The Psychology of Exercise: Why It Can Mislead You About Progress (and what to do about it)

I sometime confuse my clients. I'm here standing in front of them as the fitness guy who's supposed to tell them about how my services will solve all of their weight problems without diet intervention, yet I'll be the first to say is relying on exercise with a poor diet is like bringing a knife to a gunfight.

I'll keep it real as always, I've seen countless people overestimate how much progress they’ve made after a workout. A mars bar is 260 calories, you burn that in only half a session! Let's get into how a shift in perspective can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Long term thinking

This is key, instead of focusing solely on how many calories you burn during each workout, have a zoom out and start thinking about how your body reacts to the consistent combination of exercise and proper nutrition over time. It’s the long-term balance, not the short-term burn, that makes a real difference.

Think of it this way:

Before I start to sound like exercise is useless, it's definitely not. Exercise is your support system—it increases your metabolism, helps you build muscle, andas important than diet is to your overall health. But food is the foundation. If you’re fuelling your body with too many calories or poor-quality food, all the running, skipping and boxing in the world wouldn't be enough to counter it.

Here’s how to approach it:

1. Focus on whole foods: The cleaner the fuel, the better your body can perform and recover. Lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats are your best friends.

2. Portion control: It’s easy to underestimate how much we’re eating. A small snack here and there can add up to a significant calorie surplus without you even realising it.

3. Find a balance that works for you: Exercise and diet are partners, not competitors. A good workout routine paired with sensible eating can help you lose weight sustainably without feeling deprived.

4. Patience is key: Real weight loss comes from consistency. You might not see huge results right away, and that’s okay! It’s the gradual changes over weeks and months that lead to real transformation.

   
   
   
   

Tip the balance

Here's a way I recommend going after weight loss. Bear with me as it will take 2 weeks dedication of your life but it'll be worth it. Calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate) on a free BMR calculator online (it takes 2 minutes). Don't expect it to be 100% accurate, but it's a very guide. From there you will find out exactly how many calories you would need to consume for you to stay at the same weight, with your exercise and lifestyle factored in.

For the next 2 weeks, eat that calorie number per day. Check if this corresponds with the scales. If your weight hasn't moved, congrats you've just confirmed your BMR. If you lost 0.5 kg in that time for example, you know your BMR is higher than the one given to you on the calculator, so tweak for the next couple weeks after that until you truly know what the number is. This 2 week exercise will help you out so much in the long term, as you'll gain an instinctive understanding of the caloric value of food without even having to check. I'm personally at the stage where I can give a good calorie estimate of some oats in a bowl or some chicken breast in a plate just by looking at it..my favouirite party trick..

When you know this magic number, you now have a much clear picture to work with, and you can redue the calorie intake from your BMR daily. Important to note though, do not go under your BMR by more than 200 calories per day, cutting calories too aggressively is unhealthy and can even stall your progress by slowing down your metaboslism.

Remember, you’re not just working to burn off yesterday’s mistakes with today’s workout. You’re creating a lifestyle that supports your long-term goals. When you change the way you think about fitness and food—when you understand that they’re both essential, but not equal in their power—you’ll start to see the kind of results that are sustainable and rewarding.

So next time you’re grunting your way around the park and thinking about the reward due after all the hard work. think of it as strengthening the foundation for better health and better choices. Weight loss isn’t just about how hard you work in the gym—it’s about what you’re doing the other 23 hours of the day when you’re refuelling and recovering.

Shift your perspective. Focus on the full picture. Make exercise a part of your healthy lifestyle, and let that healthy lifestyle guide your weight loss journey.