Losing Weight by Exercising is Tougher for Obese People

Losing weight by exercising is harder to achieve for obese people, according to a recent study.

Those behind the research looked at the energy expenditure of 1,754 adults from data collected over decades and supplied by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The results led scientists to believe that the body starts to compensate for extra energy exertion through exercise by reducing the natural energy spent on basic metabolic functions, like immune function and wound healing.

That could be the reason why weight loss starts quickly before plateauing the longer the process goes on.

Those with the highest BMI (Body Mass Index) displayed a trend suggesting roughly half of the calories burned in activity translated into calories burned at the end of the day, while those with a more standard BMI showed approximately 72% of calories burned during activity were reflected in the daily energy expenditure.

“There does seem to be … greater energy compensation in people with a higher BMI,” Prof Lewis Halsey, lead author of the study, told the Guardian.

“Are these people heavier, in part, because they energy compensate more, or is it that they energy compensate more once they are heavier? We don’t know.”

A healthy way to lose weight?

The answer is a simple mix of increased activity throughout the week and a healthy diet that doesn’t facilitate a high-calorie intake. That will make the process of losing weight by exercising more effective.

If the balance isn’t there, too many calories will lead to gaining weight, especially if the amount of time spent exercising isn’t long enough.

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