We write all the time about nutrition – why it matters, how it’s the lynchpin to any fitness goals that include fat loss, blah blah blah. So here’s an obvious question. If nutrition is the most important thing, does it matter if I’m working out consistently? Ah yes, Daniel-san, it matters. And here’s why.

The easiest way to put the exercise/nutrition relationship into perspective is like this: Nutrition is the gross control to personal fitness. And exercise – specifically resistance training – is the fine control. When you’re eating well, which we define as adequate proportions of lean protein to quality carbohydrates and fats, all washed down with lots of water, you will see a physical change relatively quickly. How quickly? In a matter of just a few weeks, actually. Dropping a few pounds should earn you a pat on the back, at the very least, but if you aren’t strength training and your goal is a shapely physique, you’re only halfway there.

Exercise is the platform to the entire fitness industry. You hear it all the time with the latest and greatest workout trend that will “get you in the best shape of your life!!!!!” But you can work out every day, twice a day – you can kill yourself in the gym or run yourself ragged on the trail – and unless you’re equally committed to what goes in your stomach, you won’t see the results of all those sweat and tears.

The reverse is true as well. You can be crazy on point when it comes to diet, but without consistent exercise, you won’t be fit. And the benefits of fitness aren’t limited to a nice body. Your heart and lungs will thank you, too, and you’ll sleep better, have more energy, less stress, boost your brain power, sharpen your memory and reduce your chances of getting sick. It’s all good stuff.

The ideal is a consistent exercise program that pushes you on multiple platforms – working your heart and lungs, working your muscles in a varied way – with a nutrition plan that doesn’t leave you feeling deprived. Sounds simple, right? We all know it’s hard, but it’s absolutely doable. Where to begin? This is a good place.