A study concluded that exercising might be helpful in weight control
A new study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise examined the age-old question of exercise if it makes us eat more or less afterward.
Researchers looked at physically inactive women and men. They found that when they were served a delicious buffet lunch, they didn’t overeat. However, they also didn’t skip dessert. This suggests that exercising during holidays won’t help us lose weight or eat less.
Research has shown that people who exercise don’t lose as much weight as they think. This is because the body evolved over years to store fat as a way of protecting itself from the worst possible scenario, which may not be so unlikely.
Exercise can help us burn calories, which in turn makes it harder to lose weight.
Previous studies focused on healthy young women and men, not older sedentary adults. They found mixed results. Some studies concluded that prolonged, strenuous exercise can reduce appetites for hours. Other studies showed that people eat more after exercising.
The new study was conducted by scientists and included 24 Coloradoans aged 18 to 55 who were obese and not very active at base.
Participants visited the lab each morning for breakfast. On different days, they sat still, walked slowly on treadmills or lifted weights for 45 minute.
The researchers then asked the participants how hungry they were, and they observed them as they enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch with salad, lasagna, soda and strawberry pound cake.
The results showed that volunteers did not feel hungry after exercises as compared to sitting down. They also ate roughly the same amount at lunch regardless of whether they exercised.
According to Dr. Tanya Halliday (assistant professor of health and fitness at the University of Utah), light weight lifting or minimal brisk walking may not have an impact on eating habits.
This study is limited because it only covered one session of moderate exercise. It only included participants who were mostly out of shape. However, people who train more often might have different results.
According to the study, exercise may help in weight control. The exercise burned 300 calories which is less than what they ate at lunch (roughly 1,000), but was hundreds more than what they ate sitting down. Halliday said that people shouldn’t fear that they might overeat if they exercise.
