Should I Diet or Exercise to lose Weight?

A large number of people embark on a journey of weight loss every year with the possibility of millions of solutions….. There is everything from chocolate meal replacement shakes to vibrating machines and 1001 different ab sculptors.

This begs the question, what is the best solution for weight loss? Is it the no carbohydrates diet, a lemon detox program or running a thousand kilometres every week?

The answer is a combination of regular exercise and a balanced diet. Certain dietary supplement companies and large gym chains would say otherwise. However, the proof is in the results.

I know I may have destroyed your dreams of achieving great weight loss through the consumption of a magic pill or 5 minutes with the ABTASTIC 3000. The good news is that no extreme measures need be taken. Weight loss will be achieved through a consistent and sustainable exercise program and balanced diet.

Most people want results yesterday. We are impatient when it comes to our health and want to undo years of unhealthy habits in days. This is why quick result diets are a multi-billion dollar business. The bad news is that this weight loss is primarily water. When you crash diet you significantly slow your resting metabolism. As well as this, you are also at a higher risk of suffering a heart attack. In fact, initial success in weight loss relates poorly to long-term success.

You can lose weight through exercise or diet alone. However, your results will be enhanced when you combine both. The combination of exercise and diet will specifically produce:

• Less intense feelings of hunger and psychologic stress than with following a diet alone.
• An increase in the overall size of your energy deficit
• Greater body fat loss as you will preserve lean muscle mass
• A blunt in the drop in resting metabolism that is associated with weight loss
• Improvements in mood
• Increased insulin sensitivity
• Greater flexibility

Now we have established that this is the best solution for weight loss we have another pertinent question. What does a sustainable exercise program and balanced diet look like? Thousands of books have been written on these subjects but here is the succinct answer; the best type of exercise for fat burning is a combination of resistance and cardiovascular training that includes high intensity intervals. High intensity workouts increase your oxygen consumption for a longer period of time after exercise and this increases the total amount of calories expended.

When it comes to diet remember this simple little saying; eat like a queen for breakfast, a princess for lunch and a pauper for dinner. This will keep you in good stead. Your metabolism is at its best in the morning so it makes sense to consume a large majority of your daily calories by 1 pm. Stick to low glycemic index (GI) foods and avoid refined sugars wherever possible! Have fruit and nuts as snacks, include plenty of vegetables and salad with your meals and choose wholesome carbohydrates such as multigrain bread and brown rice. It is also important to eat plenty of protein; red meat, chicken, fish and eggs and are just a few great options.

This is a very short overview of how best to lose weight. If you would like a more comprehensive review of your dietary and exercise needs then contact us on 1300 177 119.

Reducing Cholesterol

Conquer Cholesterol with Lifestyle

Cholesterol – the ESSENTIAL fatty substance in our body that’s vital in forming cell membranes and producing hormones in the body. So let’s not get annoyed with it, rather let’s maximise it’s benefits by doing all we can to keep it at a healthy level in our body. Our bodies make Cholesterol and we consume it in our diet…Cholesterol may be high because of our genetics, nutrition or lack of exercise.The good news is that although we don’t have control over our genetics we do have control over our lifestyle! The two lifestyle factors that contribute most to cholesterol are diet and exercise!

How does exercise lower cholesterol?

1. Increases the ‘good’ cholesterol in your body and lowers the ‘bad’ cholesterol.

 2. Essential to maintaining a healthy weight

3. Keeps the heart strong and the vascular system toned.

What can you add to your diet to lower cholesterol?

 a. Oatmeal and Oat Bran. Eating soluble fibre helps your intestine digest the ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL). Kidney beans, pears, prunes and apples are also classified as soluble fibre.

b. Walnuts and Almonds. These nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fats keeping the blood vessels healthy and flexible. Be aware that nuts are also high in energy so eat about a handful.

c. Fish Oils and Omega 3’s. Fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, sardines, salmon and tuna contains high levels of omega 3’s that help lower cholesterol. It is recommended that you eat Fish at least twice a week. You can also get Omega 3’s using supplements. Try some from Coastal Bodies.

Shedding the Waistline

Some call in the middle age spread, others the love handles, and still others their beer baby. As fondly as we refer to it, deep down we all wish it was a little smaller. And it’s not just our image conscious that thinks that. The whole body is affected by carrying excess weight around the waistline.

Did you know having a waist line >80cm in women and > 94cm in men will increase your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and high blood pressure … we could go on!

Carrying extra weight around the mid section isn’t just extra fat below your skin; it’s also extra fat surrounding your organs. Fat stored in this area presents greater risk than fat stored around the bottom and thighs.

Regardless of fitness levels, people with a larger waist circumference are more likely to develop diseases than those with a smaller waist circumference.

So how do we lose weight around the stomach – should we do lots of sit ups?

The best type of exercise for fat burning is a combination of resistance training (using weights to increase muscle mass – see our previous blogs for more information) and cardiovascular training that includes high intensity intervals (this means that your heart rate will increase, you will breath more heavily and sweat!). High intensity workouts increase your oxygen consumption for a longer period of time after exercise; this increases the amount of calories and therefore stored fat the body will use for energy. However your body will always choose to use the most readily available energy first so if you are over eating or eating foods high in sugar your body will choose to use the blood sugar as opposed to fat stores, and it will store the extra energy! So whilst exercise is vital, your diet is too!

The most effective way to lose weight around the abdominal region is to eat well and exercise hard. Eating well will include beginning the day with breakfast. Breakfast kick starts your metabolism for the day so eat something wholesome with a low glycemic index (GI); for example muesli with nuts and yoghurt. Have fruit and nuts as a snack, include plenty of vegetables and salad with your meals and choose wholesome carbohydrates such as multigrain bread or brown rice. It is also important to eat protein; meat, eggs and tofu are just a few great options.

Need Motivation and live in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney?

At Coastal bodies you recieve both guidelines for Exercise and Diet! We can suit your needs – there’s one on one, pairs personal training sessions, there are group exercise sessions including FUNctional Boxing and Flat out Mums and we also have an accredited dietician to give you professional dietary plans. To find out more email info@coastalbodies.com.au