Diet vs. Exercise: Which is Better for Weight Loss?
When it comes to weight loss, two of the most common strategies are eating fewer calories and exercising more. Both can help create the calorie deficit necessary for weight loss, but they don’t always have the same effects.
So, which approach is better for weight loss? Both influence energy balance in different ways, each with its own benefits and challenges. Below, dietitians explain how eating fewer calories and exercising more affect weight loss, which approach may be more effective and how to combine both in a way that feels realistic in the long term.
How Eating Fewer Calories Affects Weight Loss: Eating fewer calories than your body uses each day creates a calorie deficit, which can lead to weight loss, says Melissa Jaeger, RD, LD.1“When a person eats fewer calories than the body needs each day, the body turns to stored energy sources, such as glycogen (stored carbohydrates) and adipose tissue (stored fat), to make up for the energy shortfall,” explains Diane Han, M.P.H., RD. Over time, using these stored energy sources can result in weight loss.
Excerpted from Eating Well
