It’s the age old question. Can you out-train a bad diet? Or what matters more, diet or exercise? As a personal trainer, I would love to say exercise, obviously. Unfortunately, in good conscience, I can’t say that and not only from a professional standpoint, but a personal one. I know this is contrary to popular belief (or wishful thinking), but diet not only matters, a lot, but makes a world of difference in both the way we look and the way we feel.
Our bodies are these intricate and very complex things, but really not all that different from any kind of equipment. We can’t expect to put crap in and get good out. Take a Lamborghini for example. It’s one of the worlds most beautiful high-performance cars, but if you put crappy gasoline and oil in it, if you don’t maintain it, it will end up turning in to a hunk of junk like any other car that isn’t being taken care of. You can’t expect it to perform the way you want it to.
I am not here to tell you what to eat, or how to eat. I won’t recommend a specific diet, because every body is different. But there are some basic principles that every person should follow if they actually want to see positive change in their bodies and ultimately in their lives. If they want to look good AND feel good.
- All calories are not created equal. Many people think that nutrition is simple math; if they burn more calories than they eat, then they will lose weight. Sometimes this is true if you are really restricting yourself, but 1) this is not very sustainable and 2) calories from healthy, whole foods are not the same as calories from pre-packaged processed foods or I’m sorry to say it, alcohol. Our bodies will always absorb nutrients better from real food. Our bodies need adequate protein and hydration. They need premium gasoline, not the cheap stuff. So put down the low-fat, air puffed chips and fake egg whites and eat some real food for the love of God.
- And while we’re talking about calories, restriction is not the answer. Maybe for very short periods, say in the case of time-restricted eating or fasting, which there are many well documented benefits to, but long-term, this will always come back to bite you. Do we need to be somewhat mindful of our intake, absolutely. A 20 gallon gas tank can only hold 20 gallons of gas, not 50. But do we need to count every calorie, deny ourselves the real food and nutrition that our bodies crave to the point that we cause ourselves so much stress from all of it with the constant obsessing? No, because here’s what happens. That stress leads to a spike in our stress hormone cortisol, which then causes us to hold onto unwanted fat, especially in our mid-sections, which is associated with undesirable health outcomes. We all have that friend who has been a serial dieter their whole lives and never seems to be able to get rid of those stubborn 20 lbs…So try to make healthier food choices, limit your alcohol intake and don’t eat “diet” foods and obsess over macros. You’ll be happier and healthier for it.
- Know what your overall daily calorie intake should be, make good choices and forget the rest. Here is a link to a calorie intake calculator if you want to know what you’re average daily intake should be, but again, use it as a guideline, not a manual. And again, real food always rules. Calorie intake calculator
- Try to focus on hitting your protein needs first. Not only will you feel more satiated and fuller for longer, you will also feel better, have more stable blood sugars and energy throughout the day and experience much better gains and improved strength. You can read more about the importance and benefits of protein in my article “Protein Power,” but in a nutshell, we ideally need about 1 Gram of protein for each pound of ideal body weight, not the measly 0.4 grams that we were led to believe is enough.
- Always hydrate first. Sometimes hunger and lethargy is really just dehydration, so be sure to hydrate first and stay hydrated throughout the day. And the more active you are, the more you need to hydrate, literally. General rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces. So for a 140lb person, that would be 70 oz of water. Then for each hour of exercise, add another 12-24oz to that. For more information on hydration needs related to physical activity I have linked a good resource here: Hydration for athletes
- Sugar and carbohydrates are not the enemy if in the right form or taken at the right time. Unprocessed sugar or carbohydrates, such as in the form of a banana, eaten approx. 30-60 minutes prior to exercise can help to give you the boost you need to power through your workout. As for the rest of the day, try to choose healthier forms of carbohydrates with little to no added sugars over processed things like cookies, juices… Reach for those lower-glycemic foods or things high in fiber like sweet potatoes, beans, whole grains and my personal favorite, quality, high cacao dark chocolate. Again, deprivation is not our friend. So put your sweet tooth to work for you, not against you. Got a killer workout in? Reward yourself with some chocolate 🙂
- Don’t be afraid of fat! A diet high in healthy fats such as from things like avocados, nuts, olive oil… is so beneficial to you in so many ways, from shinier hair, to healthier skin to a stronger and healthier heart. If eaten in the right form, fat is our friend, don’t obsess over the calories. So, guacamole anybody?
8. And finally, don’t fool yourself into thinking that drinking alcohol regularly will not affect your health and the ability to reach your fitness goals. It absolutely will. Sorry, not sorry. It isn’t just the calories or sugars from the drinks themselves, although this is a factor (see #1 again if you already forgot why.) Alcohol affects our sleep, spikes cortisol and usually leads to poorer food choices by lowering our inhibitions. I’m not saying that you can’t enjoy the occasional drink, I certainly do! There is something to be said about the social aspect of enjoying a glass of wine with friends or drinking wine that’s so good, you literally savor and fully enjoy every full-bodied sip. And again, not living with that deprivation mindset, but drinking every day or in excess will keep you from hitting your health and fitness goals in one way or another. However, we all have the wonderful ability to make our own choices, so long as you don’t fool yourself into thinking those choices don’t come with consequences.
Again, I am not an expert, and we are all free to be whoever we want to be. But as the saying goes, you are what you eat, so choose wisely.