{"id":34419,"date":"2014-11-20T07:15:26","date_gmt":"2014-11-20T12:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=34419"},"modified":"2022-04-27T07:21:13","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T11:21:13","slug":"exercise-weight-loss-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/exercise-weight-loss-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Reasons Why You Can\u2019t Out-Exercise a Bad Diet"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Out
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sure, you could eat whatever you wanted in high school and stay thin as a rail. But unfortunately you\u2019re not 17 anymore, and even if you work out \u2018round the clock, you can\u2019t transform your body if you constantly give in to cravings, high-fat foods<\/a>, and sweet treats. The truth is, flat abs are made in the kitchen and no amount of cardio<\/a> and crunches<\/a> can sculpt a sleek physique if you maintain an unhealthy diet.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsume excess calories and you have to counterbalance them,\u201d says Sara Haas<\/a>, R.D.N., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics<\/a>. \u201cAnd it\u2019s hard to get enough exercise in to undo the calories<\/a> you\u2019ll get in a double cheeseburger<\/a> with French fries and a milk shake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read on for reasons why aligning your nutrition plan with your exercise routine will help you get the body you want.<\/p>\n

Why You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet<\/h3>\n

1. You\u2019re not a professional athlete.<\/b><\/p>\n

If you justify frequent fried chicken or pasta dinners with the Flywheel class or CrossFit WOD<\/a> on your schedule the following morning, you might want to recalculate how many calories you\u2019re actually burning in comparison to the ones you\u2019re taking in. \u201cThe majority of people are not serious athletes<\/a>, meaning they don\u2019t require the same type and amount of fuel as the pros,\u201d says Haas. \u201cEating a calorically dense, high-carbohydrate meal or snack makes sense for a competitive cyclist<\/a> about to endure a 100-mile road race, but it doesn\u2019t make sense for someone who is about to take a two-mile jog around the block.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, opt for a healthier form of chicken<\/a> such as grilled or poached and save the spaghetti for a post-race meal<\/a>. Yes, it\u2019s OK to have a cheat here and there, but try not to make it a weekly or even bi-weekly thing. And don\u2019t bother justifying it with an intense sweat session you may have had earlier \u2014 it\u2019s called a cheat meal for a reason.<\/p>\n

A very restrictive eating plan, paired with hardcore exercise, could leave you leaning on muscle mass for energy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. You won\u2019t be able to hit your peak if you\u2019re overdoing it with the wrong foods.<\/b><\/p>\n

To effectively change your physique and stay toned requires intense exercise. You won\u2019t have the physical endurance to push through tough workouts if your diet isn\u2019t up to snuff. Yes, that unfortunately means that while Reese\u2019s Pieces and soda may give you a sugar high that you mistake as energy<\/a>, they won\u2019t fuel you to PR on the bench or around the track. Also, if you\u2019re consuming high-fat foods in the evening, they could be disrupting your sleep, according to Brazilian researchers<\/a> \u2014 which will leave you too tired<\/a> to go all out at the gym.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll need a combination of carbohydrates and protein to recover following a workout, as well as adequate carbs beforehand, too. \u201cThey\u2019re the preferred energy for the exercisers\u2019 muscles and mind,\u201d says Jennifer McDaniel, R.D.N., founder of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in St. Louis and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.<\/p>\n

Watch out for taking in too much fat; that often translates to an abundance of calories as well, which quickly packs on as extra pounds. Another diet pitfall to avoid when training is extremely <\/i>high amounts of carbs or fiber. \u201cThese could cause annoying digestive issues and prevent you from performing well,\u201d says McDaniel. In general, aim to get about 30 percent of your diet from protein, 40 percent from carbs and 30 percent from fat.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/b> 11 No-Bake Energy Bites Recipes<\/a><\/p>\n

