Exercise the Weight Away? Here’s Why That’s Unlikely

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You’ve probably heard the whole, “calories in, calories out” thing a time or two — a phrase the industry coined to represent the calories you get from eating minus the calories you burn naturally or from exercising and moving throughout the day. When it comes to weight loss, experts say shedding pounds actually comes down to burning more calories than you consume. That means that you must eat fewer calories than your body uses to operate throughout the day, ultimately giving you a calorie deficit.

That has led many well-intentioned people to focus on exercise as their primary way to lose weight, a belief rooted in the notion that it’s possible to out-exercise a bad diet. Here’s the thing: It’s not.

Yes, getting active is an essential part of your overall health. Studies show it can improve your mood and mental health, has multiple cardiovascular and muscular benefits, improves circulation, and can even lead to longer life. But when it comes to losing weight, a proper diet is where you’ll likely see the best results. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that of 3,000 obese adults who were able to lose weight following a low-calorie diet, there were “no significant improvements” for maintaining that weight loss when it came to exercise.

If that doesn’t convince you, consider this: Another study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that 92% of meals from large-chain restaurants have more calories than dietitians recommend the average person eat in one sitting. In fact, out of the 123 restaurants analyzed, meals contained an average of 1,205 calories! To put that in context, a 180-pound person would have to walk more than 13.1 miles a day to burn just 1,000 calories — a pretty impossible feat for most of us!

Thankfully, managing calories in versus calories out via a proper diet may not be as complex as you think. It comes down to balanced nutrition, portion size, and ensuring that the food tastes great. And that’s something we can help with! We offer a personalized selection of healthy, delicious, ready-to-eat meals that Epicurious rated No. 1 for taste. Our chefs use portion control to ensure you can still enjoy the foods you love while losing weight.

Our four menus are catered to align with most dietary restrictions and have a large selection of tasty options you can customize to your heart’s content.

Ready to get started? View our meal plans here!

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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.

 

Nutrition Science

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