She: You’re so lean.
Me: Thank you. I try to eat clean.
She: No no, you’re slim because you work out so much.
This sort of conversation is a pet peeve of mine.
Yes, I love to work out. It keeps me fit and healthy.
BUT, that is NOT the biggest contributor to my body weight. Not even close.
Exercise has many benefits. It improves cardiovascular health, increases immunity, keeps your energy levels great throughout the day. And many more benefits.
Everyone should do some basic exercise. We humans, are evolved to move. A sedentary lifestyle is killing more people than Cancer.
But, if your goal from exercise is weight loss, please pause for a minute.
Consider the below chart. This is for a 68k person. Add/Subtract 10% for each +-7kg.
| Exercise | Intensity | Calories/30 min |
| Aerobics | Light | 120 |
| Moderate | 200 | |
| Vigorous | 300 | |
| Walking | 4km/hr | 105 |
| 7km/hr | 200 | |
| Running | 9km/hr | 320 |
| 10km/hr | 350 | |
| Cycling | 9km/hr | 120 |
| 16km/hr | 220 | |
| Swimming | 25meters/min | 165 |
| 40meters/min | 240 | |
| Weight Lifting | Light | 210 |
Now, consider calories in some common foods:
| Food | Calories |
| Chapati | 100 |
| Masala Dosa | 200 |
| Samosa | 150 |
| Tea/Coffee | 70-80 |
| Coke | 150 |
| McDonald Paneer Spicy Wrap | 818 |
| Ice cream (normal serve) | 350-400 |
| Dominos Cheese-Burst Pizza 1 Slice | 210 |
Pause and Reflect on this.
Eat one spicy wrap, and then run for 90 minutes to compensate.
Eat one extra chapati, and walk for 30 minutes.
I love Dominos Cheese Burst Pizza. But did you know it is loaded with so much calorie.
Maybe you knew but didn’t care. Just two slices of pizza would need an hour of Aerobics to burn it off. And who stops at just two slices of pizza??
Again, Exercise is awesome. I would be the last person to discourage anything from exercising. But, if your goal is weight loss, check your intake first.
Remember this:
##Your nutrition decides how much you weigh.
##Your exercise decides where that weight is distributed.
Next week I will write on how small changes in diet can bring massive improvements.