\"How
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\n3. You won\u2019t have the energy to exercise if you\u2019re not eating enough.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Keep in mind that a diet you might think is healthy \u2014 one that\u2019s super-low in carbs<\/a> or calories \u2014 is just as harmful to your workout plan as one that\u2019s high in fat. A very restrictive eating plan, paired with hardcore exercise, could leave you leaning on muscle mass<\/a> for energy, says McDaniel. Not getting enough fat (fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A and D<\/a>, and essential fatty acids, like omega-3s<\/a>, in particular), she adds, \u201cleaves you unable to produce energy and grow muscle because it lowers your levels of hormones like insulin and testosterone<\/a> \u2014 which are important for building lean-body mass.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, maintaining a very restrictive diet for a prolonged period can lead to a reduction in muscle tissue and can decrease the ability of your skeletal muscles (the ones needed for lifting, walking, and other forms of exercise) to perform well, found a study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n

“A chronic low-carb diet may lead to micronutrient deficiencies and increased inflammation throughout the body, which both make you more susceptible to injury.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. You won\u2019t want<\/i> to exercise.<\/b><\/p>\n

Unhealthy food choices \u2014 whether you\u2019re eating too much fat, too many calories, or not enough of either\u2014may make you feel slow and less driven to exercise. \u201cDiet and exercise are a feedback loop,\u201d says McDaniel. \u201cWhen you eat well, you are motivated to move<\/a>, and when you move, you are more motivated to eat better.\u201d Consider, for instance, a low-carb, high-fat diet; it might not only weaken training adaptations and hinder performance, McDaniel adds, but can also lead to a \u2018hangry\u2019 mood. Translation: You\u2019ll be less likely to want to get to the gym.<\/p>\n

5. You won\u2019t be able to tone your target areas.<\/b><\/p>\n

Having a hard time sculpting a better butt or washboard abs<\/a>? When you consume excess calories and can\u2019t burn them all off solely from your workouts, they head right to these trouble zones. \u201cIt\u2019s dependent on your specific body type,\u201d says Haas, \u201cbut generally, women tend to gain weight in the hips and thighs, while men pack it on around their midsection.\u201d So even if you\u2019ve gained muscle in these areas, it will be covered by a layer of fat. And abs exercises alone aren\u2019t enough to decrease your body-fat percentage or abdominal fat, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research<\/a><\/i>.<\/p>\n

Keeping your diet in check will help because to become truly toned, you\u2019ll need to build muscle and<\/i> burn more calories than you\u2019re consuming at the same time. It\u2019s easier to do so if you don\u2019t treat yourself to nachos or ice cream in the first place.<\/p>\n

6. You could get sick \u2014 or hurt.<\/b><\/p>\n

Low-carb and low-fat diets can be mentally draining and have a negative impact on heart health<\/a>, says McDaniel. Plus, she says, \u201cFollowing a chronic low-carb diet may lead to micronutrient deficiencies and increased inflammation<\/a> throughout the body, which both make you more susceptible to injury<\/a>.\u201d Studies<\/a> have found that not taking in an adequate amount of healthy fats may raise your chances for overuse injuries (such as stress fractures and tendonitis<\/a>) and it doesn\u2019t allow your body to protect itself in order to stay healthy. Furthermore, if you pair a low-fat diet with intense exercise, that can lower your immunity even further.<\/p>\n

Regular sweat sessions are, of course, key for staying in shape and maintaining your overall health. However, says McDaniel, \u201cRemember that exercise sustains weight loss \u2014 but a healthy diet is what drives it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at\u00a0dailyburn.com<\/a>\u00a0and start your free 30-day trial today.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do all the crunches and planks you want \u2014 you won\u2019t get those six-pack abs without the right diet. Learn the power of nutrition when it comes to your physique. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":34427,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,11,18],"tags":[136,41,289,51,59,341,343,285],"class_list":["post-34419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-health-hacks","category-weight-loss","tag-abs","tag-diets","tag-exercise","tag-food-choices","tag-healthy-substitutions","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34419"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34419\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}