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Health, for most people, is a number on the scale. Their weight is what defines them as healthy or unhealthy and is the only criterion they tend to consider. Their goal of being their ideal weight and aesthetics push them to try and choose a fitter lifestyle. But more often than not, some key elements are missing from the approach to their optimal well-being. In the process, they end up believing many myths about weight loss.
One such myth is that 80% diet and 20% exercise is what will get you results, especially if you’re someone trying to lose weight.
80% Exercise, 20% Diet: The Biggest Weight Loss Myth
We all know that a good combination of exercise and diet is essential to achieve the above. But you must have heard people ask the age-old question, which of the two is more important? It’s a common notion that to change body composition and improve overall health, 80 percent of effort should go into diet and 20 percent into exercise, but is there any truth to it?
There is no such thing as 80% diet and 20% training. It is always 100% diet and 100% training as these two things are not actively connected but passively. Just working out with unhealthy diet or following only healthy diet without physical activity doesn’t make you healthy or fit. It may feel like it’s having a positive impact on your body because it’s helping you tip the scales to a more positive number, but that doesn’t include your overall well-being.
Read also: Is losing weight your goal? Then don’t fall for these myths
Balance is the key to fitness
Looking at fitness simply from the standpoint of hitting a certain number on a scale is an extremely narrow perspective toward fitness. There’s a lot more to health and wellness than reaching a certain weight. Fitness is about achieving the highest levels of performance in terms of 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 in running or weight lifting, i.e. to make your body physically stronger, more flexible and help with endurance. At the same time, you eat food to keep you full, active, and energetic, as nutrition is an essential fuel to maintain your body’s functions. Losing fat and improving body composition is a byproduct of maintaining a healthy balance, but it can’t be the only goal. You eat to nourish your body and train to perform better by giving 100% effort to both of you.
Read also: Beginner’s Workout Guide: Low-Intensity Aerobic Exercises for Weight Loss
Going to the gym for weight loss is not wrong, but an incomplete approach. This won’t keep you consistent on your journey unless you put as much effort into both what you consume and how you train.
The last word
Eating to fuel your body supports its functioning at its best, and at the same time training to maximize your body’s potential and performance is key to feeling fit. The same consistency in both aspects is what would automatically lead you to your ideal body composition.
Building healthy habits, maintaining a clean approach, and making sure you’re dedicating time to your physical and inner well-being is the only way to be holistic and completely fit.
