Why your diet may be undoing your exercise efforts

There are numerous benefits that come from regular training: more muscle mass, improved mood, increased calorie burn, stress management, and a lower risk of developing a number of lifestyle-related diseases, including heart disease, some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Exercise is good for our mental health; Weight-bearing exercise takes care of our bones, and many of us would like to think that it also keeps our weight in check.

However, there is the scenario where exercise is used as an excuse to eat more, and not necessarily more of the right kind of food.

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Female runner taking a break from running exercise and checking information on her smart watch. (Getty)

Despite what we would like to think, a new The study has once again shown that you can’t do more exercise than a bad diet. Which on the other hand also means that what you eat could be undoing your exercise efforts.

So if you’ve increased your exercise but aren’t seeing the results you want, here are some of the reasons why it might be happening.

You are eating more because you are training.

This is perhaps the most common scenario; we give ourselves permission to eat things we wouldn’t normally eat because we’ve been ‘nice’ and hit the gym today.

Now, an extra banana or small snack wouldn’t be a problem, but if you consider that an extra slice of banana bread, a few cookies at work, or a couple of beers packs more calories than you’ve probably burned in your workout, in that case lies the problem. Think of exercise as the bare minimum to maintain your weight, rather than an excuse to eat high-calorie, high-style foods.

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Appetizers
Don’t add extra treats just because you’ve been “good” and completed a workout. (Getty)

you are hungrier

Depending on the type of training you prefer, high-intensity workouts such as Cross-Fit, interval training, cardio sessions longer than 40-60 minutes, and long walks or runs burn a significant number of calories per session, calories that the body wants to produce. to keep your weight stable.

This can result in incessant hunger that can be very distracting. There are two options when it comes to managing this. Reduce the amount of time you spend on these high-intensity sessions to just 30-40 minutes or eat a large meal immediately after the session to try to prevent extreme hunger altogether.

You are not training as much as you think

The surprising thing about the human body is that it adapts very quickly to the stimulus to which it is exposed. This means that if you’ve been doing the same gym routine, or running for several months, if not years, you’re probably burning far fewer calories than you think.

The key to staying on top of your metabolic rate is to switch things up with both your diet and your training every few weeks. Change your race route; Get into a new weights routine or try a few different classes.

When in doubt, actively tracking your calorie burn in each session with a heart rate or activity monitor will provide a more accurate view of the quality and intensity of your training sessions.

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Man lifting weights in the gym
Mix up your training to keep your body on its toes. (Pexels)

You are overeating at night.

People who exercise regularly are usually disciplined people who have no problem sticking to a strict diet during the day, but if they don’t consume enough calories, they binge at night as their body tries to make up for the calorie deficit it has. he has his training. Resulted in.

For anyone who burns 500-600 calories or more in a single training session, for example a two-hour cycle, Cross-Fit, running, or an intense personal training session, they will automatically need an additional meal during the day to help feed your body.

This may mean two small lunches instead of one, or morning and afternoon tea, but three meals a day isn’t enough if you’re regularly burning that many calories.

Author susie burrell is a prominent Australian dietitian and nutritionist, founder of shape meco-host of The Nutrition Couch podcast and prominent media spokesperson, with regular appearances in print and television commenting on all areas of diet, weight loss and nutrition.

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