You can’t outrun a bad diet

Want to drop a few pounds and slim down? Cardio is great, but that won’t get you there alone.  LMQC dietary blogger and Registered Dietitian Jeni Tackett explains why it’s impossible to run away from a bad diet.

by Nutritionist Blogger, Jeni Tackett, RD, LD

Spring is in the air, and a new-found commitment to wearing last summer’s shorts is on the minds of many. New Year’s Resolutions often center around exercise. If your goal is to lose weight or get in better shape, and you add exercise but get no results, then your diet may be to blame.

You cannot out-exercise a bad diet.

For example, running or walking on the treadmill for 2 miles burns approximately 200 calories. Eating 2 cookies would negate those calories burned.

Here are 5 tips to make sure you don’t sabotage your exercise with a bad diet:

Focus on plants

Plant foods are important to consume when you are active. Foods such as fruits and vegetables are water dense and hydrate your body more effectively than drinking water between meals.

An example of a water-dense breakfast is oatmeal (made with 1 cup of water) with berries and bananas. Plant foods are also rich in vitamins such as Vitamins C and A, which are antioxidants and help protect your cells.

Bookend workouts

Do not go into a workout hungry, or you will not get the most out of your workout. If you work out on an empty stomach, you also risk overeating after your exercise session.

Start by having a healthy meal 2-3 hours before working out or a snack 30 minutes-1 hour before working out. An example of a good pre-workout snack is a Greek yogurt with blueberries.

After your workout, have a meal or snack within an hour to take advantage of your increased heart rate and blood pressure. Make sure to include carbohydrates and protein for a post-workout meal or snack. For example, you could have low-fat chocolate milk, a sandwich with whole wheat bread and lean meat, or an apple with peanut butter. ()

Don’t use food as reward

Do not drive to the nearest fast-food restaurant after your workout. Use nonfood rewards for your increased activity. Examples include a massage, manicure, new workout outfit, or new pair of running shoes.

If you always turn to food as a reward for movement, then you will be discouraged by your results on the scale or in the mirror.

Hydrate with water

When you increase your activity, make sure that you are drinking enough water to stay hydrated. Hydrate with water-dense plant foods and water. Avoid sugary beverages such as soda pop, coffee drinks with syrup, energy drinks, sweet tea, alcohol, and other drinks that pile on the calories.

You can make water more exciting by adding lemon or lime, drinking seltzer water, or having decaf hot tea on a cold day for hydration.

Set your surroundings up for success

Avoid buying foods and beverages that tempt you. If you have a cookie jar full of cookies, a candy dish with chocolates, or ice cream in the freezer, then eating those foods after a long day when you’ve exercised is easy.

And that’s a problem.

Keep your house a haven for healthy eating. If you have to drive to the store to get a splurge of food, then you are less likely to do that often.

One of the best ways to avoid out-eating your workout is to keep a food journal on an app like My Fitness Pal, Lose It, Weight Watchers, or Noom. When you log your food and see the calories go down for your day, you will be encouraged to make healthier choices and balance those not-so-healthy options.

Keep up with your exercise goals while balancing your diet choices to meet your resolutions this year!

Focus on plants

Bookend workouts

Don’t use food as reward

Hydrate with water

Set your surroundings up for success