Is it really possible to "run out" of a bad diet based on ultra-processed industrial foods? Why is diet more important than exercise when losing weight?
► Whether you are a supporter or opponent of calorie balance, it is important to understand how much energy can be taken in through food and how much energy can be "burned" through movement per unit time. The main problem is that while we can easily take in 1000 kcal in a few minutes by eating some ultra-processed food (such as one large pizza), we burn the same amount of energy only after a few hours of running or training in the gym. So, if you eat a fast-food with high energy density for lunch (which is also poor in quality protein, micronutrients, fibre and other nutrients), it is nice to take the stairs instead of the elevator at work and go in-line skating for 60 minutes in the evening, but you won't "burn" that lunch.
► Therefore, if you are struggling with overweight or obesity, it is necessary to realise why, in addition to increasing physical activity, it is key to watch and adjust your diet - energy balance can be influenced far more significantly by regulating energy intake (by eating) than by increasing energy expenditure (by moving).
► This information does not mean that exercise is not important. Of course, for health, prevention and good fitness, movement is necessary. Regular exercise is an important preventive factor for metabolic, cardiovascular and cancer diseases. At the same time, it helps to change the ratio of body composition in favour of active body weight (increasing the proportion of muscle mass), which is also associated with higher resting energy expenditure and "fat burning". However, movement is simply only one side of the energy balance equation, and for the vast majority of people, they are able to influence the amount of energy ingested through food far more than the amount of energy expended through movement.
► Of course, if someone trains at a performance or peak level, e.g. in running, crossfit, strongman or triathlon, even twice a day, they have a much higher energy expenditure than the vast majority of the population. For such a person, one larger pizza may indeed be "lost" in the context of a huge energy expenditure, but that is unfortunately not the case for the general population, right?
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