Article # 406. Dieting Vs Exercise: What Gets The Needle Moving?

I always tell you that weight-loss cannot be achieved without diet and exercise. But is one more important than the other when it comes to staying in shape? Here’s the latest spill on that…

There was a recent research that makes a case in favor of dieting. An anthropological research was conducted on a hunter-gatherer type Tanzanian tribe to study the impact of daily physical activity on energy expenditure and the resting metabolic rate. This was then mapped against those of a typical Western male and female.  It was concluded that those leading an extremely active lifestyle showed no significant difference in calorie consumption and metabolism boost as opposed to those that lead a semi-active modern lifestyle.

The conclusions made from this study indicate that no matter how much you workout, you have to keep a check on your diet otherwise you will end up piling on the pounds.  So if all the exercising cannot rev up your BMR as it is supposed to, does this send a disheartening message to all those seeking weight-loss? After all shows like the Biggest Loser is all about working out and building motivation to sweat off the pounds. But these new revelations seem to undercut the positivity of getting fit.

So if exercise alone won’t cut it, should one count on starvation diets to get thin? We say no.  Apart from the actual weight-loss, workouts fill you with all the feel-good hormones and reduce the risk of several chronic and obesity related diseases. It is important to get your share of physical activity every week. However, now that we know better, don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can take the hit with a 500 calorie diet-trap muffin or a 1000-calorie lunch sandwich and just sweat if off. Eating right is important as well as exercising if not more so get knowledgeable about your diet and healthy eating habits.