Exercise and Diet Awareness WILL Make You Thinner

By Laurel House

Does your weight stay the same despite your daily workout? THEN YOU'RE LUCKY! At least that's according to a recent (and extremely controversial) article that appeared in Time Magazine making it seem as if exercisers not only are not losing weight, but that exercise itself may actually be making it harder to shed that sticky fat!

Sure, when you exercise you strengthen your muscles. Muscles weigh more than fat. So in that sense, yes, you could in fact gain a few pounds from working out. Here's the problem that the article points out, exercisers feel compelled to "treat" themselves post sweat sessions. And while some sort of snack might be necessary to get the blood sugar levels back on track, a donut is not.

Look, you can't hop on the treadmill for 30 minutes and think you deserve a pizza- the calories burned/ calories consumed ratio is off. Translation: you will gain weight. It's not exercise that's making you fat. It's your food mentality. That feeling of "I worked out, now I deserve a treat!" Most Americans don't have a clue when it comes to the workout-sabotaging calorie content in our favorite treats.

Just to put it in perspective, look at these stats on food choices and how many minutes it would take to burn them off:

1 average slice of Pepperoni Pizza= Run 30 minutes, Walk 80 minutes

.5 cup Chocolate Ice Cream= Run 15 minutes, Walk 37 minutes

9 Hershey's Kisses= Run 24 minutes, Walk 59 minutes

1 Dunkin' Donuts Plain Bagel= Run 34 minutes, Walk 82 minutes

1 Snickers= Run 30 minutes, Walk 72 minutes

The Easy Weight Loss Equation

ExerciseTVand celebrity personal trainer Kathy Kaehler had a thing or two to say about the Time Magazine article. While she is in agreement that exercise alone is not a great method for weight loss, as it always has to be coupled with proper nutrition and calorie awareness, she reminds us that if we want to lose weight, it all goes back to the basic adding and subtracting equation: if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. "The average person lives a sit-down lifestyle. You sit in your car, sit at your desk, then go home and sit in front of the TV. If your only daily activity is during your workout, it isn't going to necessarily help you lose weight. In fact, it will really just keep you on the average activity level with the ability to support your daily food intake… no post-workout 'rewards'."

So how do you know if you getting enough daily movement to warrant a slice of cherry pie? Kathy suggests that you wear a pedometer. If you walk 10,000 steps a day, that's average. Anything above that and you are starting to increase your likelihood of actually burning off fat instead of piling it on. Watch Kathy's mini "On the Go Fit" workout below for some instant calorie burning action...

But what if you really want a reward?

Instead of rewarding yourself with sweets and treats that you will likely regret 30 minutes later, Kathy suggests:

-Chow down on a piece of Snickers. Take a Snickers (or whatever your candy of choice is) and cut it into 5 pieces. Post workout, allow yourself to enjoy one piece. It will quell sugar cravings and feel like a reward without ruining your workout.

-Go to the Spa. If you are exercising to improve your overall self image, then give yourself a reward that encourages confidence like getting a massage or enjoying a sauna. Studies have shown that body therapies help improve self esteem.

-Go Shopping. Reward your newly svelte physique with a new dress or better butt jeans. You deserve it.

Of course, more than tapering your butt and chiseling your abs, exercise has been proven to benefit mental health and help keep your heart healthy. SO, maybe you can't lose weight with exercise alone, but coupled with a healthy diet plan, you are destined for thinness! Just do me a favor and next time you "reward" yourself with a post workout candy bar, don't blame your growing behind on your workout. Do the math and you'll drop the pounds.

Five Day Fit Weightloss offers five distinctly different exercise styles that are proven to effectively burn fat and get you slimmer and sexier in just five days.