When people are asked: exercise or going on a diet, which should come first? People will respond by saying exercise, some say diet, while some say both at the same time. Asking that question is like asking which comes first between a chicken and an egg. But an expert found an answer to this debate.

According to data from epidemiological studies and Miguel Alonso Alonso, researcher at Harvard University in the U.S., a healthy diet and the right amount of exercise goes hand in hand. But not only that, an increase in physical activity is also linked to a parallel improvement in diet quality.

Experts have pointed out that eating and physical activities are behaviors, and as such, are influenced by the brain. Further explaining the brain, the experts said that inhibitory control is one of the executive functions of the brain which is in charge of self-regulations of a behavior.

It is this part of the brain that experts believe to be responsible for losing weight and sustaining weight loss in the long run. And it is with this that the experts believe that with proper exercise comes following a good diet.

In addition to these findings, exercise has already been shown to bring benefits such as an increase in sensitivity to physiological signs of fullness, which means better control on appetite. This way, short term and long term benefits are gained, in metabolism and behavior, respectively.

With that in mind, Alonso believes that understanding the interaction between exercise and a healthy diet could improve preventative and therapeutic measures against obesity, as well as current approaches and treatments.

Now, people all know about the many benefits of exercising, that it keeps the body in track and up and running. But aside from this, according to NutriStrategy.com, benefits of working out include:

- Reduces risk of dying prematurely

- Reduces risk of developing diabetes and heart diseases

- Prevents high blood pressure from developing

- Decreases the chances of developing colon cancer

- Alleviates depression and anxiety

For most people, picking up a dumbbell would be easy, the hard part for them is transitioning from the usual foods to healthier options. But according to Paige Waehner of About.com, people can still enjoy healthy foods:

- Healthy foods make people feel better and healthier, a better option than the instant pleasure that people get from fats and sugar

- Indulgences can still be done, but now only in moderation and fewer times than before

- Relationship with food changes from something that controls a person's life to basically being a fuel or an energy source

- Healthy eating will make people more open to newer and more foreign options when it comes to food