A long-awaited thought revolution has finally begun in the fitness world. People are finally realizing that it’s strength training, and not cardio, that gives your body shape and definition. Just think about all those hours you’ll save on the elliptical (and all the clothes you can keep hanging from it)!

Now, we’re here to reveal another fitness secret: nutrition is even more important. There’s an old saying that goes, “Abs are made in the kitchen.” Or, maybe, you’ve heard it said that “You can’t out exercise a bad diet.” These rules of thumb survive the test of time for one reason: they’re true.

What Exactly Is Clean Eating?

Fitness Magazine defines clean eating as: “whole foods, or “real” foods — those that are un- or minimally processed, refined, and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible.” This means avoiding processed foods, foods with more than one ingredient, or anything with a warning-laden label slapped on it. A “clean” diet is one full of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins.

I Bust My Butt at the Gym (Literally). Why Does Clean Eating Matter?

Now, look, we’re not telling you that a clean diet excuses you from exercise; you cannot build muscles without healthy doses of resistance training. But, to show off your hard work, you need to keep track of what you eat. A well-designed strength training regimen will offer definition while also improving your balance, increasing your strength, and speeding up your metabolism. To see these physical changes, however, clean eating is key. A person who keeps eating junk food guarantees that all their hard work will be forever stuck behind a curtain of fat.
When, what, and how you eat decides practically everything about your health. Food is your body’s fuel; it helps it do everything it needs to do: breathe, jump, run, and grow. Protein helps repair muscle fibers torn during tough workouts. If you fail to eat enough of it, your muscles will never grow. If your muscles don’t grow, your metabolism keeps going at a snail’s pace. As a result, you end up storing more fat. In other words, without a healthy diet, you might as well skip the gym.

When you eat a healthy diet, you ensure your body gets the cleanest, most-powerful fuel on the market. In addition to helping you get ample protein, a clean diet also eliminates bloat, flushes out toxins, and regulates your hormones. In other words, healthy eating helps your body keep operating at peak efficiency.

Bonus: The cleaner you eat, the less you have to count calories because everything that goes into your body serves a purpose, and is used for fuel.

Conclusion

Living healthily means paying attention to choices you make in the kitchen, not just at the gym. So, always be mindful of what you put on your plate. Your reflection, and self-esteem, depend on it.