Tuesday 3 June 2014

Running away from your fork

This video by Yoni Freedhoff, MD from the Weight Matters website is seriously one of the best and to the point videos I have seen about the myths of exercise and weight loss. It stresses the health benefits of exercise and how it helps to promote healthy eating habits, pointing out that being more active can assist with weight management, when paired with healthy food choices.   Exercise alone will not provide that significant weight loss that some are striving for, unless of course you have enough hours in your day to devote to high intensity exercise sessions. 

Due to the ever increasing quick pace of life with high demands from work and family, most people find it extremely difficult to commit 30 minutes a day to activity. Unfortunately, some people who want to change their lifestyle to promote weight loss are putting too much emphasis on weight loss coming from increased activity levels. Instead they should be looking at the evidence-based research that has proven results of weight loss occurring with healthy eating choices and habits, which include journaling food intake. (click here to download a copy of our food journal)

Overall, a healthy lifestyle includes being more active, eating healthy, getting enough sleep and balancing life with work and family.  Eat healthy, journal your food to track calorie intake and keep a close eye on those hidden “liquid calories”.  Stop putting so much focus on the number on the scale, get and stay active for your health, your strength and your overall well-being. Chances are you won’t be disappointed. Check out the video, below. 

Corinne Cutler is an Exercise Specialist with the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network. 


"Approximately 80% of your modifiable weight is likely determined by your dietary choices leaving only 20% for your fitness choices. While exercise has truly fantastic health benefits and markedly mitigates the risks of weight, you're far more likely to lose weight in your kitchen than you are in your gym, and if you're exercising solely for the purpose of weight management, you run the risk of quitting perhaps the single healthiest behaviour you could adopt if and when the scales don't fly down. Unless you plan on spending a heroic part of each and every day running, you're not going to outrun your fork."

~ Yoni Freedhoff MD

Weighty Matters