When it comes to weight loss, common wisdom indicates that diet and exercise are probably the best combination when it comes to achieving your goals. However, the differing camps of which is the most important in the struggle have been at odds for decades.

Changing your diet can have a bigger effect on your weight than exercise. While exercise is an important part of a daily routine, the calories you can burn exercising are finite. You simply do not burn that much.

Take running for example. Running for 20 minutes burns approximately 200 calories, about the equivalent of a candy bar. However, you could simply elect to not eat that candy bar. This would save you a trip to the gym or from having to lace up your running shoes and planning your route. Simply choosing not to eat the candy bar is the easier of the two choices.

In fact, in a study done between the differences in industrialized and developing societies, it was found that activity levels were about the same. However, caloric consumption differed, and that made the difference in obesity rates in industrialized civilizations versus the developing ones.

However, exercise has benefits above and beyond weight loss. It staves off the aging process and promotes better cardiovascular health than not exercising. However, changing your diet can have a bigger impact on weight loss than exercise.

Don’t throw out your running shoes, get rid of that treadmill or cancel your gym membership yet, though. Combining the two are still the best when it comes to maintaining long-term weight loss.

If you have a fitness goal, whether it is weight loss or simply improving your overall fitness, Frank Tortorici can help you. A certified personal trainer, Frank Tortorici can work with you until you achieve your goals. Contact him for an appointment today.