Working out obsessively? Here’s Why You Aren’t Losing Weight

It makes sense that if you are trying to trim down and lose a few pounds that you would increase your activity level. Maybe you’ve increased the amount of time you spend working out, maybe you are busting out two-a-days in an effort to reach your body goals. But, according to a new study, all of this extra work may just be a waste of time!

The study, found in the journal Current Biology, and conducted by researchers at the City University of New York, examined the exercise routines and daily energy expenditure of more than 300 men and women. Almost right away, the researchers noticed some major differences. The participants who engaged in some level of daily activity, like walking to work or hitting the gym a few times a week, burned 200 more calories a day than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

People who are active burning more calories than those who aren’t active isn’t exactly a shocking revelation. What is a little shocking is what the study discovered about people who spend more than a “normal” amount of time at the gym. Researchers discovered that this added level of activity did not make any difference in terms of calorie burn or weight loss.

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“Body fat percentage and activity intensity appear to modulate the metabolic response to physical activity,” writes lead study author, Herman Pontzer, PhD.

So, what does that mean, exactly?

Your body gets accustomed to the extra exercise you are doing which means it doesn’t need to work as hard and will burn fewer calories and stall your weight loss efforts.

You cannot lose weight through exercise alone. You must also eat a balanced diet (like the one offered in the BodyRock Meal Plan). “There is tons of evidence that exercise is important for keeping our bodies and minds healthy, and this work does nothing to change that message,” Dr. Pontzer says. “What our work adds is that we also need to focus on diet, particularly when it comes to managing our weight and preventing or reversing unhealthy weight gain.”

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Are you shocked by the results of this study?

Source: Rodale Wellness

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