I hear this statement uttered all too often in the gym. Clients tell me they are frustrated because they haven’t lost weight even though they are working out every day. Candy and I have even been guilty of thinking this statement at times…like when we go on vacation or home for the holidays and we know we are going to be eating WAY too much and not working out at all.

But the statement is just so ludicrous.

I mean yes, getting in a light workout (like an easy bike ride, a long walk or even going roller skating) can help with damage control, but we aren’t talking about preventing weight gain here…we are talking about LESSENING the damage not fully preventing it.

And yes, exercise can help you reach your weight loss goals by adding muscle, which will help you burn more calories, BUT if you are consuming crap calories, you won’t be getting anywhere fast. Exercise gives you an extra boost, but it won’t be the driving force behind weight loss.

For one, 80% of weight loss is eating healthy foods. As much as I would love to tell my clients that all they need to do is train with me to lose weight, it just isn’t true. Diet is key to weight loss. So you don’t need to workout to keep from getting fat…you need to eat right to get the weight off and keep it off!

Diet is also key to maintaining a healthy weight. And if you’ve been down at a healthy weight for a long time, eating badly on vacation while you aren’t working out isn’t going to make you fat.

Yes you may gain some weight, but most of it will probably be water weight. AND the second you get back from vacation, if you return to your normal healthy eating pattern, the weight will melt off in less than a week.

But if you really don’t want to gain weight over your vacation or the holidays, I guess you could follow these stupid conventional wisdom tips (they remind me a bit of the tips you see every where right before Thanksgiving..)

And if you can’t do that…well just enjoy the vacation and get back to your diet the second you come home! Sometimes you just do need to let loose and live a little!!!