No matter what your fitness goals are, whether it be weight loss, muscle gain, or living an overall healthier life, you’re probably aware that it takes hard work and commitment to reach those goals.
It’s important to remember that exercise alone may not give you the transformation that you’re looking for. While lifting weights without any dietary changes will start to build muscle, it may be difficult to physically see results until you’re fueling your body with good nutrition.
An effective exercise plan goes hand in hand with good nutrition. Together, the two create an unstoppable force! Keep reading to learn more about how exercise and nutrition complement each other for the best results.
Understanding Calorie Expenditure
Even if you train 5 days a week, a poor diet is hard to out-exercise. If there’s one takeaway you need to know, it’s this; If your calorie intake is higher than your energy expenditure, you will not lose weight, and vice versa. Put simply, you need to burn more calories than you consume for weight loss. Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is calculated by four factors:
Basal Metabolic Rate- The number of calories burned during the day to simply keep you alive, such as breathing. This does not include any physical activity at all.
Thermic Effect of Food- This is the energy that it takes to digest the food that you eat. On average, approximately 10% of your total daily expenditure will come from TEF.
Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis- Includes the calories burned doing your normal daily activities such as doing chores, walking the dog, or grocery shopping. This means “non-structured exercise.”
Thermic Effect of Activity– These are the calories burned during exercise, including weight lifting, aerobic exercise, steady state cardio, HIIT, and beyond.
Adding all of these numbers together at the end of the day combine for your total daily calories burned! In order to lose weight, you need to be consuming less calories than you’re burning.
The Role That Macronutrients Play
The 3 main energy providers in your diet are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, which are all essential to a healthy diet. These macronutrients assist in growth, reproduction, immunity, and healing. Including a sufficient amount of each is crucial for a healthy diet.
While some health myths have made us scared of carbohydrates, these are an essential source of energy to give you the stamina you’ll need for an effective workout. Depending on your goals, carbohydrates should make up nearly 50% of your total calories.
Proteins are also crucial to provide maintenance and growth for your muscles. Lastly, fats should be the smallest portion of your diet, but are still necessary to include.
To learn more about how nutrition and exercise go hand in hand, get in contact with the experts at Back Bay Fit! Our personal trainers will be able to provide a customized plan that fits your goals, and delivers the results you want to see.
Fill out an online form or give us a call to schedule a free consultation today!
FAQ
What is nutrition?
Nutrition is all about the food and drinks we consume. It's like fuel for our bodies to work properly.
What is exercise?
Exercise is any physical activity that gets our bodies moving, like running, playing sports, or even just walking.
Why are nutrition and exercise important?
Both are super important for keeping our bodies healthy and strong. Good nutrition gives us the energy and nutrients we need, while exercise keeps our muscles and bones strong and helps us stay fit.
How do nutrition and exercise work together?
Think of them like best friends! Good nutrition gives us the energy to exercise, and exercise helps us use that energy in the best way possible. When we eat healthy foods and stay active, our bodies feel awesome!
What happens if we don't eat well or exercise?
If we don't eat healthy foods or move our bodies enough, we might feel tired, weak, or even get sick more often. So it's important to eat lots of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and to get plenty of exercise every day!
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