We would all love to work out consistently and eat right all the time, but unfortunately it is not always possible.  When it comes to losing weight, and improving your health and staying healthy, which is better…. diet or exercise?

For this week’s Thursday Lean Tip, I’m going to share with you the benefits or where diet and exercise can help you for 6 different goals.

The Goal: For losing weight
The Winner: Diet
Why: As research makes clear, trimming calories from your diet is the most direct route to a smaller dress size. It’s much easier to not eat that 500 calories pastry than to spend hours in the gym burning 500 calories a day. However, both diet and exercise are essential for keeping that weight off.

The Goal: Boost energy
The Winner: Exercise
Why: Exercise causes the brain to pour out invigorating neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine. People who train consistently report surges in energy, according to more than 70 studies.

The Goal: Reduce risk of heart disease
The Winner: Diet
Why: If you had to focus on one nutrient that would lower your heart disease risk, it would be omega-3 fatty acids. In studies, omega-3s from oily fish lower heart disease risk by up to 64 percent. That being said, working out does strengthen your cardiovascular system.

The Goal: Prevent cancer
The Winner: Both
Why: Eating a mostly plant-based diet and exercising regularly remain the gold standard for warding off cancer. Keep in mind: studies have found the more consistently you work out, the greater the protection.

The Goal: Improve mood
The Winner: Exercise
Why: A 20-minute sweat session can be enough to perk up your mood for a whopping 12 hours, reports a University of Vermont study. It may also be as effective as medication for treating depression in some people. And exercise can lead to changes in the brain that strengthen your resolve against stress.

The Goal: Prevent diabetes
The Winner: Exercise
Why: Nearly 10 million American women have diabetes. Achieving a healthy weight through diet and exercise is the strongest defense against the disease, but physical activity has a slight edge. Active muscle gobble up glucose from the blood for fuel, which helps keep blood-sugar levels stable.

While BOTH diet and exercise are vital towards living a healthy lifestyle, as you can see, they each serve a benefit, however, at the end of the day, both diet and exercise work together synergistically.

I would love to hear from you so please feel free to leave your comments below 🙂