Many of us think it’s wonderful if we can lose weight without exercising. All those diet plans which promise weight loss without exercise are popular and have a huge fan following. Can weight loss really happen just by modifying our diet? Yes. It can. When people go on extreme diets, it is possible to lose weight without doing any exercise.
But weight loss is not the ultimate goal of our body. What good is it to have perfect weight but an unhealthy body? A weight loss which brings in perfect health should be our ultimate goal. For this to happen, both diet and exercise are equally important. If a healthy and fit body is our priority, exercising is non-negotiable.
Below are some common myths related to the importance of diet and exercise in our life.
5 common myths of diet and exercise:
Myth 1 – I can eat junk food if I am exercising: We come across people who eat all kinds of junk food and say – I am exercising, so it does not matter. This is incorrect. Our body’s performance depends on our diet. Diet constitutes what we take into our body. It is like the fuel for our body. If we are eating junk food or unhealthy food, it is like giving the wrong fuel to our body. What happens when we give the wrong fuel to our car? It causes engine damage. The same is with our body. We should give the right foods to our body which promote health whether we are exercising or not. If we exercise but don’t take a good diet, it does not help our body much.
Myth 2 – I can starve myself for weight loss: Many think that cutting calories and eating less food is the only way for weight loss. Some people take it to extremes and starve for quick weight loss. Starving leads to weight loss, but the weight which is lost due to starvation cannot be sustained for a long duration. It requires a tremendous amount of will power and suffering to starve. So, starving cannot be sustained for a long duration. All the weight we lose because of starving will be gained once we start eating normally.
And the main problem with starving is its adverse impact on our health. Starving leads to nutrient deficiency and lowers the immunity of our body. It negatively impacts our internal organs. It leads to digestion problems, fertility issues, hair loss, and poor skin. It causes bad moods, depression, irritation, and eventually leads to poor physical, emotional and mental health.
So, starving is not the solution for weight loss. We should have a sufficient intake of food if our body needs to work at optimum capacity. What happens when we give an insufficient amount of fuel to our car? It cannot work. Similarly, when we starve ourselves for weight loss, our body cannot work at its optimum level. So, we should eat a sufficient quantity of food that is suitable for our lifestyle and body needs.
Myth 3 – Diet, which says ‘don’t exercise’ is the best diet: Avoid following any diet or lifestyle which says do not exercise. This is like saying a car should not move. Now, the basic reason why a car exists is to move from one place to another. You bought the car for its movement. It is the same with our body. Our body is designed to move and be active.
If the diet we are following makes us physically weak and cannot give us enough strength to exercise, avoid such kind of diet. The diet we follow should make us physically strong and give us enough strength and capability to exercise. Any weight loss plan should equally focus on diet and exercise. Just diet but no exercise or only exercise, but no proper diet is an incomplete plan.
Myth 4 – Exercising is only for weight loss: Many people think exercising is only for weight loss and avoid it if they are of a healthy weight or if weight loss is not their priority. This is a big myth. Every person needs a daily dose of exercise irrespective of their age, gender, and weight. Regular exercise is one of the basic needs of our body. In addition to fitness and healthy weight, exercising regularly offers several benefits as below.
1. Reduces the risk of heart diseases and promotes heart health.
2. Reduces the risk of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Many of the lifestyle diseases are a result of a sedentary lifestyle.
3. Enhances the immunity of the body. Strong immunity is very important for a healthy and strong body.
4. Improves mood and brings joy and satisfaction in life.
5. Boosts energy levels. High energy levels are important to enjoy life.
6. Reduces the rate of aging. Exercising promotes youthfulness.
7. Helps in aging gracefully with less number of age-related complications. With old age, various complications set in. A person who exercises regularly stays strong and his or her body ages in a healthy manner.
8. Improves skin health. Skin becomes glowing and radiant.
9. Releases accumulated stress in the body. Stress is inevitable in the modern-day, and it needs to be released from our body every day. Exercise does that job wonderfully.
10. Improves brain health. Exercise improves memory, creativity, and intelligence.
So exercising is for everyone and needs to be done every day.
Myth 5 – Exercise is more important than food: Both exercise and diet are equally important if health and fitness are our goals. Exercising and diet are like two wings of a bird. A bird needs both the wings to fly. Similarly, our body needs both these aspects for perfect health. So, exercise well and eat right. Exercise is not superior to diet or diet is not superior to exercise. Both are equally important.
These are some myths related to diet and exercise. We all should recognize the equal importance of diet and exercise in our daily life. Our lifestyle should accommodate both these aspects in a balanced manner. When we give due importance to these two aspects in our life, we start to lead an energetic, healthy, and fit life full of vigor and strength.
“Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen. Put them together, and you’ve got a kingdom.”― Jack Lalanne
Eat well and exercise well.
