It is common for someone who is starting a new exercise routine to expect to lose weight and lose weight quickly. However, unless that exercise routine is combined with an overhaul in their diet, the weight loss results will more than likely be stalled. In fact, someone who adds exercise alone to their routine will only lose 2.4% body fat, versus the person who adds exercise AND a change in diet, which jumps that percentage to a 10.8% body fat loss (according to US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health).
So, why such a drastic difference in the results?
When someone starts an exercise routine, a lot of changes happen with their body-, especially with their hormones.
Exercising is a highly metabolic action that changes a lot of processes within the body. One of the hormones that respond to exercising is the appetite hormone- and it doesn’t respond in the way that you would want it to if you’re trying to lose weight.
The appetite hormone actually increases with an increase in exercise, which is a way for your body to try and “keep up” with the demands of exercise. If we weren’t living during a time where we didn’t have food in abundance at our fingertips, this would actually be a good thing. However, more than likely, one of the main reasons why we need to lose weight, to begin with, is we eat too many calories already.
Exercise actually burns a significantly less amount of calories than what is perceived.
According to Harvard Health, a vigorous 30-minute strength session burns roughly 233 calories for a 155-pound person. This is not a significant decrease in the number of total calories expended for the day, and with the combination of the perception of burning more calories while working out, along with the increased levels of the appetite hormone, this can be a dangerous combination.
It is true that exercising, in particular strength training, will increase your Basil Metabolic Rate (the number of calories you burn each 24 hour period- not including exercise), and have you burning calories after your done exercising. However, if you are still eating more calories then burned, the weight loss results will be lacking.
The bottom line, if you want to see weight loss results, eat less and exercise more.
