Exercising Might Help You Make Healthier Food Choices, Study Says

Getting healthy can be a daunting endeavor. It can seem impossible to get active, eat better, sleep more, stay hydrated and do the many other things your doctor says you should do, all at once. But recent research suggests there’s a single best place to begin. According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, starting an exercise regimen may also inspire you to eat more healthfully. “It’s hard to start a diet. Most people feel deprived from the get-go,” says study co-author Molly Bray, chair of the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. “Instead of taking something away, you can add physical activity to your life, and the consequent changes may be significant changes in the way you eat.” For the study, researchers recruited more than 2,500 college students who said they didn’t diet and exercised for less than 30 minutes a week. The students were put on a 15-week aerobic exercise plan that involved doing guided cardio for 30-60 minutes, three times a week. Each person was asked to fill out a diet questionnaire at the beginning and end of the study. They were told not to change their eating habits. But many of them did anyway. About 2,000 stuck with the exercise plan, and they were more likely than those who didn’t to eat healthier without being told to, the researchers found. Many of the exercisers started eating more nutritious foods, like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Diet/Nutrition Exercise/Fitness healthytime Source Type: news