Nutritionist Says Working Out Is Useless for Weight Loss

Exercise is ideal if we want to improve our mood, tone our body and lead an overall healthier life. However, when it comes to shifting the extra pounds, it is fairly useless if not accompanied by a changed diet as well, a detail many of us overlook when we set out to lose weight, author, nutritionist and weight-loss coach Jonny Bowden says for That’s Fit.

Of course, this is not a new theory, even if it continues to be massively ignored. Recent research has also shown that working out without operating a change in diet is of no use in terms of losing weight – on the contrary, it can actually lead to more weight gain, much to the annoyance of the wannabe slimmer. As Bowden also underlines, working out has plenty of disadvantages (for which reason, all of us should incorporate a few minutes of exercise in our daily schedule), but it’s not enough to shed the extra weight.

“There’s no doubt that exercise is one of the best things in the world you can do for your health. It improves mood – in some studies, as well as antidepressants – and it’s great for your heart. Recent research shows that it even helps you grow new brain cells. And people who exercise on a regular basis have a lower risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease. But weight loss? Not so much. Here’s the truth: The exercise / weight-loss equation is way more complicated than we’ve been led to believe.” Bowden writes in his column for That’s Fit.

According to him, the biggest mistake people make when they set out a workout plan without even thinking of changing their diet is that they overestimate calories – both those ingested and those burned through exercise. The tendency to indulge a craving after a workout is common in many people, so they just go ahead and satisfy it thinking they have just put in an extra effort. However, Bowden points out, when they draw the line, they find out they’ve actually eaten or drank two days’ worth of workouts because they overestimated the number of calories burned with exercise.

“Then there’s the appetite factor. Exercise makes people hungry, and people often compensate for exercise by eating more. I’ve seen people at the gym scarf down ‘energy’ drinks that contain the calorie equivalent of two days' worth of workouts. Plus, there’s good old garden-variety self-deception. Ever told yourself you can indulge with a Krispy Kreme today ‘cause you just worked out? Sorry. That’s like saying you saved some money by buying milk at Target so you might as well go to dinner at the Four Seasons. The math just doesn’t work out.” the nutritionist explains.

Ironically enough, Bowden adds, research has also shown that successful, long-term weight loss is not possible without working out. The conclusion, then, is simple: work out and eat healthily in order to drop the extra pounds.