popular diets out on the market today.
This is a very dangerous and misunderstood line of thinking and I’ll tell you why.
First, it is dangerous to follow a very low calorie diet. Low calorie diets can cause problems with both your physical and mental health. Depending on how severe the calorie restriction the diet you’re on requires, there are many, many reasons why you shouldn’t go on a low calorie diet, but here are a few of the key ones:
-Loss of muscle tissue: To try to counteract the lack of blood sugar from carbohydrates in the diet, your body will break down fat, a desirable effect, however it will also breakdown muscle and other lean body tissue.
-Less muscle = slower metabolism: Muscle tissue increases the resting metabolic rate. When you come off the diet, increased fat cells will form because your metabolism is slow and so your body needs less blood sugar for fuel. It is also a survival mechanism in case of another ‘famine’.
-Mineral imbalance: Imbalance in minerals and electrolytes can occur, which can be dangerous. These govern the balance of fluids in the body allowing nerves and muscles to function.
-Increased risk of osteoporosis: Dairy products like cheese, eggs, yogurt and milk are often cut out of a very low calorie diet. Removing major sources of calcium can lead to reduced bone mass.
-Anemia (a lack of iron in the blood): Women can find that menstruation (periods) becomes irregular or stops altogether.
-A lack of serotonin in the brain can be another problem which leads to clinical depression.
-You might find that the lack of essential nutrients on a very low calorie diet leads to a deterioration in the condition of your hair and nails.
-One of the great dangers of this kind of dieting is that you can become acclimated to it. As your body reduces some of its functions, including those of the brain and nerves, and as depression takes hold due to a lack of serotonin, you can slip into anorexia nervosa – a truly life threatening condition.
-As mentioned above, when you finally come off this diet, you will almost certainly regain all the weight you have lost plus more leading to yoyo dieting, now believed to be dangerous
-Second, you almost always re-gain the weight you lose. This is why you always see people try a diet, have some success, fall off it, gain the weight back and go on to do the same diet (or a new one) a few months later. It’s why companies like Weight Watcher’s and Jenny Craig make so much money, people keep coming back. If they were successful in losing the weight and keeping it off to begin with, their would be no coming back.
I have a very strong dislike for fad diets. Most of them set you up for failure from day one. So let me just say this outright:
I believe that going on a low calorie diet is the worst possible way to lose weight (with some very few exceptions)!
Eating Less vs. Exercising More.
There are two ways to create a caloric deficit and lose fat. Eat less (consume less calories) or workout more (burn more calories).
Most fad diets will tell you that eating less is the key. I’m here to tell you that working out more is the better method, MUCH better (of course you can always combine the two…).
The key is still creating a caloric deficit, but doing it in a way that provides the most benefit to you. By actually eating more than these diets would recommend AND exercising, you not only provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly, but you’re also increasing your metabolism (something you can’t do by just eating less).
Think about it. Do you really think eating less while not exercising at all is really the best way to lose fat, keep it off and stay healthy? Do you think starving yourself is really a sustainable long term strategy?
Do you want to be one of those “skinny fat guys/gals”?
To really accelerate your fat burning you need to eat (eat healthy and not starve yourself) and utilize a program that combines both resistance training (weights or bodyweight) and cardiovascular training.
I realize this isn’t some exciting, new advice.
I also realize it’s not as flashy as the latest recommendation from Oprah or the latest “miracle pill”. In today’s world, if there isn’t some heavy marketing or some major hooplah around the latest fat loss advice (just look at the “Banana Diet” craze in Japan or the Acai Berry diet scam that Oprah once promoted…), it’s not going to get a lot of people’s interest. And that’s only part of the problem…
The REAL Problem: Human Nature
There is something in human nature that makes us inherently look for the easiest way out. For the majority of the population, we take the path of least resistance and always will. Or we get started, hit a plateau and “settle in”, comfortable where we are. “I really wanted to lose 20 lbs, I lost 9, that’s ok.”
We expect that the 30 pounds that we gained in the last 5-10 years to simply disappear with a new pill or some funky plastic ab machine.
We’re always looking for the quick fix, the easiest way out, the path of least resistance. Savvy marketers know this and take full advantage of it.
Don’t be a sucker for savvy marketing.
The bottom line is that for long term success with your fat loss goals and to maximize your chances of living a healthy, energetic life, you need to combine a healthy diet (not starving yourself) with a workout routine that combines resistance training and cardio (not necessarily as separate workouts).
Top Seven Reasons Why Exercise is Superior to Dieting for Fat Loss:
To sum it up, there are dozens and dozens of reasons why working out (combining resistance training and cardio) are FAR superior to dieting. Here are my top seven:
1.Exercise is a viable, sustainable, long term strategy to keep you lean and healthy.
2.Exercise is a proven method to help prevent diabetes and control blood sugar.
3.Exercise helps improve your self confidence and elevates your mood.
4.Exercise increases your quality of life by allowing you to do more physically (makes you stronger, increases your endurance and increases bone density).
5.Exercise increases your metabolism.
6.Exercise is a great stress-buster.
7.Exercise helps you look better naked. 
About the author
George is the creator of the BusyBod Workout System. He specializes in at home workout, is a Certified Trainer with over 20 years of experience & a former gym owner. George's unique approach to fat loss & fitness is built around the idea of saving time so that you can focus your time on things you love doing. You can request his free at home workout quick-start fat loss kit at his blog.Tags: diets, fad diets, fat loss, Weight Loss