You Can’t Exercise Away A Bad Diet and Lose Weight Fast

Most of us know that routine exercise is an important part of overall health. Studies have shown that sedentary lifestyles increase the risk of multiple disease processes including diabetes, cancer and heart disease. When combined with an unprocessed whole-food diet, exercise can significantly improve your health and lower the risk of dying due to one of the above mentioned diseases.

As little as 30 minutes of moderate exercise can jump start your metabolism, balance blood sugar and hormones, reduce inflammation and lower your risk for chronic disease. Exercise has also been linked to lower stress levels, improved mood, increased energy levels and improved sexual function. Exercise doesn’t have to be thought of as spending hours in the gym, you can achieve your exercise goals by a variety of things you enjoy by including dancing, Zumba or other group classes, hiking, biking or simply walking daily.

So many people assume, “If I can just work out on a regular basis, then I’ll lose weight and stay healthy.” The simple truth is while exercise is important; you can’t exercise away a bad diet. If you consume one 20-ounce soda, you have to walk four and a half miles to burn it off. If you consume one supersize fast-food meal, you have to run four miles a day for one whole week to burn it off. If you eat that every day, you have to run a marathon every single day to burn it off. While exercise plays a vital part in your overall health, you can’t lose weight fast unless you also change your diet.