by

Joseph

You're obese, and you've just been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. You're a prime candidate for a heart attack or a stroke. You could develop type II diabetes. If you don't start taking better care of yourself you could die. You decide that you're going to become healthier. You're going to lose weight. But how? Dieting or exercise? Which is best for you?

Dieting

Before we get started, it's important to distinguish healthy diet from fad diets. Healthy diet can be very effective for weight loss - if it's done right. "Dieting" isn't really the goal here. Sure you can lose weight if you cut your food intake; the grapefruit diet, cabbage diet, diet pills, etc. result in short term weight loss. But fad diets are never a long term solution for people who struggle with weight issues. They wreak havoc on the mind and body and should be avoided at all costs. Healthy eating, on the other hand, is an important weight management strategy.

When nutritionists and dieticians mention "healthy diet", they're thinking in terms of proper nutrition. Proper nutrition means that you follow recommendations from ChooseMyPlate.gov, a website maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture. You'll choose foods from the five food groups - grains, fruits, vegetable, protein and dairy. You'll watch portion sizes and only eat when you are hungry. And you'll limit your intake of sodas, candy bars, ice cream and other fattening foods. You won't do this once or twice a week, you'll do it everyday. In other words, you'll be making a plan for the rest of your life.

Everyone should consider implementation of a healthy nutrition program. The difference between people whom are at a healthy weight and those with weight problems is the approach. Obese and overweight persons must focus their attention on losing excess fat, underweight persons must focus on eating enough calories to achieve normal body weight, and those whom are at healthy weight must eat for maintenance. People whom are overweight or obese have to calculate how much energy their body requires for basic metabolic activities. Scientists from the University of Nevada School of Medicine developed the following formula:

P = (10.0m/1 kg + 6.25h/1 cm - 5.0a/1 year + s) kcal/day

where m is weight in kilograms, h is height in centimeters, a is age

s = + 5 for males and - 161 for females

So, a 30 year old man who is 178 cm tall and weighs 110 kg would have a basal metabolic rate of 2067.5 kilocals per day. In other words, the man in the example would need to consumer 2067.5 calories per day just to survive. Once an obese or overweight person learns his/her basal metabolic rate, he/she has to eat less calories than that in order to lose weight. One pound of fat is  equal to three thousand five hundred calories, so cutting back by five hundred calories per day would be enough to shed fat.

Exercise

Exercise can burn fat much quicker than dieting alone. People can participate in aerobic and strength training exercises to lose weight. In addition to weight loss these forms of exercise have additional benefits including:

• improved cardiovascular system
• improved immune system
• cancer prevention
• diabetes prevention
• strong musculoskeletal system

For a person to successfully use exercise as a weight loss management tool, he/she would have to workout for a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobics every week. He/she could see results more quickly by combining cardio with strength training. This is because although cardio exercises burn fat, it only occurs during exercise. Strength training, on the other hand, promotes muscle building and repair which causes increased metabolic activity that occurs even at rest. Whether you opt for cardio or strength training, it isn't very difficult to meet the minimum exercise requirements if you're committed to losing weight. 

What About Combining Exercise And Healthy Dieting For Weight Loss?

Exercise isn't for everyone. Some people tend to experience better results from dieting as opposed to physical exercise. But most research suggests that a combination of exercise and healthy diet work best to promote weight loss. People diagnosed with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for developing type II diabetes, exercise maybe effective in reducing that risk. In fact, some researchers prefer exercise to healthy diet as the preferred therapeutic tool for children with metabolic syndrome.

Which method is best for weight loss and metabolic syndrome management? To answer that question make an appointment with your doctor. Work with your physician to develop a weight loss plan that is best suited to your needs. It might not be easy at first, learning new habits can take some getting used to. But stick with it. Always remember that the most valuable things in life are earned.

What do you think? Please leave us your comments, we enjoy hearing from you.

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Article Sources

Schaar, B et al: Effects of Exercise, Diet and a Combination of Exercise and Diet in Overweight and Obese Adults - A Meta-Analysis of the Data. The Open Sports Medicine Journal. 2010 vol 4: 17 - 28.

Mifflin, M.D. et al: A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 51(2): 241 - 247.

Brambilla, P et al: Physical activity as the main therapeutic tool for metabolic syndrome in children. International Journal of Obesity. 2011, 35, 16 -28.

"Diet Or Exercise? Which Is More Effective In Treating Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome?" copyright © 2011 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM). All Rights Reserved.

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