Which Exercises to Stay Away from During a Diet

You’ve started a diet, and you want to work some exercise into your regime. But you’re not sure what exercises are best. Are certain exercises better than others when you’re dieting? The answer is yes. We’re going to take a look at what exercises to stay away from while you’re dieting, as well as some great exercise options that won’t derail your diet.

More and more studies are showing that exercise is not as effective as we might have thought for losing weight. So walking, running, crunching, and lifting away the pounds may not be the most effective strategies. If you want to lose weight, dieting is the most healthy and effective way to do it. That’s why it’s crucial not to let your exercise regimen throw you off your diet.

If you’ve ever dieted, you know the challenges that come with it. You experience hunger pangs, exhaustion, headaches, and maybe even light-headedness. These are normal side effects as your body adapts to your new eating habits. When choosing exercises to perform on a diet, it’s best to acknowledge these feelings and adapt your exercises. 

For example, if you’re feeling exhausted and lightheaded, avoid heavy lifting exercises that could lead to injury. We always recommend having a spotter for any exercises where it’s possible to drop weight on yourself or fall. That means all free-weight exercises that require you to lift weight above your body. Performing Bench press, shoulder press, and squats are not recommended, especially when you’re feeling weak. Of course, there is the possibility of injury by dropping the weight, but these exercises can also lead to overexertion and stronger feelings of hunger. 

Have you experienced post-workout hunger after a grueling workout? It’s a common feeling, and it commonly leads to broken diets. Here’s why. You finish a tough workout, you’re starving, and you justify breaking your diet as a reward for working so hard. But when you indulge yourself, you minimize the benefits of that workout, and you make it easier to break your diet again the next time you’re hungry. 

So what exercises can you do that won’t put you at risk of injury, overexertion, or hunger pangs? 

There are actually quite a few. Walking, jogging, and running are great options. All three activities require no equipment, you can do them anywhere, and they’re not nearly as strenuous as weightlifting. You can also engage in these activities for extended periods of time, which will help you burn more calories.

If jogging and running are too hard on your joints, try low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling. These exercises won’t bother your joints and they’re a great way to work on cardio and burn calories. Core exercises are also great exercises for helping you continue burning calories without risk of injury or excessive hunger.

If you prefer exercise sessions where you can join others, give pilates or yoga a try. These classes are offered for beginners to experts, and range from slow mindful moments to more challenging, sweat-inducing workouts. There are yoga and pilates classes for everyone. 

Whatever exercise regimen you choose, the key is being honest with yourself about what you feel comfortable doing. Don’t suffer through an exercise because you feel like you’re supposed to. You know yourself better than anyone, so listen to your body and adapt exercises to your ability at that moment.