IN my last article we looked at the fact th at the most effective way to lose weight is through nutritional changes, and that the results are faster, easier and more sustainable than through any reasonable form of exercise.

I approached the issue more absolutely, but the most accurate way to put it is: Abs are developed in the gym and exposed in the kitchen. Now, I am not flip-flopping, but the reality is the only way to develop strong healthy muscles is to do the exercises which will intelligently utilise and strengthen them.

However, if your nutrition isn’t a priority, they will remain covered with fat.

When comparing nutrition and exercise for weight loss goals, here are four relevant points:

1. Dieting alone can carry you all the way with your fat loss, but without exercise the muscle loss may be significant.

2. The common rule of thumb is practically true, exercise is only 20 per cent and nutrition is 80 per cent.

3. Exercising will increase your appetite, and if you are not prepared for that or do not manage your nutrition, it could stall or completely jeopardise your weight loss goals.

4. Nutrition without exercise will yield significant results, but exercise alone as a weight loss solution is next to futile.

You may be wondering how important exercise is in your life; it is incredibly important. To explain this further we can look at Intekai’s five essential pillars of fitness for maintaining wellness.

Walking

Apart from the calorie-burning and mild cardiovascular benefits, walking requires practice to keep a proper, safe stride. Also, your hip joints will be most healthy and can last your lifetime if you walk and exercise consistently.

Progressive resistance training

Weight resistance training is often pushed down the list of fun exercises for most people, but after walking, resistance training is the most important form of exercise.

As you age, your muscle mass and bone density will decrease, significantly. With muscle mass loss, your strength, mobility, joint, spine, and core stability and strength will decrease as well. Bone density decrease can make a fall or impact life-changing. Your ability to perform routine tasks will diminish. With the same energy intake, your fat levels will increase over time as less muscle and less action means a slower metabolism.

You will continue to become weaker, increasingly living with pain, more dependent, and more fragile! The only way to avoid this is to maintain more muscle mass than your body weight requires.

Callisthenics or body-weight exercises are useful, but progressively increasing resistance is invaluable for maintaining muscle mass.

Michael lost 35 pounds on ITK and continues to maintain his weight loss by managing his meals, complemented by a weekly exercise regimen.

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise is among the most popular forms of working out, as it can take many entertaining forms like aerobics and sports. The benefits are in the name. These activities target your heart and vascular functionality and your pulmonary (breathing) health.

Agility, coordination and balance

Any activity requiring you to be on your feet, shifting your weight, changing directions, accelerating and suddenly stopping can help you build and maintain agility and coordination. Sports, dancing, martial arts and more, can all be useful. Yoga and small lifestyle actions, such as how you bend and pick up objects, putting on pants and footwear, and choosing to walk on a narrow kerb can all help you to keep your balancing ability intact.

Flexibility

There is no understating how important flexibility is for balance, motion and tissue health. Muscle development, range of motion, tendon durability and pain management are all dependent on your flexibility.

Living well is the new success

What does it profit you to work to live well but lose your wellness? Sure, it is your prerogative to enjoy the common food pleasures you work to afford but you can become weaker and more grizzled with time.

However, there are many ways to enjoy an uncommonly healthy life, embracing the right way and frequency of all these activities and using them to rise above the daily grind and life’s challenges.

It is up to you to live fuller and well for longer.

Fitz-George Rattray is the director of Intekai Academy, which is focused on helping people live a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and weight management. If you are interested in losing weight or living a healthier lifestyle, give them a call at 968-8238, or visit their website at