If you've ever heard a fitness instructor promise during a tough class that you can go enjoy bottomless brunch after a workout or you've burned enough calories to make up for Thanksgiving dinner, then he or she was straight-up lying to you (not to mention that you shouldn't feel like you have to "earn" your food).
"Nutrition really is 80 percent of weight loss," Alysa Boan, NASM-certified personal trainer at FitnessTrainer.com and RealFitnessMaven, told POPSUGAR. "You can do everything right in the gym but if you do not have a well-rounded meal plan, you will not lose weight. Recovery time, sleep, hydration, and proper nutrition are all just as important as your time in the gym. It all works together, so give everything the same value."
That's not to say you can't enjoy your favourite calorie-dense foods and treats every once in a while; just don't expect to see progress if 90 percent of your diet is processed junk food.