With the Christmas stress stacked upon us like a pile of presents, it’s easy to stare longingly at our wish list and wonder what to add to it. We have already forgotten to be thankful for with the nap after the turkey feast and we are already wishing we had more.
Give more than you take. That’s a mentality that can be held for the entire New Year. Even in fitness. The simplest scenario that every talkative trainer is telling their clueless clients is that simple saying: give more than you take. This isn’t about the spirit of Christmas, but the spirit of weight loss. This is the key to weight loss: Give (use) more calories than you take in.
Which is better to shrink my size, diet or exercise? Can you lose weight by pumping iron? Is running the only way to burn fat? Is cardio the only way to shed some pounds? Does sweating mean I’m losing fat? There are many ways to go about alleviating the scale but it doesn’t require a book to be written or a long lecture to explain. It’s simple: Give more than you take.
On each side of your metabolic scale is a calorie counter. One side has calories you take in (eat), the other is calories you use. If the scale tips toward more calories burned than consumed you are losing weight. If you eat more than you use you are gaining weight. It’s that simple.
We all know how to tip the scale toward weight gain. Most of America is experts on tipping that side of the scale. Teetering over to the other side requires a little more work than the lazy face stuffing side. To tip the scales toward weight loss use more calories than you eat. There are two ways to do this: Burn more or eat less. Or perhaps a combination of both. Any physical activity (including exercise) will cause the body to burn more calories, and any moderation in what we eat (including diet) is a way of taking in less. If either a put into practice the scale will reflect the progress.
Give more than you get: a simple slogan to remember especially at this time of year, but one that could make your life and your body a happy present for a longer and healthier life.
Happy Holidays!
