How do you approach eating and exercise? Do you reward yourself with food if you exercise? Do you punish yourself with exercise if you eat something you consider to be unhealthy? Part of being healthy is having a healthy mindset towards eating and caring for your body.

Earlier this week, the Washington Post ran an article titled “Why Running To ‘Burn Off’ That Ice Cream Is Missing The Point” by Gabriella Boston. She explains how knowing the exercise required to burn off high calorie foods can dissuade people from making bad choices. AthleteInMe.com offers an “Exercise Calorie Converter” that does the math for you once you plug in weight and a menu item. For example, if a person enjoys a Buttery Danish from Panera Bread and a large flavored latte from Starbucks, they can use this converter to see that they would need to jog for an hour and a half to burn off those treat calories. Framing a treat in this way is an effective way of teaching a person about nutrition, however, it is important not to punish yourself or go overboard with exercise. “Louben Repke”, registered nurse, “Repke Fitness” Certified Personal Trainer likes to say, “proper eating is 80% of what will help you lose weight, exercise is only about 20% of it.” He also tells his clients, “you can’t out train a bad eating habit.” Meaning, no matter how much you exercise you can’t make up for eating like crap, if you eat like crap all the time. So it’s important to understand the importance of eating and not trying to kill yourself via exercise just because you ate a little more. Focus more on learning how to change bad eating habits while adapting new ones.

Disordered eating and orthorexia are serious problems that personal trainers need to bear in mind when teaching their clients about nutrition. They are there to motivate you and guide you, but a good personal trainer, like those at Repke Fitness, are going to make sure that you aren’t pushing yourself too hard or depriving yourself of too many calories. Working out too hard or without having enough fuel is a recipe for injury or overexertion. Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you decide to have an occasional treat. Simply get back on the healthy eating wagon as soon as possible and remember that one dessert does not make a person overweight.

To lose weight, choosing healthy foods 80-90% of the time is more effective than any exercise plan. Exercise is still important for a variety of reasons, but for the end result of a slimmer body, it’s the food that you put into your body that counts the most. Going to a personal trainer who understands the important role that nutrition plays in a weight loss program is a great way to gain knowledgeable guidance and support. Workouts will empower you, make you stronger, and boost your metabolism.
Trainers at Repke Fitness have mastered the balance required to push you without pushing you too far.

Healthy eating and exercise are supposed to make you feel GOOD about your body. Instead of worrying about good foods, bad foods, and how to punish yourself with exercise, call “Repke Fitness” today to get started on the path to wellness, mind, body, and spirit. 410-656-2121. The trainers are here to show you how good a life of wellness can feel.