A NYT article concluded that To Lose Weight, Eating Less Is Far More Important Than Exercising More:
Reasons for that mentioned in the article:
- Exercise stimulates the appetite.
- Exercise over time makes us more efficient. A more efficient body burns less calories.
- Exercise burns precious few calories.
You can eat three less Oreos or run an extra mile to have the same calorie deficit. You can exercise strenuously for 30 minutes or drink two less 16 ounce cokes. That is an easy call for me.
The article states:
“When you lose weight, metabolism often slows. Many people believe that exercise can counter or even reverse that trend. Research, however, shows that the resting metabolic rate in all dieters slows significantly, regardless of whether they exercise. This is why weight loss, which might seem easy when you start, becomes harder over time.”
I think that depends on the type of exercise. For more on the right type of exercise go here. The right kind of exercise can counter a diet-induced slowed metabolism. A stronger body will have a higher resting metabolism, and proper strength training will burn calories four ways. When you restrict calories the body, as an act of self-preservation, will lower its metabolism by consuming lean body mass. Strength training sends the opposite message -–you need to maintain that lean body mass to survive the demands placed on it.
A stronger body will burn more calories even at rest. At New Orleans Fitness Trainers and at Austin Personal Training we can show you how to workout effectively and efficiently, get stronger, and even burn a few calories.