Health, for most people, is a number on the weighing scale. Their weight is what defines them as being healthy or unhealthy and is the only criterion they tend to consider. Their goal of being their ideal weight and aesthetics drive them to try and choose a fitter lifestyle. But more often than not, the approach towards their optimum wellness is missing some key elements. In the process, they end up believing many weight loss myths.
One such myth is that 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise is what will give you results, especially if you are someone trying to lose weight.
80 percent exercise, 20 percent diet: The biggest weight loss myth
We all know a good combination of exercise and diet is essential to achieve the above-mentioned. But you must have heard people ask the age-old question, which one of the two is more important? It is a common flowing notion that to change body composition and improve your overall health, 80 percent of the effort should go towards diet and 20 percent towards exercise, but is there any truth to it?
There is no such thing as 80 percent diet and 20 percent workout. It is always 100% diet and 100% workout as these two things aren’t actively connected but passively. Only working out while having unhealthy nutrition or only following healthy nutrition with no physical activity does not make you either healthy or fit. It may seem like it is making a positive impact on your body because it is helping you move the weighing scales to a more positive number, but that does not encompass your overall well-being.
Also Read: Is losing weight your goal? Then don’t fall for these myths
Balance is key for fitness
Looking at fitness simply from the perspective of reaching a particular number on a weighing scale is an extremely narrow perspective towards fitness. There is so much more to health and well-being than just reaching a particular weight. Fitness is all about reaching your maximum performance levels with respect to your strength, endurance and flexibility and also having a good body composition.
You go to the gym, play sports or go for a run to perform better at running or lifting weights, i.e. making your body physically stronger, and more flexible and help with endurance. At the same time, you eat food to keep you satiated, active and energetic, as nutrition is an essential fuel to maintain your body’s functions. Losing fat and improving body composition is a by-product of maintaining a healthy balance, but it cannot be the sole focus. You eat to nourish your body and train to perform better by giving 100 percent effort to both.
Also Read: Beginner’s workout guide: Low intensity aerobic exercises for weight loss
Going to the gym to lose weight isn’t wrong, but an incomplete approach. This will not keep you consistent on your journey unless you put in equal effort on both what you consume and how you exercise.
The last word
Eating to fuel your body supports its functioning at its best, and at the same time training to maximise your body’s potential and performance is the key to feeling fit. Equal consistency in both aspects is what would automatically bring you to your ideal body composition.
Building healthy habits, keeping a clean approach and assuring devoting time towards your physical and internal well-being is the only way to be holistically and completely fit.
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