Diet VS. Excercise Debate

The Diet vs. Exercise Debate
By Michael Stefano eDiets Contributor
Monday, June, 02, 2008
The debate rages on. What's most important, a healthy, well-balanced diet or an active lifestyle that incorporates some type of exercise? Let's take a close look at what each can do for us, and at what cost.
Diet MindedEat less, weigh less. Simple, right? But there's no shortage of nutritional approaches to weight management. Too bad there's more confusion than solutions.
Dieting (or temporarily changing one's eating habits in order to shed body fat) is, at best, a band-aid approach to weight loss. A more sensible method involves taking the time to learn how to eat, what foods are good for you and what you need to avoid or moderate in your daily diet.
Instead of blindly following the latest fad diet, educate yourself through reading, seeking out a nutritionist or even consulting your doctor on what's best for you. Eating right can involve a bit of legwork, but eventually you'll learn that fad and gimmick diets are just a waste of time.
Sticking to a sensible eating program can also involve some discipline and sacrifice. Running into the nearest McDonald's whenever time is short and hunger hits is no longer a viable option. But, the hundreds of unwanted fat calories you'll avoid (that would have otherwise found their way directly to your belly) will be well worth the sacrifice.
Most experts agree that the best way to reduce body fat is to never let the unwanted calories cross your lips in the first place. The simplicity of this statement is lost on many of us, but you'll be amazed at how much less you need to exercise when you stop eating too much of the wrong foods.
At the same time, nutritional requirements of protein, carbohydrate and even fat must be met. You also need minimum daily requirements of vitamins and minerals, as well as plenty of water and fiber. This is where the self-education really kicks in. Starvation just won't work, and it can lead to serious eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
But don't forget about the fringe benefits of eating sensibly. The resulting lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels reduce your risk of heart disease, while stable blood sugar minimizes your risk of diabetes and related problems. Your risk of developing certain types of cancer is also significantly lessened. Exercise EcstasyExercise is the closest we've come to finding the fountain of youth. It can change the way you look, feel and perform -- it impacts almost every aspect of your life. But, it isn't all good news.
For an exercise program to get results, you need to set aside a certain amount of time and energy! Running yourself into the ground, working long hours and not sleeping right hardly makes for the ideal scenario. Here too, the solution involves a bit of self-education, discipline and prioritizing. You'll need to take a realistic look at how much time you can devote to an exercise program and restructure your daily schedule accordingly.
The key to success is formulating a plan that doesn't waste your time and effort doing the wrong thing.
Another hazard to avoid when going to the gym is exercising too much. This can sabotage the most well-intentioned novice or seasoned athlete. Overtraining can also make you sick or set you up for an overuse injury. A comprehensive plan based on sound knowledge will help steer you clear of this common problem.
The cost of gym equipment and a health club membership represent another drawback to the active approach to weight loss. Fortunately, it's not the cost of the equipment that gets results. Experts have found that exercises done with simple dumbbells can be just as, or even more, effective than exercises done with sophisticated machines.
Setting up a simple, economical home gym will also help overcome some of the time limitations by cutting out travel to and from the gym. With a small initial investment and a few square feet of floor space, you can add convenience to the list of why an exercise program can be so effective.
A well-balanced diet will fuel your workouts and supply your growing muscles with much needed nutrients, while at the same time requiring you to workout less. Exercise will burn excess calories, rev up your metabolism and allow you to eat more without gaining weight. It's a win-win situation. For the best of both worlds, don't choose between diet and exercise. Take the comprehensive approach and allow the two to support one another.

Sign UP!!!

Okay, if you are on the fence about this one... it is time to JUMP!!! This is a FREE 10 week program that is being offered to you by Woodcreek Athletic Club. You will get your body fat tested and will need to weigh in every week on Wednesdays from 11-12. If you can't make those times, let either Tiffany or Aaron know so they can meet up with you at another time. From there it is your job with our support and knowledge to get you looking like a perfect 10 in 10 weeks!!! So, come on... what are you waiting for... SIGN UP. What do you have to lose??? A little fat???

