It’s difficult to determine what genuinely works and what doesn’t when it comes to weight loss because the topic is so muddled. Is it better to stick to a tight diet or work out more to burn calories? Who could possibly understand it? Please understand that I am not attempting to minimize anyone in this discussion; quite the contrary. It’s crucial to understand how diets and exercise influence your body when you have a certain goal in mind, like losing weight, in order to achieve that objective.
This is a question that’s been on the minds of many people who are trying to lose weight. The answer isn’t as simple as you might think. There are some people who can eat whatever they want and still lose weight, while others have to exercise in order to see results. This is why it’s important to determine which approach will work best for you and your lifestyle.
Food Vs Exercise For Weight Loss
Weight loss is a topic that is often discussed and debated. There are many different viewpoints on this topic, but most agree that both diet and exercise are important for weight loss.
Diet plays a major role in the amount of weight you lose, while exercise helps to reduce body fat.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to losing weight is how much energy we consume compared to how much energy we expend. If our calorie intake exceeds our calorie expenditure, we gain weight; if our calorie expenditure exceeds our calorie intake, we lose weight. This is true regardless of whether you eat less food or burn more calories through exercise. To lose weight, you must use up more calories than you take in by eating less food or burning more calories through increased physical activity (or both).
At first glance, dieting seems to be the obvious answer if we want to lose weight.
We gain weight when we take in more calories than we need. Therefore, managing energy input and expenditure naturally be the key to weight loss.
Exercise and diet are both important for weight loss, but which is more important?
The answer to this question depends on what you mean by “more important.” It also depends on your goals. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, then both exercise and diet are equally important. You can achieve some weight loss with either one alone, but not enough to make a big difference in your health.
For example, if you’re trying to lose 30 pounds, you’ll need to lose about 1 pound of fat per week. That’s 70 pounds per year, or about 1 pound every 3 days! If you don’t exercise, then you have no choice but to reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories per day (1 pound of fat contains 3500 calories). But if you exercise regularly — say 2 or 3 times per week — then you’ll only need to cut down on your calories by 250-300 each day in order to reach the same goal.
While most fad diets recommend calorie restriction, individuals must be cautioned as this is usually not sustainable. After some time, people tend to revert to their old habits. Even worse, the sense of deprivation leads them to eat more, causing them to put back all the weight they had initially lost.
Exercise Is More Important Than Diet for Weight Loss?
If dieting alone doesn’t lead to sustainable weight loss, would exercise solely do the trick?
Not quite, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. As part of the study, researchers from Arizona State University in the United States enlisted 81 overweight women to join a fitness programmer.
During the three-month long study, the women engaged in treadmill workouts three times a week, but their eating habits were not monitored.
Three months later, 70% of the women gained some fat mass during the programmer, despite their increased activity.
While the study could not conclude the exact reasons for the weight gain, researchers believe that the participants who gained weight consumed more food and increased their calorie intake. This was because they believed that they had burned enough kilo calories to justify the extra food.
The answer is that both diet and exercise are important for weight loss, but in different ways.
Exercise helps you lose fat, but it can also make some of your fat cells shrink. This means that if you stop exercising, the size of these shrunken fat cells will increase. The result? You’ll gain weight back.
Dieting, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to have much effect on the size of our fat cells. In fact, most people who lose weight by dieting regain their lost pounds within a few years — even if they keep up their new eating habits!
A recent study by researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia found that exercise is more important than diet for weight loss. However, it’s not all about the calories burned.
According to the researchers, “Exercise has many benefits for health and well-being beyond just burning calories. Exercise can improve mood, help prevent depression and anxiety, lower stress levels and improve sleep quality.”
In addition to these benefits, exercise can help improve insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.
The researchers concluded that “dieting alone may not be enough to lose weight or keep it off over time.”
Exercise and Diet to Keep the Weight Off in the Long Term
Weight loss is a complicated process. It’s not just about what you eat, it’s also about how much you move. When you lose weight, your body burns more calories than it did before. You’ll burn even more if you exercise regularly.
Exercise boosts your metabolism and helps your body use the food you eat more efficiently. It also helps prevent muscle loss when you’re losing weight.
If you want to keep the weight off for good, regular exercise is essential. But how much is enough? How long should you work out every week? And which activities are best for weight loss?
