Balancing Exercise and Diet

Many of us fall into the same trap time and time again when it comes to exercise. We believe that we can eat anything we like because we are exercising, and that creating a calorific deficit entitles us to indulge.The only problem is most people over estimate the amount of calories they burn while exercising and thus eat more than they should after working out, leading to a slow creep in weight increase.

The other problem is exercise apparently stimulates hunger, which according to Time Magazine, means working out could be making it more difficult for you to lose weight. I don't particularly agree with this. I believe that firstly, eating a healthy balanced diet when exercising will allow you to create the deficit necessary to lose weight, and secondly, overeating after exercise is a habit that we allow ourselves to indulge in, but that can be controlled.

Like all habits, breaking the cycle of reaching for a pizza after a run, or a fast food fix, is not easy, but it is definitely do-able. And yes, there will be a period where you do feel hungry due to eating less or cutting down on the junk, but given time, your body and mind will adjust.

I do not think you can separate exercise and diet, and controlling one does not mean the other can be ignored. It is all about balance. If you exercise on a daily basis, be that moderate to intense workouts, your energy intake should be somewhat dictated by that. Do not fool yourself into thinking because you have been active, you deserve to overindulge that bit more. 

The important thing is to focus on your goal. If you exercise to lose weight, simply remember 'eat less, move more'.

Why Exercise won't make you thin - Time Magazine