What a great thought – “I just had an amazing workout and burned a ton of calories, I’m gonna reward myself with a big lunch”. If only it was that easy. Sometimes we catch ourselves thinking a really hard workout can be followed by a rewarding meal, perhaps we eat more than we know we should.
The brutal truth is we would have to exercise for hours to burn the calories we can take in with a large meal. For instance, we meet our friends at our favorite burger place to indulge in a burger and fries. We rationalize this by saying we have worked hard the last couple of days and this is a just reward. The burger and fries, washed down with a large soda or a couple of beers, probably amounts to around 2,000 calories. To burn these calories we would have to lift weights for around 5 hours. We would have to run 3 hours non-stop or we would have to walk for 7 hours.
Exercising very rarely can keep up with an overzealous fork. Far too often we hear from clients that have been working out religiously and have not seen any weight loss. They are frustrated and don’t see the point in continuing with an exercise routine. After all, why spend an hour at the gym when we haven’t lost any weight in 3 months? This is a valid argument if we are only exercising with the hope of losing some weight. Exercise should be done for the benefits of exercise which can be increased strength and stamina, better cardiovascular health, better sleep and improved flexibility. Very seldom does exercise result in consistent weight loss. This is because exercising uses glycogen and our body wants us to replace glycogen stores quickly. This leads to us being hungry more and often eating more food. We also tend to eat more carbohydrates after exercising.
While exercise is a great part of an overall healthy lifestyle it should not be commenced with the hope of losing weight. The better plan is to lose weight first and then start exercising after we have achieved significant changes in our weight.
The Dynamic Fat Loss program gives our clients a proven strategy to lose weight quickly while improving their health. Following the program gives each client the specific direction they need to lose the weight they want to lose and then embark on an exercise plan that is tailored to the individual. Lowered blood pressure, lower A1C and substantially lower blood sugar levels are just a few of the benefits realized during the enjoyable journey.
While writing this article I reached in my desk and pulled out a very healthy energy bar. It is packed with organic ingredients, vitamins and minerals. However, I have to take a 30-minute run just to burn off the calories I just ate. I didn’t even get to use a fork! I better get going.
