Normally when someone wants to lose weight they join a gym or home exercise routine. When I have asked people why they have joined the gym, I have had this reply. ‘I’ve started a job where I’m sitting down all the time at a desk, so I need to exercise’. Now the awareness around seated behavior and reduction in movement and total activity is great. But should you look to the gym as a solution for weight gain when spending increased seated time?
Time on exercise
First, we need to look at how much time we are likely to spend exercising. When you’re joining a gym or doing home workouts. Most people are likely going to spend 3 – 4 times per week on exercise. For some people, it may be less than that. If they are more pressed for time or if they are just starting to exercise.
What about diet?
Generally, we have around 3 – 6 meals per day. So if you look at a full week it could be anywhere from 21 – 42 meals per week. Which is time spent on your nutrition. Which can involve planning and preparing your food. This all depends on you, and how many meals you like to eat per day. As well as fitting it around your lifestyle.
But to change how much body fat we are holding. We still need to reduce the number of calories in our bodies. Which is either from the calories we are eating or drinking or by increasing your movement. However, it is more challenging to do this by exercising alone through the gym or home workouts. Because you are more limited with the amount that you can do with exercise. Exercise puts stress on your body, and you can only apply so much stress before it starts to be detrimental.
Now it does not mean you should not bother with exercise. Because exercise is powerful for changing what your body looks like. It can help to change what your body looks like, by toning up. A routine for some me-time. Making you feel better by improving your overall mood, and concentration among many other benefits.
But we need to be aware we spend a lot more time outside of gyms and exercise than in it.
In short, although the diet is more important for losing weight. We should not overlook how beneficial exercise and getting moving are for your overall health. But it is more for shape and diet for weight loss. But at the time you should not ignore your diet or place it further down in prioritisation.
