An exercise scientist has claimed that
diet is more effective than exercise for
those wanting to maintain a healthy
weight.
Speaking to The Independent , Philip
Stanforth, a professor of exercise
science at the University of Texas and
the executive director of the Fitness
Institute of Texas, said: "Studies tend to
show that in terms of weight loss, diet
plays a much bigger role than exercise."
Stanforth puts this down to calorie
burning and intake. He says: "You'd have
to walk 35 miles to burn 3,500 calories.
That's a lot of walking. But if you look at
eating, a Snickers bar might have, say,
500 calories. It's going to be a lot easier
to cut the Snickers bar than to do 5
miles of walking every day." (Snickers
"2-to-go" is actually 440 calories).
Many people have claimed that following
a balanced diet helps them maintain a
healthy weight more than exercising but
we wanted to ask a professional. We
talked to Dalton Wong , trainer to
Jennifer Lawrence and founder of
TwentyTwoTraining, about whether diet
does play a bigger role than exercise in
weight management. Here's what he
said:
"Yes, diet does play a bigger role
because if you think you exercise for
only one hour out of your day, the food
and drink you consume for the other 23
hours is very important. Diet plays a
major role alongside leading a balanced
lifestyle which includes good nutrition,
stress management and healthy lifestyle
habits such as getting adequate sleep.
Exercise is great for providing feel-good
endorphins, building growth hormones
which lead to increased muscle mass
and a lean physique and it improves
posture which leaves you feeling great.
Exercise is of course great at burning off
calories. But, I always say to my clients
'I don't care what you do when I am
training you, I care about what you are
doing with the other 23 hours of your
day'.
Firstly, I don't like calling it a diet as I
think this sets people up for failure. I
believe a little bit of what you fancy does
you good, so everything in moderation.
Focus on fuelling your body with the
right foods and avoid faddy eating
regimes or trends; your body and mind
will thank you for it. I believe in eating
better, getting proper sleep and reducing
your stress are the best ways to being
healthy and fit".
So yes, what you put in your body is
absolutely key to weight management
even if you exercise a lot but don't think
you can give up on the cross trainer. It's
been proven that exercise not only
maintains your fitness levels which are
integral to overall health but they help
with mental health and stress levels.
Moral of the story? Combine a balanced
diet with exercise and you'll be a-ok.
