Deciding which would be a better way to stay in shape is tricky but for me, dieting is a no-no.
I believe everything should have a balance, while it is a no for me to deprive myself of certain foods without disliking them, rigorous exercises are also a no for me. We should learn to stay away from foods that affect our health while being careful that we are not depriving ourselves of the vitamins and nutrients that those foods contain.
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Then in the process, we should learn to exercise. Apart from staying in shape, general body exercise is good for the overall well-being of the body, so I believe both of them should be done in a balanced proportion.
To some people, dieting works better and maybe even faster. They cannot bear the thought of going to the gym. They don't even want to think about getting involved in rigorous exercises. So if the mind is not willing, there is almost nothing the body can do. If this is who you are, then you should pay attention to the kinds of food you eat. And the ones you stay away from.
Dieting may not necessarily be total abstinence from a particular kind of food, it may be toning it down or simply eating it sparingly.
Then for others like me who cannot bear the thought of giving up some of their special delicacies simply because it makes them have a belly pouch or increases fat in their system, they prefer to eat, and then work it out.
While exercise in itself is very good, it is important to note that too much of everything can be detrimental. I have seen people who work out excessively and their bodies become unattractive. They lose shape while trying to gain shape.
Now while exercising, you should prepare to cut down on some foods that prevent your exercises from being effective. It's one thing to exercise and another for it to be effective. The same goes for dieting.
Dieting doesn't necessarily mean all your problems are solved. Even as you're dieting it would be good if you could combine simple workouts that enhance blood flow and help reduce fat in your body system.
I feel that the two work hand in hand, there's no one that is specifically better than the other.
As I said earlier, I don't like the idea of dieting, but I prevent myself from taking foods or drinks like carbonated drinks that I know are not healthy for me. Once in a while, I'm thirsty and it's only a carbonated drink I can lay my hands on, I take it not condemning myself because I know it's a once-in-a-blue-moon drink.
I also try to be consistent with my general body workout. However, it is easy for me to be lazy because I work from home. When I wake up on most days after devotion, I simply slide into my chair and begin to click away at my laptop.
Nevertheless, I have made a habit of engaging in a ten-minute exercise three times in a week, that's how consistent I can be so I make it a routine.
That's another point to be made while dieting or exercising. You should follow a routine that works for you, not overstressing your body or setting unrealistic demands on yourself to ensure effectiveness.
If you don't pay attention to what you can handle food-wise or what you can engage in when it comes to exercising, you will wear yourself out. This can even affect you emotionally and you begin to feel like your hard work all this time means nothing and you've probably only been wasting your time.
Push your body gently to its limit.
While it feels like fun to have the feeling that your body is subject to you, you may be surprised just how much your body can rebel against you. So take it one step at a time. If you want to stop taking certain foods, start by reducing your intake. As time goes on and the intake keeps thinning, your body starts getting detached from that food.
Once in a while, you would want to go all out for it, it's not a totally bad idea, don't just make it a habit of abstaining and then running right back to it.
The same goes for exercising. Even if you have not been exercising. When you want to start, try and take it easy with your workout routine. I am speaking from experience on this one.
While trying to do your body good, don't drive yourself into toxicity. When you try to force your body to take more than it can chew, whatever you're doing becomes toxic, and instead of your body accepting it, your body begins to fight. Then your entire effort becomes wasted.