Losing weight: Cutting calories vs exercising

The weight-loss edge

Does the key to burning calories and losing weight have more to do with the food you're eating or the amount of exercise you're doing?

According to Dr. Donald Hensrud, cutting calories and exercising together can give you a phenomenal weight-loss edge.

In order to lose weight, your body needs to burn more calories than you consume.

So for example, if you wanted to lose about half a kilogram in a week, you'd need to cut 500 calories from your diet each day during that week.

Don't crash diet

Crash dieting is a big no-no when it comes to weight loss. If you start drastically cutting out even more calories or limiting yourself to eating between 400 and 800 calories a day, you're in trouble.

You'll more than likely gain that weight back quickly – and often within six months after you've stopped dieting.

Why you need to exercise as well

Exercise is key to helping you maintain your weight loss, as well as preventing weight gain.

Studies have shown that people who lose weight and manage to keep it off in the long run, do regular physical exercise as well.

For more calorie-cutting tips, read: 5 Diet myths debunked

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