Clients have been confused about whether or not exercise is all they need to do to lose weight. Exercise will burn calories, so you can lose some weight, but in order to achieve significant weight loss you’ll need to change to healthier eating habits. Usually when people begin exercising they start “dieting”. This entails depriving ones body. People lose weight but the results don’t last. The key is to start off making changes slowly. For example, if you enjoy breads and pasta simply substitute white flours with whole wheat or whole grain breads and pastas. Increase your veggies and fruits and cut down on processed foods. The combination of eating healthy with exercise will result in weight loss and it doesn’t entail dramatic diet and exercise changes that won’t last. –Sara Holliday MFT, CPT
