The Healthy Diary Podcast

Podcast Shownotes

When people decide that they want to lose weight, the first thing that often comes to mind is signing up for the gym or working out. While exercise is great for your overall health, it only counts for a very small portion of your daily energy expenditure. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, working out shouldn't be the main focus. Instead, you need to prioritise your food and use exercise as a bonus. 

From my perspective, the order of priority for weight loss is nutrition first, sleep second, and movement third. If you place too much focus on your workouts when trying to lose weight, you might end up doing the opposite. Here are 5 reasons why:

Overeating After Workouts

There’s a big misconception that we burn a huge number of calories during workouts but that’s not actually the case. For example, a 30-minute home workout might burn 100-200 calories, but it doesn’t give you a free pass to consume an additional 400 calories. If your goal is to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit so plan your meals around your workouts to avoid overeating. This doesn’t mean you need to track your calories, but it’s important to have a general understanding of your energy requirements. 

Refueling with Unhealthy Food or Beverages

A common mistake is refuelling with unnecessary, high-calorie foods and drinks. Pre-workouts, post-workouts, and even so-called "superfoods" can be calorie-dense without being particularly nutrient-rich. Instead of buying into marketing gimmicks, keep it simple—if you need a hit of energy before a workout, opt for something like coffee over a sugary pre-workout drink.

Using Workouts as an Excuse to Be Sedentary

You may think you’re active just because you work out, but what about the rest of your day? You could be working out for an hour and then remaining sedentary for the remaining 23. Focus on increasing your daily movement for better results. Incorporate more non-exercise activities, like walking or taking the stairs.

Disrupting Your Sleep Routine

Sleep is an often overlooked factor in weight loss. If your workout schedule cuts into your sleep, it could be counterproductive. Poor sleep affects hunger hormones, increases cravings for carbs, and reduces your overall activity levels. Prioritise getting at least seven hours of quality sleep and then fit your workouts around that. 

Becoming Obsessed with the Scale

Weight fluctuations are completely normal, especially if you’re new to exercise. Microtears in muscles and water retention can cause temporary weight gain but don’t let the scale discourage you. Instead of weighing yourself daily, track your progress weekly and use alternative methods like measurements or how your clothes fit.

Movement and exercise are super important for your health, both mentally and physically. I fully support incorporating movement into your day for your overall well-being but when it comes to losing weight, the first place to start is your nutrition. 

Start by understanding your energy requirements and optimize your diet to create a slight calorie deficit, without obsessively counting calories or tracking the number on the scales. Then, approach movement as an enjoyable bonus. I hope this episode supports you and that you feel empowered to approach your weight loss journey with the information you need. 

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