While it’s easy to say that you only need to workout in order to reach certain goals or simply be healthy, it is entirely not true. While performing some sort of physical activity, ideally 30-60 minutes, consistently for a significant period of time can help you see results and feel good, that isn’t the only factor that will/can help you reach those desired results. You ever heard of the phrase, “Abs are made in the gym, but revealed in the kitchen?” What if I tell you that’s actually pretty true?
What I’m referring to is the Pareto Principle (also known as the 80/20 rule), which essentially states that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of the causes. This is a principle followed in many different industries like: In economics, computing, sports, etc. Anyways, my point of me telling you this is that it also applies to fitness. That 20% refers to physical activity and nutrition! Without following an effective routine for either of these, making progress and results will seem as something completely out of reach; do you really want to add more time into reaching your fitness goals?
A lot of people, specifically those who are just starting with fitness, are so focused in what kind of workouts give you abs or just simply working out, that they completely forget the other key part in this journey their going on – nutrition. First off, let me just get it out there that I’m not saying you can’t look how you want to look by simply working out, because you definitely can, but it will simply be made much harder if you’re not eating consciously. Without eating the right foods to fuel your workouts and overall keep your body healthy, you will encounter very hard obstacles on your journey. Your diet should be something you enjoy, but if you’re completely disregarding the amount of calories and nutrients you’re taking in, your body is going to have a hard time working with you. Those who believe doing 10-minute ab exercises every night before bed, without a care in the world of what they’re eating , is gonna get them a six-pack, they’re basically taking a piss in the wind.
A lot of these people are also most of the ones who claim to be “hard gainers” or blame genetics for not being able to lose weight, well there is no such thing as that, it’s pretty basic actually; it all comes down to being in a caloric deficit/surplus. You can workout like your life depends on it, but if your diet isn’t in check, say bye to looking like that Instagram model and be ready to get disappointed. Trust me, I’d love to be able to eat a box of pizza and an unlimited amount of cookies everyday without having to worry about the consequences, but it simply doesn’t work like that. Having that nice and pleasing body to look at is like a piece of art, how are you going to paint on that beautiful canvas without the paint? Anyways, going back to what I said about being in a caloric deficit/surplus; if you’re eating more calories than your body burns (caloric surplus), you’re most likely going see that scale going up. If you’re eating less calories than your body burns (caloric deficit), you’re most likely going to see that scale go down. While there are many other factors that affect your weigh (water, meal eaten previously, muscle, etc), the amount of calories you intake is a good rule of thumb to follow as to why you might not be seeing the results you want.
As long as you make sure most of the food you eat is nutritious, enjoyable, makes you feel good throughout the day and while exercising, and on top of that you see progress; you’re well on your way to reaching your fitness goal. “The food we eat plays a key role in how we look and feel. Regular exercise is important, but according to research, nutrition has the largest impact on our fitness” (Leal).
Making healthy eating a habit should be one of your main priorities if seeking to reach fitness goals. Fitness and nutrition are like your bread and butter, no one eats them by themselves; unless they’re crazy, and I’m sure you aren’t crazy. So do your body and your mental health a favor, and implement both fitness and nutrition into reaching any desired fitness goal.
Conclusion
Your diet is just as important, if not more important, as fitness. You can exercise everyday, but if your diet isn’t in check, making progress will be made significantly harder. Simply following the rule of eating less than what you burn in order to lose weight or eating more than what you burn in order to gain weight, will come a very long way and make your fitness goals much easier to attain. In other words, EAT INTUITIVELY!
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References:
“Antranik.org.” Antranikorg, antranik.org/.
“Food.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Dec. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food.
Journal, Fleet Feet. “Proper Post-Run Nutrition Can Improve Your Training.” Fleet Feet, Fleet Feet, 6 Sept. 2019, http://www.fleetfeet.com/blog/proper-post-run-nutrition-can-improve-your-training.
Leal, Darla. “Why Nutrition From Eating Well Is the Most Important Part of Fitness.” Verywell Fit, Verywell Fit, 4 June 2019, http://www.verywellfit.com/eat-healthy-feel-healthy-and-look-amazing-3121363.
“Pareto Principle.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Dec. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle.
Pastorchrisefc. “You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet (Romans 12:2).” SFEFC, SFEFC, 10 Feb. 2014, http://www.sfefc-eng.org/blog/2014/02/10/you-cant-out-train-a-bad-diet-romans-122.
The reader assumes full responsibility for consulting a qualified health professional regarding health conditions or concerns, and nutritional advice before applying the content on this site to themselves. Samuel Navarro will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this post. You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health.
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