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Exercise has many health benefits, but it plays only a minor role in weight loss.
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Studies show that working out accounts for about 5% of the energy you burn in a day.
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Keeping our bodies moving burns the most calories.
It’s easy to think that you need to hit the gym or jog five times a week to lose weight, but it makes sense when you consider that weight loss leads to a calorie deficit.
Studies show that working out contributes less to weight loss than most people think because it only accounts for about 5% of the calories you burn on average throughout the day.
As shown in the chart below, exercise, or known exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT), is only a small fraction of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) or calories you burn in a day.
In fact, we burn about 70% of our calories by being at rest and keeping our bodies functioning. This is known as the basal metabolic rate (BMR) or resting energy expenditure (REE).
The numbers vary from person to person and from day to day, but the rest of your energy expenditure can be further divided into two categories.
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Thermic effect of food (TEF): The energy our body needs to digest the food we eat.
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Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): common movements such as cleaning, carrying groceries, and climbing stairs.
Studies suggest that exercise alone is rarely sufficient for long-term weight loss. This is why many personal trainers recommend exercising to build strength and muscle, not to burn calories.
“It’s really hard to train to be in a calorie deficit,” personal trainer Luke Worthington told Insider. “It’s almost impossible.”
Personal trainer Ben Carpenter told Insider that relying on cardio is the biggest mistake people make when it comes to losing fat.
If weight loss is your goal, create a calorie deficit by focusing on nutrition and non-intense activity (NEAT).
Read the original article on Insider
