Intro to This Blog Series
Hey there! Welcome back to this short blog series where we unveil the 5 fitness myths. In today's article, we will be covering myth #5: You Can Outrun a Bad Diet.
There is no shortage of social media of all sorts of wild claims about all things related to health, fitness and nutrition. So many of the popular opinions don’t stand tall when confront with the scientific evidence. Short forms of social media are intended to grab your attention. All it takes is less than 60s on social media for you to adapt a false belief about something related to health, fitness, exercise and nutrition. Over the next 5 days we are going to be sharing the 5 Most commonly spreads myths.
I consider these to be mindsets because they shape your behavior. It’s not just something that you believe. Because those beliefs end up affecting your actions or lack of actions.
Let’s continue with this series, introducing Myth #5
Myth #5: You Can Outrun a Bad Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial and should not be underestimated. It is a common misconception, especially among beginners, to think that intense workouts alone can compensate for poor eating habits.
While it is true that exercise and proper nutrition can lead to visible results, many people make the mistake of indulging in unhealthy snacks as a reward for their gym efforts.
The Problem with Indulging in “Unhealthy Snacks”
While occasional treats are acceptable, it becomes problematic when one completely neglects their diet, assuming that they can simply burn off the excess calories through exercise alone.
It is important to note that while there may be exceptional cases where professional athletes can effectively burn off excessive calories, this is not the norm for the average person. Furthermore, even if you manage to burn off calories through exercise, it does not compensate for the lack of essential nutrients, such as protein, in your diet.
The Fallacy of Burning Off Excess Calories Through Exercise Alone
Instead of solely focusing on intense workouts, it is recommended to establish a consistent exercise routine while also paying closer attention to your eating habits. By doing so, you can avoid sabotaging your hard work with a poor diet and ensure that your body receives the necessary nutrients for overall well-being.
Sure, exercise can help you build muscle and lose fat, but when it comes to fat loss, improving your diet usually yields better results.
Better Eating Habits Trumps Exercising More
Let's take John Doe as an example. He is a 5'10" man weighing 154 lbs. He enjoys running and chocolate chip cookies. During a typical 5K (3.1 mile) run, John burns 367 calories. On the same day, John decides to indulge in 7 small chocolate chip cookies, totaling 379 kcal. Now, the question is, how long did it take John to run the 5K, and how long did it take for him to undo the calories burned during that run? Probably just a couple of minutes.
What's the point? When it comes to fat loss, more exercise won't necessarily yield better results. Improving your diet trumps exercising more.