Exercise Won't Make you Thin If You Ignore Your Diet

I see so many people hauling themselves to the gym, doing the same classes, and living the same struggle to lose weight year after year--weight that simply won't come off. I used to be one of those people. No matter how much I worked out, what new exercise trend I tried, the numbers on the scale wouldn't budge. I thought I was simply destined to be the weight I was. But I was overlooking a crucial element to the weight-loss game, and I think many people make this same mistake.

The truth is you simply cannot lose weight and maintain your weight loss by exercise alone. You must address your diet or the weight won't come off. You may think (as I did) that you eat a healthful diet, but if you don't examine what you're putting into your body you cannot gain control over your weight.

It may seem daunting, this "examination" of your diet. But don't let fear stop you from doing it. Start by writing down what you eat each day--yes, a food journal. If you really can't get a handle on what you're eating, it's the best place to start. Write down not only what you're eating and drinking, but what time you ate and drank it, and how much. Try it for one day--a "good" eating day, if that will make the exercise more appealing to you. Then look it over. How much of what you wrote down is fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat protein, nuts and nut butters, water? How much of it is starchy, refined carbs, sweets, alcohol, fatty foods?

Next, look at the amounts you're eating. What size are your portions? Could you cut them back? Did you take second helpings? What is really IN the food you're eating: butter, sugar, oil, cream? Was your sandwich on refined white or whole-wheat bread?

Lots of questions, I know. But it gets the ball rolling, and it gets you thinking about what you're doing, rather than eating mindlessly. It's this type of thinking that puts you in control--not the food, not the chef, not your emotions or cravings. Making thoughtful decisions about how you're going to handle your diet is empowering and essential for success.

So don't waste your time going to those classes or putting your time in on the treadmill if you're going to ruin it all by what you eat. Address the whole picture and you'll be well on your way toward reaching your goal.