The Truth About Diet and Exercise - Finding The Right Combination For You

The truth about diet and exercise is this: It depends on your goals.  There are a few combinations to explore here because time is of the essence.

Goal 1.  Loose weight but no real fitness goals

This can be done by dieting with lower fat, carbohydrate and sugar diets.  IF you have the time, get a walk in for 20-60 minutes depending upon how much time you have for this. Walking burns fat.  It doesn't burn as many calories as other exercises like running or biking, but it does burn fat.

Goal 2. Loose weight but do have fitness goals.

You may have to increase your caloric intake a bit if you are doing training, running, swimming, biking, hiking, triathlon or weight training.  On days you workout, increase your caloric intake a bit.  The key here is you don't want your body to crash.  If you are too low on sugars and carbohydrates you can crash. Your body needs sugars and carbohydrates but too much is not good.  This is something you will need to monitor over the first few weeks.  Measure the intensity of your workout and determine how much more you will need.  This is a trial and error basis. 

Goal 3. Heavy weight training

The best approach here is to do 15 minutes of cardiovascular workout such as the cross country machine, run or bike and then hit the weights.  Your will need to take in more calories for this day.  The key here is do not go overboard with your calories here.  This is the perfect day to have what you want at one meal.  The best meal is the middle of the day meal if you are going to have what you want for your treat of the week.   The 15 minutes of cardiovascular will help get your heart rate up into the right zone so you burn more fat when you workout. 

The soup diet provides a great off day meal for your fitness program if you are choosing the fitness route.  It's better to do this on a non workout day because your caloric intake is going to be lower and it is a lighter meal. However, as time goes by, you will have this in your routine and may be able to put it in on a workout day.  I personally find increasing calories on a workout day does increase recovery and avoids crashing.  Not by a ton, but by 200-300 calories, preferably lean calories that are low in saturated fats and sugars.

It is also very good and important to take a vitamin everyday in the morning.  Just take a multivitamin.  The chewable kind so it really does get into your system.