Nutrition Beats Exercise In Waistline Battle

Over the years many people have accumulated a few inches around the middle and think, "If I could just get out and play tennis a few more times each week, I could exercise off that weight." Wrong! Exercise is an inefficient route to weight-loss for adults. Nutrition can be six times more effective!

Here are two club recommendations: First, encourage people to play tennis for the joy of the game and the workout. Don't rely on this amazing game as a sweet spot for a weight-loss program. Second, offer calorie restricted, nutritionally dense, healthy options on your club's menu. In lieu of candy bars offer cups of fruit or nuts.

To lose one pound of fat a member needs to burn 3,500 calories while not double faulting their metabolism. The key to winning at the waistline is to reduce the calorie intake with nutrient-dense, low calorie small meals about 6 times per day.

For example, Jan is a 5'5" adult woman who weighs 165 pounds and would like to lose 35 pounds. At her current weight, just going through her day she burns about 2,250 calories - known as her total energy expenditure (TEE). At 130 pounds Jan's TEE will be about 2,000 calories. To maintain her current weight of 165 pounds, Jan would match her TEE calories in and out. Jan, however, eats about 2,750 calories a day so she is gaining weight. On the day she plays a hard hour of doubles, Jan burns about 500 calories and remains calorie neutral. On the other six days per week when she's not playing tennis, Jan packs on 3,000 calories - too many. Yes, Jan definitely benefits from playing tennis, but she will neither lose weight nor gain nutritional health with her current waistline play. Instead, if Jan smartly feeds her body with a nutritionally dense, low calorie "fueling" about every 3 hours her metabolism and nutrition are more apt to be in balance. A weight-loss program for Jan might have her consuming a healthy 1,500 calories per day. This deficit of 1,250 calories per day compared to her TEE equates to playing 2.5 hours of hard doubles per day - every day of the week. Jan is going to lose a 2-3 pounds per week. Good nutrition beats exercise in the battle of the waistline 6-1, 6-1. 

Judith and Kevin McCarthy

www.certifiedhealthadvisor.tsfl.com

407-927-1642