We asked experts for their advice on these questions and more:
How much weight do I need to lose before starting an exercise program?
Will exercising make me lose weight faster?
Can I exercise while pregnant?
Are there any exercises that will help me lose belly fat?
In short, the safest and most sustainable way to reduce weight is a combination of mindful nutrition practises and regular exercise in the long term.
Energy Expenditure and Calorie Intake
The total number of calories you burn for energy each day is your total daily energy expenditure. In order to lose weight, the amount of calories you burn should be higher than your calorie intake.
By eating the same amount while exercising more, a sustainable energy deficit (where the calories consumed are less than calories burnt) can be created. Regular exercise can also help increase your metabolic rate so you’ll burn those calories a lot more efficiently.
Just a daily energy deficit of 500 to 1,000 kcal will allow you to lose between 0.5 kg to 1 kg per week. So if your daily calorie intake is about 1,500, you should try to burn around 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day through your daily activities, if you are looking to lose some excess fat and weight.
The answer to this question is both simple and complicated. The simple answer is diet and exercise are equally important for weight loss. The more complicated answer is that one of these factors will have a bigger impact on your weight than the other.
The effectiveness of a weight loss program depends on how well it works with your body’s needs and how long you can maintain it.
The first step in maximizing your results is understanding what type of eating plan is right for you. There are two basic types of diets: low-carbohydrate diets and low-fat diets. Low-carbohydrate diets restrict carbohydrates, usually sugars and starches, while low-fat diets limit fats, usually saturated or animal fats.
Once you’ve chosen a diet type, you need to decide how intensively you want to follow it. Some people go on crash diets or only eat certain foods while others choose less restrictive plans like Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig that allow them more freedom in their food choices.
Exercise also has its benefits when it comes to weight loss and maintenance but what exactly does exercise do? Exercise improves muscle strength which helps burn more calories throughout the day and increases basal metabolic rate (BMR) which means our bodies burn calories.
Make Good Food Choices
I’m going to answer this question in a roundabout way. Let me preface this by saying that I’m not a dietician or nutritionist, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.
Weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out. If you eat more calories than your body burns, you’ll gain weight. If you eat fewer calories than your body burns, you’ll lose weight.
However, there is a caveat to this rule: muscle weighs more than fat! This means that if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s going to be much easier with exercise because building muscle will increase your BMR (basal metabolic rate), which is the amount of energy your body uses just being alive and functioning normally (i.e., not exercising).
If you don’t exercise and just cut back on calories, it’s possible for your body to compensate by slowing down its metabolism so that it uses less energy and thus needs fewer calories from food each day. This is why people who don’t exercise often have such a hard time losing weight: their bodies are holding onto every calorie they eat!
Your diet is also crucial. Keep in mind My Healthy Plate guidelines: fill a quarter of your plate with wholegrains, a quarter with proteins, and the remaining half with the recommended two servings of fruits and vegetables per day for a well-balanced meal.
Once your meals are settled, it is time to work up a sweat by engaging in regular exercise.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 150 to 250 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week would help you maintain a healthy weight. Anything more leads to weight loss. Moderate-intensity exercises should cause an increase in your breathing rate. You should be able to carry on a conversation but does not have enough breath to sing.
Pick a Suitable Activity
Working out can be tough on your body, especially if you are not used to it. The heavier you are, the more pressure you put on your lower limb joints.
Ease into a low-intensity workout programmer such as yoga, aqua-jogging, water-based activities minimizes the impact on your knees and joints. As you progress, gradually increase the intensities of your workout regime to moderate – vigorous intensity. When you get more comfortable with an exercise regime, try other activities such as jogging, brisk walking or cycling.
Diet and Exercise for Your Health
Even if weight management is not your goal, there are also many health benefits to a well-balanced diet and regular physical activity.
If you are overweight, you are at risk for pre-diabetes. But start on a combination of moderate physical activity and a sensible diet now, and you can lower your risk for diabetes and other diseases.
Do consult your doctor before starting any exercise regime, and practice caution when exercising. Remember, safety first!
Best Diet Plan for Weight Loss
No single food provides all the calories and nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy. That’s why a balanced diet consisting of macro nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, and fat along with micro nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, is recommended.
The best Indian diet for weight loss is a combination of the five major food groups – fruits and vegetables, cereals and pulses, meat and dairy products, and fats and oils. Furthermore, knowing how to divvy up the food groups, allocate portion sizes, and the best/ideal time to eat is also equally important.
