Do You Diet to Keep Fit or Just Exercise?

Both. Diet without exercise may give you the proper nutrients for good health but won't necessarily make you fit. Exercise without a balanced diet will tone your body but without the proper nutrients, you won't be healthy. Health and fitness go hand-in-hand.

A Balanced Approach to Health and Fitness

A plan that incorporates both a healthy, portion-controlled diet and a solid exercise regimen would be ideal to ‘keep fit’. The right nutrition plan and a tailored workout program that fits your needs are crucial for achieving and maintaining your health goals.

I would say it’s always a combination of the right nutrition plan and a workout plan that fits your needs. Over the years, I have advised and helped many people with my training programs. I am a coach in real life and also offer my services online if you are interested.

The Importance of Continuity

The word 'diet' is often conceptualized as refraining from certain foods long enough to achieve a specific goal, such as weight loss. In the past, people would go on a 'diet' when they wanted to lose weight, and once they achieved their goal, they would return to the foods that caused the weight gain. Today, the approach to fitness and exercise must be more sustainable.

When you work out, you need to decide what your goals are: bulk up to a huge size, just get fit, achieve a beach bod, strength training, prevent atrophy, etc. Your eating habits should align with these goals. If you don’t change your diet while working out, you’re less likely to achieve your goal. Hence, you have to change your diet if you’re working out. Otherwise, you’re potentially wasting your time and may even set yourself up for injury later on.

Personal Health Insights

I maintain a healthy diet, watch my calorie intake to keep my weight in check, and I suffer from osteoarthritis in my feet and leg joints. This condition makes any meaningful exercise extremely painful, so even a short walk is challenging.

Despite my challenges, I continue to focus on a balanced diet that provides sufficient protein, fiber, and other macro and micronutrients. This helps me manage my pain and maintain my overall health and fitness as much as possible. Both diet and exercise are key components of my lifestyle and health routine.