Dieting. Exercise. Well-being. These are the three areas that should be included in a healthy lifestyle. It’s so easy to focus on one over the other, but doing so can sabotage your goals.
Some people find it easier to diet than exercise. But be warned. Exercise is key to weight management. Muscle is active tissue that burns calories and keeps your metabolism revved up. If you cut your calories too low when dieting you can lose muscle mass. Muscle is just stored protein and this protein will be used for energy if the body doesn’t get enough from food intake.
A recent study from Journal of Applied Physiology demonstrates that overweight seniors are more successful with diet and exercise.
A group of sedentary and overweight older people placed on a four month exercise program became more fit and burned off more fat, compared to older sedentary people who dieted but did not exercise.
The new study also showed that when older people diet without exercising, they lose more lean muscle compared to those who exercise.
Filed under: exercise, new research, overweight
You are so right! Exercise is the absolutely the key. One shouldn’t diet anyways, they should be focusing on making healthy choices for their bodies as a lifestyle. Great article, keep it coming
Yes, I agree… it’s difficult sometimes as a DIET-itian to remember that the way we think of dieting is perverse… a balanced eating pattern to promote weight and health goals is not a diet and should never feel like one. Sorry if you can’t gorge on cheesecake every day — my personal vice is carrot cake — ok, so one of the many sweet vices. Nevertheless, I appreciate the treat so much more when I can fit it in once in awhile because other times I am eating like a nutrition champion!