1200 Calorie Weight Loss Diet Chart Plan
A lot can be spoken about what goes into an ideal diet chart. However, one’s nutritional requirement varies based on various factors. It could change depending on gender, for example, male dietary requirements vary from that of a female.
Geography can play a role as well, with North Indian diets being largely different from South Indian ones. So, here meal preferences come into play since the consumption of food by a vegetarian or a vegan differ largely from that by a non-vegetarian.
However, we have put together a diet plan ideal for weight loss with Indian food. This 7 day diet plan also known as a 1200 calorie diet plan is a sample, and should not be followed by any individual without consulting a nutritionist.
While creating a diet chart, it is important to make sure it is balanced and ensures that you receive all the required nutrients. Thus, include the following nutrients in your diet plan:
1. Carbohydrates Diet Plan
Carbs are the body’s main source of energy and should make up half of your daily calorie requirement. However, it’s important to choose the right type of carbs. Simple carbs, such as bread, biscuit, white rice and wheat flour, contain too much sugar and are bad for you.
Instead, opt for complex carbs that are high in fiber and packed with nutrients as compared to simple carbs. This is because Fiber-rich complex carbs are harder to digest, leaving you feeling full for longer, and are therefore the best option for weight control.
Brown rice, millets such as ragi and oats are all good complex carb choices.
2. Proteins Diet Plan
Most Indians fail to meet their daily protein requirement. This is troublesome, as proteins are essential to help the body build and repair tissue, muscles, cartilage and skin, as well as pump blood. Hence. a high protein diet can also help you lose weight, as it helps build muscle – which burns more calories than fat.
For instance, about 30% of your diet should consist of protein in the form of whole dals, paneer, chana, milk, leafy greens, eggs, white meat or sprouts. Having one helping of protein with every meal is essential.
3. Fats Diet Plan
A food group that has acquired a bad reputation, fats are essential for the body as they synthesize hormones, store vitamins and provide energy. Experts suggest one-fifth or 20% of your diet must consist of healthy fats – polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and Omega-3 fatty acids.
For example, using a combination of oils for different meals – including olive oil, rice bran oil, mustard oil, soya bean, sesame, sunflower and groundnut oil – along with restricted quantities of butter and ghee is the most optimal way to consume fats. But, you must avoid trans fats – that are found in fried snacks, completely for a balanced Indian Diet Plan.
4. Vitamins and Minerals Diet Plan
Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, calcium and iron are essential for the body as they support metabolism, nerve and muscle function, bone maintenance, and cell production. Since, these are primarily derived from plants, meat and fish, minerals can also be found in nuts, oilseeds, fruits and green leafy vegetables.
Experts and nutritionists recommend consuming 100 grams of greens and 100 grams of fruits accordingly.
5. Indian Weight Loss Diet Plan Meal Swaps
One of the easiest ways to eat healthy is to swap out the unhealthy foods from your Indian Diet plan is with its healthier alternatives.
For example, fulfil your cravings for a snack to munch on with air popped popcorn instead of relying on potato chips. So, it is great if you check out a few healthy meal swap options that you could try going forward.
Along with a balanced Weight loss diet chart plan, these habits will help you stay healthy:
Opt for 5-6 meals a day: Instead of three large meals, try having three modest meals and a few snack breaks in controlled portions for the day. Spacing your meals across regular intervals prevents acidity and bloating and also keeps hunger pangs at bay. So, quit your junk food habit by making healthier snacking choices in your indian diet plan.
Have an early dinner: Indians eat dinner later than the other societies across the world. Since metabolism slows down at night, a late dinner can lead to weight gain. Experts recommend you eat your last meal of the day by 8 pm.
Drink a lot of water: How does drinking more water help you lose weight? For starters, it’s zero calories. Also, drinking a glass of water can help curb hunger pangs. Have six to eight glasses of water daily to lose weight.
Eat a lot of fiber: A person needs at least 15 gm of fiber every day, as it aids digestion and heart health. Oats, lentils, flax seeds, apples and broccoli are some great sources of fiber.
In conclusion to everything stated above. you don’t necessarily have to ditch your regular food habits or make massive changes to your diet, all you need is to follow the best balanced Indian diet plan to get fit!
