Is exercise important for weight loss 

The importance of exercise in dieting

The key to success in losing weight can be summarized in two points:

Adhering to a healthy diet, exercising regularly, by eating healthy low-calorie meals, and increasing the level of movement and physical activity, it was noted in a study published in Drug Invention Today in 2018 that a healthy eating pattern contributes to 70% of weight loss, While exercise contributes to 30% of its loss, but this does not mean that exercise is less important than diet, as diet helps to lose weight by reducing calories consumed, while exercise helps to burn more calories, Therefore, it is preferable to follow them together to achieve the best results. It should be noted that inactivity and lack of movement is one of the main factors that increase the risk of overweight and obesity, and the following points show the importance of sports in the event of a healthy diet or what is known as dieting:

 Building lost muscle during weight loss and boosting metabolism:

Reducing calories helps to lose weight, but following a diet without exercising, the body loses part of the muscle along with the fat; Where muscle loss may be estimated at approximately a quarter of muscle weight loss during the weight loss period, because the body sometimes has to find other sources of energy, that is, burning muscle protein along with fat stores, and here comes the role of exercise that reduces The amount of muscle lost during dieting; Because muscle is more active and burns calories compared to fat. Reducing muscle loss helps reduce metabolic rates and burn that occur as a result of weight loss, and the decline in metabolic rates may make it difficult to continue losing weight.

Improvement of body composition:

One of the most important benefits provided by exercise is due to the improvement of body composition, agility, and the health of metabolic processes, so that the person did not lose weight when exercising; He will lose fat and build muscle in his body instead, so it is always advised not to rely on the scale only to measure weight, and instead can measure the waist circumference, and the percentage of body fat to assess the condition of the body.

Types of exercise and their importance in dieting

 There are two types of exercise, and each has a different effect on weight loss, and it is recommended to combine them to get the maximum benefit, and the following is an explanation of this:

 Aerobic exercises:

 Aerobic exercises such as walking, running, cycling, and swimming are very effective in burning calories and body fat, but they do not affect the increase in muscle mass.

 Resistance exercises:

 Resistance training, such as weightlifting, helps increase muscle strength and quantity in the body, which leads to an increase in the body's metabolic rate, and thus increases the rate at which the body burns calories, so these exercises are an important addition to an effective weight loss plan on the long term

When do I start exercising for diet?

Some may think that it is better not to exercise at the beginning of the weight loss journey, because it may gain the body weight in terms of muscle, and reduce fat, so the number on the scale does not change, but in fact, even if a person does not lose weight as a result of exercising, his body will become more Lean and seem thinner as a result of building muscle and losing fat, and therefore it is better to start exercising in conjunction with diet at any time, in addition to adopting other criteria to ensure fat loss as mentioned previously, such as taking different body measurements, or using scales that measure body fat percentage Which is available in sports and health centers, as it gives a clearer picture of the amount of fat the body loses, and the amount of muscle it gains, compared to body weight only.

 How long does it take to exercise?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM); You should exercise 150-250 minutes a week to lose weight, and more exercise gives better results, so it is recommended to do at least 250 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise a week, and to adhere to this, you can exercise for 40 minutes per day, and it should be noted here that a person may feel bored if he always practices the same exercises, and therefore it is recommended that the exercise program includes different exercises of varying intensity, and this may help to lose weight better; If a person is healthy enough to exercise vigorously, the program should include days of high intensity exercise, days of easy exercise, and days of moderate intensity exercise. The following is an explanation of this:

 Short and hard training days of 20-30 minutes:

 It is recommended to practice high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for a short period of time, one to two days per week. Because the body cannot practice these exercises for a long period, and if a person is able to complete high-intensity exercises for an hour or more, it is likely that he does not perform them with the necessary intensity, and it should be noted here that the human body loses more calories during high-intensity exercises, as a result of an increase The body's consumption of oxygen during intense physical activity, a condition known as Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption, or EPOC for short.

 Long, easy 30-45 minute training days:

The goal of easy daily exercise is to allow the body and mind to rest, after hard training days, and an active and effective recovery as it helps increase the body's range of motion, reduces stress level, and increases daily calorie burn, which are low intensity movements that increase the range of motion. Movement in the joints, such as walking, light swimming, and yoga.

 Moderate and long training days of 45-90 minutes or more:

Most of the workouts during the week should be of the moderate category, which burn more calories than long, easy training days, and allow the body to prepare for high intensity training days.

 Weight loss tips

 Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight permanently requires changing the habits of daily life, and the following points show a group of habits that help achieve the goal in losing weight, and target most of the reasons for weight gain:

Set small, realistic goals:

It is advised to set a realistic goal, which is estimated to lose 5-10% of the weight in the beginning, and give time and some flexibility to reach the goal, bearing in mind that most people need at least six months to achieve this degree of weight loss.

Self-monitoring:

 Writing down what is eaten and how much exercise can help increase awareness of behaviors and track changes toward a specific goal. Find supportive people: It is recommended to find a friend, relative, or colleague to help motivate and support.

Try new forms of exercise:

Where it is possible to choose various types of exercises and diversify between them, and find a friend to participate in these exercises, such as dancing, swimming, walking, and cycling, with the aim of making exercises part of the daily routine, and reducing the possibility of feeling bored.

 Get enough sleep:

As insufficient sleep can cause weight gain, and most people need about eight hours of sleep each night, and there is a variance in this period, so it is possible to know that a person gets enough sleep if he wakes up feeling refreshed and ready to work instead of feeling Drowsy and upset.

 eat the breakfast:

 Many people skip breakfast because they are in a hurry, or do not feel hungry, so it is recommended to get up 15 minutes earlier than the usual time to allow time to eat breakfast and drink water.

 time management:

 Many people complain about not having enough time to exercise and prepare healthy meals, but in fact they spend many hours watching TV and using tablets for entertainment, so you can track the time spent on screens for a week and try to reduce the number of hours by a quarter or a third, Allocate this time to lose weight.