The Battle of Exercise vs. Diet

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The battle rages on - what’s more important: diet or exercise?

 

Can you focus on just one of those things and meet your goals?

 

The short answer: NOPE.

 

Here’s a practical look at the right and wrong way to create a balanced focus between diet and exercise:

 

Both of these women, Exercise Eileen and Nutrition Nancy - are trying to lose weight.  Both understand a calorie deficit is key, but they have two very different approaches:

 

Exercise Eileen:

  • Focus is on creating a deficit through exercise

  • Trains hard 6-7 days a week in an attempt to out-train caloric intake

  • Eats healthy most of the time, doesn’t track calories

  • Justifies not tracking calories by working out every day

  • Binge drinks on the weekends; in denial in regard to its effect on weight loss

  • High stress/cortisol levels because of lack of recovery and alcohol intake

  • High stress levels and impaired sleep - further compounding the problem

 

Nutrition Nancy:

  • Focus is on creating a deficit through diet

  • Trains hard 3-4 days a week to build muscle and change body shape - not to create a deficit

  • Diligently tracks calories, at least for a period of time to learn what portion sizes look like and what her body needs

  • Enjoys small/moderate amounts of alcohol but plans it into her daily calories

  • Manages stress by prioritizing rest days, recovery and 7-9 hours of sleep most nights

 

It’s easy to see which one of these women is going to meet her goals and which one is going to stay stuck on the hamster wheel.

 

Who do you want to be?

 

Or more importantly… who are you right now?

 

If you’re lost on how/when to track your calories to make sure you’re following Nutrition Nancy’s path, comment below! I’d love to help you get going in the right direction!