Exercise before Dieting

I once read in an interview with Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer, Bob Greene, that it is very important, before beginning a calorie reduction diet, to begin an exercise program. Most people commonly begin dieting without increasing their level of activity through exercise and are shocked and dismayed to find they don't lose weight or even gain weight while eating less. Additionally, they may feel tired and lethargic. The primary reason for this is that if you begin by reducing your caloric intake, your body thinks "hard times are coming" and slows down your metabolism to conserve energy and body mass.

Conversely, if you begin exercising for several weeks before reducing food intake, your metabolic rate will increase and you will begin burning more of what you eat rather than storing it as fat.

An added benefit is that exercise is an appetite suppressant. What do I mean by that? Well, of course, you're going to have a healthy appetite after exercising but I find that it becomes natural to stop when satiated. In other words, I am ravenously hungry after working out but find that I want to stop eating after a reasonable amount has been consumed. The reason this works is because eating and exercise both release endorphins, those substances that make us feel good. A lot of times we eat just to get that little kick from the endorphins. When we exercise we get the endorphin dose from the activity instead and don't need the extra food to give it to us.

Another thing I have found is that I'll just think twice before putting junk in my mouth or overeating because I have developed such a sense of well-being from the exercise that I don't want to jeopardize it. Also, you are more aware of how what you eat affects the quality of your workouts.

So, the correct sequence is: begin an exercise program first and give it time to become a routine you look forward to, then start looking at your diet.

It worked for me!

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