Exercise alone is almost useless for weight loss
Exercise is important, but many studies have shown that a long-term exercise program alone does not make a significant contribution to weight loss. Researchers have followed a variety of people from those who are physically fit and active to those who are sedentary and obese. When they increased their physical activity through a controlled personal training program where they maintained their regular diet, these individuals only showed a small amount of weight loss. Obesity researcher David Allison of the University of Alabama stated that exercise has a lesser effect on weight loss than you would mathematically predict.
For example, researcher Max Wighnofsky in a 1958 study outlined a rule to predict weight loss that is still used today. He said a pound of human fat is around 3,500 calories. If a person cuts 500 calories per day through diet and exercise, they can lose around one pound per week. Adding 500 calories per day to a person’s diet will cause them to gain about one pound per week.
Many health organizations from the Mayo Clinic to Livestrong have used this formula for years, but this formula is now viewed as too simplistic by researchers. The human body is dynamic and adaptable to a variety of situations. If calories are cut and physical activity increases, then the body will do what it can do to store the energy it needs for the physical activity. This results in people getting frustrated when they embark on a diet and exercise program yet fail to lose weight.