We will start on Tuesday, January 6th. Measuring starts at 11a.m. or your appointment time (please make an appointment if needed- leave a comment for your response). We will have our BIG KICK-OFF with Aaron, one of the trainers here at Woodcreek!!! We suggest you attend as many classes as possible since this is Fat Loss and not Weight loss competition. Just know- you've gotta WORK!!! This is just for FUN (yes, with a prize at the end), so I don't want any quitters. Just because you are not losing weight does not mean you are not losing fat (muscle weighs more than fat- it is not about the scale for this one!!) We will offer seminars later on, and would love your input of what you need and want to know from us. I am even going to give you an assignment TO GO OUT TO EAT!!! Tell you more about that one later. Tues., March 17, Saint Patrick's Day, we will have our finale!!! No one will know who the winner is since it is all about body fat. Find a friend, your hubby, or kids to join you in your journey. Just remember to POST COMMENTS, get to know the other competitors (you can learn a lot from one another), and HAVE FUN!!!
comment with any questions

Our last winner!!!

The Biggest Looser...

The biggest looser of weight that is... I challenged the women in my class to push themselves a little bit harder and gave them a competition to see who could lose the most weight percentage in 2 months. We would weigh in every Wed. I LOVE my girls... they are so much fun, and make my "job" SWEET!!! It was a tight race to the finish.
Before
After losing 23.6 pounds, Rena Towler was announced the winner of a free one year family membership to Woodcreek, 5 training sessions with Reggie, a free BBR T-shirt, free massage, a Woodcreek workout bag, and $50 to Smoothie King!!!
After
Here is what Rena had to say:



"I would like to give a big thank you to Woodcreek for the opportunity to be
involved with this program and to Tiffany Acker for giving her time, devotion,
and enthusiasm to this challenge. I made a decision during this challenge that
I would not whine anymore about not having a twenty year old metabolism. Yes I
am older. Yes I have two children under nine and yes it is hard to be
consistent with my diet because of a busy schedule but it's my life so it may be
difficult at times to put health and fitness first but it has to be a choice to
accept these challenges and move forward. I received some valuable information
from Chris during the initial orientation. He had done a study during college
with caloric intake. First he ate a set amount of calories in three large meals
and gained weight over a set period of time. Secondly he took the same amount
of time as in the first test and ate the same amount of calories but divided it
out over six small meals. He lost the weight he had gained plus a few extras. I
knew this information but had never applied it always blaming a rushed schedule
but I decided to try my hardest to make my diet more consistent with more
smaller meals and snacks throughout the day. I never really felt hunger pains
and eating more mindful helped keep me from getting famished and overeating. I
found a healthy satisfying snack that I kept by my side for those moments when I
needed a pick me up and increased whole foods in my diet such a fresh fruit and
brown rice. I also cut out all sugary drinks and most all sweets (except a
little chocolate at Halloween and some pie at Thanksgiving). Exercise has always
been something I enjoy so increasing my cardio was a fun challenge. Much easier
for me than the diet end of it. I am not a runner and my stand by comment was,
"I don't run unless a bear is chasing me." Our final weigh in was the Tuesday
after Thanksgiving so I decided I needed to do something desperate to burn a few
more calories. Bright idea: The Turkey Trot a 5K. I'm still not sure what I was
thinking because before this I may have run a mile to pass a test in a college
class but not for any other reason. Somehow the adrenaline of over 700 hundred
runners carried me to the end. I walked a few steps but managed to finish in 34
minutes. Granted an 80 year old man finished before me and a couple of people
pushing strollers too but I finished. Something I didn't know I could do. So
don't give in to the excuses like I was doing and will probably still struggle
with at times. Just change your mind set. What ever our struggles are they are
ours so we have to either decide if they will conquer us or if we will conquer
them."
WAY TO GO RENA!!!

WELCOME!!!

We are glad to have you all aboard!!! The NEW YEAR means a NEW YOU!!! Keep checking in for this weeks results, info, recipes, and helpful ideas to help you!!!
Remember this is all for FUN!!! Don't freak out if you gain one week. Evaluate what you are doing, figure out what works and doesn't work for you!!! We are working on losing BODY FAT %. 2009 will be the year you are SUPER HOT!!! So, get off the computer and go for a jog!!!