Is diet more important?
Is diet more important?
There are many indicators of health, and weight is just one of them.
Getty Images / Deby Suchaeri / d3sign
That said, weight loss is a popular goal for many people trying to improve their health.
Your whole lifestyle plays a part in getting to and maintaining a healthy weight.
But they might be more valuable at different times in your weight loss journey.
So what’s the best formula to lose weight and keep it off?
How Is Weight Loss Different Than Weight Maintenance?
The amount of energy (aka calories) our body uses each day is also known as our metabolism.
Let’s break down your primary focus for weight loss and weight maintenance, and how they differ.
Lucky for you, we have a variety ofweight-loss meal plansthat yo any palate.
However, going on a restrictive diet is not a way to lose weight for good.
“Going on a diet is not the way to sustainably lose weight.
Still, maintaining weight loss is notoriously challenging.
Research has found that exercise might be more important than diet when maintaining a weight loss.
This exercise didn’t have to be consecutive; it could be 10-minute bouts throughout the day, too.
But why is exercise more important than diet if diet helped you lose weight in the first place?
It all comes down to a balance of calories.
While weight loss requires a calorie deficit, weight maintenance requires a calorie balanceno deficit but also no excess.
This explains why restrictive dieters tend to gain the weight they lost back (and then some).
Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Weight
“Often, people have unrealistic weight loss goals.
Luckily for us, little changes that you enjoy can add up to big accomplishments over time.
This strategy makes portion control easy, without tediously measuring everything.
When it comes to exercising, find something you actually enjoy.
It will make it easier to be consistent.
“Start small though and don’t be all or nothing with exercise.
Something is better than nothing,” encourages Younkin.
Lastly, accountability can help when sticking to your healthy lifestyle changes.
“Don’t get caught up in daily and weekly fluctuations on the scale.
