Why Exercise or Diet Alone Won't Cut It

I ran into a friend today while running errands after my Cardio Muscle class. Since I was clearly wearing workout clothes, she asked me, "So are you working out every day now?" The question brought up a point I need to make clear: Yes, I work out nearly every day and have for many years. It's as much a part of my daily routine as brushing my teeth. That doesn't mean that everyone needs to work out every day, but I do believe if you're trying to lose weight doing some form of exercise several times a week is important.

However, I don't believe that exercise (every day or not) is responsible for my weight loss. It wasn't until I got my eating habits on track, then ramped up my exercise intensity, that I was able to lose weight consistently and have maintained it for more than a year and a half. It was the two elements--diet and exercise--working together that made it happen. If one is out of whack, the system doesn't work.

I'm going to digress a little bit. Keep in mind that I always used to think that I ate "healthy," and since I exercised too, I thought that I was doing the best I could. Having had a father who battled high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, I learned a lot about how diet affects health from a fairly early age. So I knew what to eat to keep my heart healthy--I just didn't know how to eat or live to keep my weight in check. Once I figured it out, I learned to trust what I know about diet and health and apply it to myself--to "get real" about my weight. And you can too.

Once you "get real" about your own weight, you'll start to learn what works for you and what doesn't. I believe all the gimmicks, supplements and diet fads out there just don't work. They don't teach you about YOUR body, what's good for YOU. The reason I don't give you amounts and prescribed formulas is because I think you have to figure them out for yourself, using the basic tools I'm giving you: the nuts and bolts of my eating plan and the way I incorporate exercise.

So yes, working out nearly every day works for me. Find out what works for you: three times a week, every other day, or every day? What can you realistically do, and what makes you feel your best? Then make that exercise time a priority for you.
Schedule it like you would a doctor's appointment or a work meeting. Make it sacred. Then allow it and your new eating habits to work hand-in-hand to get you fit and healthy. One element might get you there, but both together is a surefire combination.