Exercise may not always result in significant weight loss, but it plays an important role in maintaining weight loss after reaching goal weight. A study involving over 1,100 people found that while physical activity had little effect on the amount of weight initially lost, higher levels of activity after losing weight was strongly linked to maintaining the weight loss. Exercise is also associated with measurable health improvements such as better cholesterol, lower inflammation, improved blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity.
The mechanisms behind this paradox are not fully understood but several factors may contribute. One reason could be that when we lose weight, our resting energy expenditure decreases more than expected for the amount of weight lost, which can lead to weight regain. However, exercise raises total daily energy expenditure, helping to partially offset this decrease. Additionally, while weight loss usually results in both fat and muscle loss, leading to a lower resting energy expenditure, exercise helps preserve or even rebuild muscle mass, boosting metabolism and aiding long-term weight maintenance. Exercise also improves the body’s ability to burn fat and enhances metabolic flexibility, allowing it to switch between burning carbohydrates and fat depending on availability. Furthermore, physical activity can improve insulin sensitivity, reducing the amount of insulin required to regulate blood sugar levels, which is beneficial as higher insulin levels can promote fat storage and reduce fat breakdown. Lastly, exercise has indirect effects such as improving sleep, mood, and stress reduction that could lower the body’s stored fat. Different types of workouts offer their own benefits when it comes to health and weight maintenance; aerobic exercises burn calories and enhance the body’s ability to burn fat for fuel while resistance training helps build and preserve muscle mass supporting a higher resting energy expenditure aiding long-term weight maintenance.