Why Exercise Without a Healthy Diet Does NOT Work For Weight Loss

I often hear people say that they spend hours in the gym or taking multiple classes at the studio, but they are not seeing results! The truth of the matter is you will be hardpressed to see any improvement or hit your weight loss goals without adjusting your diet. I rarely use the word diet because it makes one think of passing fad diets of yesteryear. By diet in today’s post and this article from Baptist Health South Florida, we are referring to a well-rounded healthy diet of real foods; lean protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

This article answers a very common question. Is exercise, without a healthy diet, an effective strategy for weight loss? The short answer here is no. Of course, exercise has tons of benefits for your overall health and well being including heart disease, diabetes and improved mood, among other things, but if you are looking to lose weight you cannot do it without both exercise and dietary modifications.

According to the article, a group of women was surveyed for an exercise study. Of those women who followed an exercise only weight loss plan and engaged in fitness classes at least three times per week for four to eight weeks, but did not change their diet did not lose weight. It is a classic case of checks and balances.

Natacha Borrajo, a registered dietitian with Baptist Health Primary Care says: “When we’re younger, our metabolism is high and we can sometimes eat whatever we want — but that starts catching up with us over time,” says Ms. Borrajo. I know for me, I used to happily go through the drive-through for fast food on a regular basis without gaining weight or feeling sick! Once I hit my late twenties, my metabolism started to slow and the effects of processed food would throw me for a loop! I needed to adjust my mindset and once I did, I began to see food as fuel to energize and heal vs. to only satisfy my taste buds, and with a little dedication, I know you can too!

This article also discusses another study given at Bangor University in the United Kingdom followed two groups of women. The first group of 34 women, aged 18-32 years who performed circuit workouts three times per week for four weeks. The second group of women aged 34 did the same workouts for a total of eight weeks. The goal of the study was to determine whether or not exercise alone would lead to weight loss in the women, but the participants were not told this. Instead, they were told the study would be on the effects of exercise on cognition and cardiorespiratory fitness. The results of this study found almost the exact same results. None of the women lost weight.  Some of the women that entered the study found an increase in hunger and some of the already lean women found that they solely gained muscle mass.

The takeaway is that regular exercise is vital for good health, but has no benefits for weight loss if not accompanied by healthier eating, according to study co-author Dr. Hans-Peter Kubis, of the School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences at Bangor University. On the other hand, what do you think happens if you enjoy a healthy diet that is high in fiber and decreased added sugar? You guessed it, studies have shown that weight loss can be achieved with minimal exercise.

The takeaway from this article is: if you are trying to lose weight. Take a long hard look at your diet. If you are putting in hours at the gym with little results. Your diet is more than likely the pesky culprit! It’s science.