Diet Plan – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the 7 Day Challenge diet?
A. The 7 Day GM Challenge diet is a popular diet plan that helps you lose 5kgs to 7kgs of weight.
Q. What is the diet chart to lose weight?
A. You can follow healthifyMe’s carefully curated, 1200 calorie diet plan to lose weight.
Q. Which Indian food is best for weight loss?
A. There is no single best Indian food for weight loss. Any whole food found in its natural state can be suited for weight loss such as dals, pulses, nuts, seeds, spices etc.
Q. What drink helps burn fat?
A. There are no miracle drinks to burn fat. However, diet may include drinks like Jeera Water, lemon water, amla juice can help boost your metabolism and may help in getting rid of the excess fat.
Q. What is the most effective weight loss diet?
A. A diet which focuses on whole foods rich in nutrients is effective and sustainable if followed consistently. However, the above diet chart is highly effective to shed some kilos.
Q. What are the 9 Rules to Lose weight?
A. Out of the many rules to lose weight, the 9 important ones are as follows – keep yourself hydrated, improve your eating habits, look for a suitable calorie deficit plan, include protein in your diet, workout regularly, keep yourself physically active, maintain a healthy lifestyle, allow yourself a cheat day, sleep better.
Q. Is Indian diet healthy?
A. Indian diets are diverse and many are healthy because they include varied cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables and less meat consumption.
Q. Is banana good for weight loss?
A. Bananas are loaded with fiber that slows the digestion process, making you feel full and help in weight loss. However, bananas are high in calories as well so one needs to limit the portion size.
Q. What are the 5 foods you should not eat to lose weight?
A. There can be few foods that you can avoid to maintain your weight like Processed Food, Junk food, Alcoholic beverages, Sugary drinks and Desserts.
Q. How can I lose 5kg in a month on an Indian diet?
A. Burning fat depends on a lot of factors that must be considered before setting up a goal. Your current Age, BMI, Gender as well as lifestyle plays a key role in the process. However, you can follow our Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss article which will help you in the process.
Q. Does jeera water reduce weight?
A. Yes, Jeera Water is known to boost metabolism and burn fat.
Q. Can I lose 10 kg in a month?
A. Losing 10 kgs in a month is not a healthy goal and can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Weight depends on a lot of criterions like Age, Gender, BMI, etc. Also, making some changes in your diet and lifestyle can help you lose weight. You can follow our Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss to work dedicatedly towards the goal .
Q. What Indian food can I eat with type 2 diabetes?
A. You can eat foods like Brown Rice, Multigrain chapati, legumes and pulses, all leafy green vegetables etc. Consult your dietitian about the dos/don’ts before you add something to your diet plan.
Q. What is the best Indian breakfast for diabetics type 2?
A. Vegetable Oats or Moong Dal cheela can be one of the best Indian breakfast for type 2 diabetics.
Q. Which diet plan is best for PCOS weight loss?
A. Learn more about PCOS weight loss diet in your article ‘How to Control PCOS with your Diet’.
Q. Can PCOS patients reduce weight?
A. Yes, however, it can be a struggle. It is essential for you to consult a doctor before committing to a diet plan.
Q. Does vegetarian diet promote weight loss?
A. One might think it is difficult for vegetarians to lose weight, because it is difficult for them to fulfil the protein intake. However, one might include curd, paneer and lentils in their diets. These are high-protein vegetarian foods that promote weight loss.
4 Week Workout Plan For Weight Loss
All the strength workouts should be performed as supersets. A superset is when you do two exercises back to back, taking little to no rest in between moves. An example of this would be doing 10 reps of barbell squats immediately followed by 10 reps of push-ups.
I’ve also included compound exercises, which are exercises that work multiple groups of muscles (such as deadlifts), into each workout. They give you the most bang for your buck because they recruit more muscles, forcing your body to work harder to execute every rep.
The 4-Week Workout Plan
Before every workout, be sure to warm up and cool down. Here are a dynamic warmup and a cooldown I like.
Remember to choose your weights carefully, and know that it’s normal to use different weights for different exercises. And if you’re a beginner or coming back from a workout hiatus, don’t be afraid to start with small weights or just your bodyweight (it’s better to start slowly than to get injured!). Try not to take more than 60 seconds of rest in between each superset.
