After an hour of vigorous jogging, the scale dropped a generous kilo, which is so satisfying! However, can exercise make you lose weight without changing your eating habits? Nothing is uncertain.
The composition of the kilogram lost through effort is 88.5% water, 10% sugar and … 1.5% fat, or 15 grams of fat.
Even if the fat loss rate doubles during the recovery period (total fat loss of 30g), we understand that exercise is not enough to lose weight. It takes several hours of intensive training each day to start paying off. For example, it takes 30 hours of hard work to lose 1 kg of body fat!
However, this explanation is too hasty to completely exclude exercise from your weight loss plan.
Why link exercise with diet?
burn calories more easily
Some people practice it specifically for this reason: Exercise builds muscle! Also because muscle is heavier than fat, weight gain may be observed after training for a few days. However, this muscle gain is beneficial. Because muscle, even at rest, consumes a lot of energy, and it also exists in the form of fat. Therefore, the more muscle there is, the faster the body will function.
As a result of increased muscle mass, basal energy expenditure — that is, the amount of energy your body needs at rest — increases. In this way, more calories will naturally be consumed. It is thought that for every 1% increase in basic energy expenditure, up to 700 grams of additional fat mass can be consumed per year.
Physical activity has an effect not only on muscle quantity, but also on muscle mass. The structure of muscle cells adapts to their new function and becomes more efficient. It gradually equips itself with more mitochondria, providing our cells with veritable powerhouses and stimulating enzymes involved in energy consumption. Muscles thus gain a better ability to use fat as an energy source. For example, a novice runner who burns 300 calories during his first training session can reach 1,000 calories after a few months of practice.
To avoid regaining lost weight
One of the side effects of dieting with deprivation is often weight regain…how to explain our efforts so easily undone?
If you lose fat (=fat mass), you also lose muscle (=lean mass). However, keep in mind the consequence of gaining muscle: the body’s basic energy expenditure increases, allowing it to use calories better.
vice versa. Whoever said that less lean body mass means less energy expenditure, and therefore better calorie storage when the opportunity arises… more simply put, diets use a body that deprives it of a source of energy that once it occasionally would, Start saving heavily to cover new shortages that may arise.
It is known that the loss of lean body mass by diet alone is about 25% of the weight lost. This percentage was cut in half when the diet was accompanied by endurance-type physical activity. The risk of regaining weight after dieting is halved.
have a more beautiful silhouette
Improving your figure is often the number one motivator for weight loss. In this sense, combining physical activity with your diet can keep you in shape and looking your best while losing weight.
Have the courage to follow your diet
Physical activity is good for morale! This is the conclusion of various cross-sectional studies on its benefits. In addition to having a positive impact on experience and responses to psychosocial constraints, physical activity will be a source of better mental health, improved mood and self-esteem. The benefit is an increase in serotonin levels in the brain, thus having a real “antidepressant” effect. Conclusion: Our motivation to lose weight is unlimited!
