The exercise paradox: Why workouts aren’t great for weight loss but useful for maintaining a healthy body weight

The basic principle of weight loss is straightforward: if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you'll lose weight. In practice though, this isn’t usually so easy or simple.

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Alongside counting calories or eating smaller portions, many people add exercise into the equation when trying to lose weight to help tip the balance. Yet research shows that exercise may only have modest effects on weight loss.

But before you ditch your workouts, it's important to note that exercise still plays a really important role when it comes to health — perhaps especially in keeping the pounds off after reaching your goal weight.

There are several processes that help explain why exercise doesn't always result in huge amounts of weight loss.

Exercise can stimulate appetite, leading to increased food intake. People may also subconsciously move less throughout the rest of the day after doing a workout, which means exercise may have less impact on their overall calorie deficit.

The body also becomes more efficient over time — burning fewer calories while doing the same activity. This process, sometimes called “metabolic adaptation,” reflects the body’s tendency to defend against weight loss.

From an evolutionary perspective, conserving energy during periods of intense physical activity probably protected our ancestors from starvation. But in today’s world, metabolic adaptation is one of many factors that can make weight loss difficult.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE

Although exercise may not be the main driver of weight loss, it seems it might play a role in maintaining weight loss.