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What Is the Relationship Between Exercise and Weight Loss?

In order to lose one pound, you must create a deficit of 3,500 calories. You can cut calories by not eating much, but then your metabolism may slow down, making it more difficult to lose weight. If you burn calories with exercise, you will create a caloric deficit while increasing your metabolism. As long as you are not eating more calories than you burn, weight loss should occur.

  1. Caloric Burn

    • Exercise causes an increase in caloric burn. The more intense the exercise, the more calories are burned. Exercises that burn lots of calories include running, racquetball and swimming. See the resource section for a list of exercises and the calories they burn.

    Muscle Mass

    • Many forms of exercise, such as weightlifting, rowing and bicycling, increase muscle mass. The more muscle your body has, the more calories you will burn on a daily basis. This is because muscle is metabolically active and burns more calories than fat.

    Metabolism

    • The benefits of exercise last beyond the time you are actively engaging in physical activity. Exercise increases your metabolic rate for hours after you complete the activity, resulting in an increased calorie burn even while you're sitting on the couch reading a book.

    Healthier Outlook

    • It can be difficult to gobble down a candy bar and a bag of chips after you have spent time working out. Exercising often puts people in a healthier frame of mind and helps them make better food choices throughout the day.

    Hunger Control

    • Moderate exercise can help suppress hunger. A study published in the Journal of Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology found resistance and aerobic exercise regulated appetite during and after exercise. Exercise can also alleviate some of the stress that causes people to overeat.

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