Monday: Strength Training
Superset 1:
Exercise 1: Goblet squat: 12 reps
Exercise 2: Lat pull-down or pull-up (you can use the machine or a resistance band): 12 reps for lat pull-down or five reps for pull-up
Do four sets
Superset 2:
Exercise 1: Step-up: 10 reps each leg (to make this more challenging, hold two five- to 10-pound dumbbells by your sides)
Exercise 2: Single-arm row: 12 reps each arm
Do four sets
Superset 3:
Exercise 1: Single-leg glute bridge: 10 reps each leg
Exercise 2: Bicep curl: 10 reps
Do four sets
Core: Elbow plank: 15-second hold, three sets
Tuesday: Cardio
It’s day two, and I hope you’re feeling good after yesterday’s strength workout. Today, you’re doing cardio. Whether you want to lace up your running shoes, swim, ride a stationary or road bike, row, crush some dance cardio, or even play an active virtual reality game, just spend 20 minutes getting your heart rate up while doing something you enjoy. Once you’ve completed cardio, it’s time for abs.
Ab Workout: Complete two rounds of the following ab workout. If necessary, feel free to modify the amount of time you do each exercise.
Left side plank: 20 seconds
Russian twist: 20 seconds
Right side plank: 20 seconds
Wednesday: Strength Training
Superset 1:
Exercise 1: Romanian deadlift: 12 reps
Exercise 2: Dumbbell bench press: 10 reps
Do four sets
Superset 2:
Exercise 1: Back extension or Superman: 12 reps with a one-second hold at the top
Exercise 2: Shoulder press: 10 reps (for back support, do this seated on a bench)
Do four sets
Superset 3:
Exercise 1: Dumbbell walking lunge: 10 reps each leg (20 total)
Exercise 2: Push-up: 10 reps
Do four sets
Thursday: Cardio
You’re almost through the week! You may be feeling slightly sore, and that’s absolutely normal. For today, your mission is to do 10 to 20 minutes of cardio. Do a walking workout, sprint intervals, a bike ride, or laps in the pool — it’s up to you. Most importantly, work hard.
Friday: Conditioning
It’s time to finish the week strong. Today’s workout is going to feel a little more challenging than the other strength workouts you did earlier in the week. Since this is conditioning day, you’re going to be doing more intense moves with less rest. Don’t worry! You’re going to do just fine.
Superset 1:
Exercise 1: Squat to overhead press: 10 reps
Exercise 2: Jump rope: 30 seconds
Do three sets
Superset 2:
Exercise 1: Weighted glute bridge or barbell hip thrust: 12 reps
Exercise 2: Dumbbell bench press: 12 reps
Do four sets
Superset 3:
Exercise 1: Plank with row or reverse-grip bent-over row: 10 reps on each arm
Exercise 2: Seated knee tuck: 15 reps
Do three sets
Saturday: Active Recovery
Today will be a light active-recovery day — enjoy it! Take a walk or a yoga class, or you can do one of the following flows:
Yoga flow for weightlifters
Beginner-friendly yoga flow
Yoga sequence for tight hips
Sunday: Rest
Week one of this workout plan is officially over, and you should be proud of yourself. One of the most crucial things you can do to achieve your goals is to be consistent. Today, all you have to do is rest. Walk around, stretch, ride your bike, foam roll, or do something that makes you feel good and will prepare you for next week.
Remaining Weeks
Repeat this exact workout plan for weeks two, three, and four. Remember, you can always increase the weight and/or decrease rest time between supersets for an added challenge.
What to Do After You Finish the 4-Week Workout Plan
Way to crush these last four weeks. You’re a badass, but I’m sure you already knew that!
If you are feeling great and want to keep going, you can start this workout plan again from the top. I recommend increasing the weight you’re using, decreasing your rest time, and increasing the number of sets and reps of each exercise, so you continue to challenge yourself. This is called progressive overload, and it’s the key to continuing to see progress from your workouts. For example, if you did three sets of 10 goblets squats with 10 pounds, try doing four sets of 12 reps with 15 pounds. Another option is to do a more advanced variation of the exercise. Instead of goblet squats, you could progress to a barbell back squat and also increase the weights, sets, and rep range.
If you want to move on to another workout plan or train toward another goal, more power to you. Hopefully, this workout plan got you hooked on all the mind-body benefits of movement, and you’re feeling motivated to keep going.
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