Which is more important: diet or exercise?

If you are to believe the bombardment of media that comes in your direction, you can stay healthy with careful eating even if you never break a sweat. Or, you may hear that if you work out religiously, you can eat anything you want and stay healthy.

Of course, both perspectives are biased and driven by whatever someone is trying to sell you. And, of course, both are wrong.

A new study came out a few weeks ago addressing this question. The conclusion is neither careful eating nor exercise by themselves will help you live longer.

If you want to reduce your risk of dying, you actually have to both eat healthy and exercise.

Now, according to the study, here is the good news: you don’t have to be extreme. You can eat some unhealthy food from time to time. And, you don’t have to run marathons. You just need an hour or two a week of physical exercise (the kind that makes you sweat).

In other words, you have to be intentional about what you do to protect your body but you do not have to go extreme.

Our advice is something we have said over and over. Don’t follow the latest health fads. Don’t go on an extreme diet. Don’t start working out four hours a day.

Just make some common sense changes in your diet that make it healthier without ruining your life. And find some activities that you enjoy that will get your heart rate up from time to time.That is all you need to get on the right track.