When we are trying to change our physiques there is a hierarchy of absolutes that we must address to make the most out of our efforts. Different changes will require different action. The cause and effect relationship between what we do and how it effects the outcome is never more evident than when we are pushing our bodies to look, feel, or perform differently.

I have people come into our gym all the time, practically in tears, begging me to put them on an exercise program to lose weight. That is almost as bad as the young football players asking me what they can eat to get stronger or faster. We train for strength and performance, but we have to eat right to lose weight. Of course putting these two disciplines together is the perfect combination, but understand, working out is secondary to diet in regards to losing weight.

If you just want to run off the pounds and not watch your calories… you will be less likely to succeed. The same as if you are trying to eat properly to get you stronger – it “ain’t gonna” happen.
Here is why. When we exercise our metabolism begins to “rev”. What follows is our appetite increases. So the same amount of calories you ate to feel full is now exponentially increased so your body can preserve precious mass. No sense in more calories out if you are not going to keep track of calories going in.

Bottom line, eating more protein will not directly cause a person to be more flexible, faster, or stronger. At the same time, yoga, weight training, and wind sprints will not necessarily get you thinner. Of course eating protein can help you get stronger and sprints can help you to lose weight, but these are not the primary effects as it relates to those examples.

If you want to lose weight, an exercise program is imperative – yet, still secondary to what and how much you eat. If you want to become stronger or perform better, diet is imperative and still not as important as training. We must diet to get leaner, we must train to get stronger. Do not try to solely just run off the pounds, and don’t eat gobs of protein to get stronger if you are going to just sit on the couch and play X-box.