Myth busted: No, your body isn’t canceling out your workout benefits.
Being physically active boosts your daily calories burned more than what was previously thought, according to a study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers have debated whether the body treats energy (calories) like a fixed paycheck or a flexible bonus system for years. This study set out to examine the idea of energy use (calories burned) across different activity levels.
The study found that increased physical activity increases total energy use without triggering the body to conserve energy elsewhere. The body’s basic function will keep running at full speed even as movement increases; the more you move, the more calories you burn.
This busts the myth that your body cancels out your workout to avoid being metabolically offset. Physical activity will continue to affect the body even after the movements themselves have ended, without the body cutting back energy use in other areas.
“Our study found that more physical activity is associated with higher calorie burn, regardless of body composition, and that this increase is not balanced out by the body reducing energy spent elsewhere,” said Kevin Davy, professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise and the principal investigator of the study.
Measuring Calories Burned in Real Life
For this study, the researchers measured total energy expenditure among participants who wore sensors that recorded movement in multiple directions, with widely varying levels of physical activity (ranging from inactive lifestyles to ultra-endurance running). The 75 participants between the ages of 19 and 63 drank forms of oxygen and hydrogen, which were analyzed in urine samples over a two-week period. Comparing how much of each isotope was lost allowed the estimation of how much carbon dioxide the participants produced as well as how much energy they used.
No Evidence the Body Cancels Out Exercise
According to the researchers, as the participants moved more, their total energy used increased accordingly; the body did not appear to compensate by decreasing energy use elsewhere. Breathing, temperature regulation, blood circulation, and other essential functions continued to require the same amount of energy even as activity levels increased. This demonstrates that the body does not offset or cancel out extra calories burned through movement.
“Energy balance was a key piece of the study,” said Kristen Howard, senior research associate at Virginia Tech and the article’s lead author. “We looked at folks who were adequately fueled. It could be that apparent compensation under extreme conditions may reflect under-fueling.”
Less Sitting, More Moving
It was noted that there was a strong connection observed between higher activity levels and decreased time sitting. In more simpler words, those who moved more tended to spend less time being sedentary/inactive overall.
The researchers believe these findings support the long-debated idea of increased movement leading to increased calorie burn. However, while the results support the additive energy model, the research team still suggests that more research is needed in a larger cohort.
“We need more research to understand in whom and under what conditions energy compensation might occur,” said Davy.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN neither agrees nor disagrees with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
