Exercise the right to diet!

There are two sides to every fad! At some point or the other, fitness buffs argue about the do’s and don’ts of their fitness regimen. And the crux of the argument lies in — To diet or to exercise? Some are at the helm of the fitness craze and we asked them what they thought was the way forward. Whether it’s only diet or only exercise or both diet and exercise that works for them. While experts claim that in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a combination of both diet and exercise is needed, but people seem to have their own take on how to stay toned!

Every big city is filled with places to dine out. Resisting the temptation of indulging in some soul food can be quite a struggle. Some foodies think by cutting down on portions, and by exercising one can maintain fitness goals. Ronith Babu, a foodie says, “People tend to do a combination of both exercising and dieting. The human body needs at least an hour of exercise a day. Results can be slower when you exercise without cutting down on food. Exercise can be physical activity like dance, cycling, swimming etc. I think one should cut down on the amount of food rather than cutting things out entirely.”

Since diet and exercise should go hand in hand, various factors that are out of our hands can come into play, for instance, a lack of time might make one only exercise or only diet  Lincy Aravind, a mother of two feels. “Although diet and exercise are the best way to keep fit, going to gym to stay fit is not possible for me. Around friends or family, or during festivals, I tend to indulge. But on other days, I maintain a balanced diet of fresh juices, green salads, protein rich foods like soya, tofu etc. Even though it’s not much, I try to get in little exercise thanks to house chores, running around with my kids and sometimes cycling to get groceries,” she says.

There are others who maintain a strict gym/exercise regime as the sole focus to attain their ideal weight. Neomi Stringer, a professional and fitness fanatic says, “It’s nearly impossible to out run your fork. I ensure to keep energy levels up throughout the day. Finishing an early shift, I head straight to the gym.”

Experts feels that exercising needs to be combined with a gym routine in order to stay healthy. Jaisson Jagadeeshwaran, a gym trainer advises, “Good nutrition combined with physical activity can help one reach ideal weight, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Weight loss can be achieved with a combination of a healthy diet and all-rounded exercise. Exercise is needed to lead a healthy lifestyle but does not necessarily lead to weight loss. Calorie control is more successful since exercise also tends to increase appetite.”

Ryan Fernando

Ryan Fernando, a nutritionist believes that, “When a person takes up physical activity and a diet, they need to go hand in hand with each other. Experts say that 70 per cent nutrition and 30 per cent exercise is needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many don’t work on nutrition, and believe exercise can compromise or hold you off from paying your dues. A person needs six (small) meals a day for greater impact than just an hour of exercise. In my opinion, a diet is actually negative, as it takes in less calories than the requirement of the body. I advise people to learn to eat scientifically and to eat to their capacity.”