Do what? exercise may make you gain weight?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between exercise and weight gain, particularly whether exercise can lead to increased hunger and subsequent overeating, potentially negating weight loss efforts. Participants explore various aspects of this topic, including body composition, dietary habits, and personal experiences related to exercise and weight management.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants highlight that while exercise burns calories, it may also stimulate hunger, leading individuals to eat more and potentially gain weight.
  • Others suggest that the effectiveness of exercise for weight loss may depend on dietary habits, with some arguing that people often overindulge after exercising, believing they can afford to eat more.
  • A participant notes that muscle is denser than fat, implying that changes in body composition may not reflect in weight loss, as individuals may lose fat while gaining muscle.
  • Some express skepticism about the studies cited, questioning the definitions of "exercise" used and whether they adequately measure body composition changes.
  • A competitive runner shares a personal perspective, stating that intense workouts do not necessarily increase their hunger, suggesting that individual responses to exercise may vary.
  • Several participants agree that cutting calories through diet is generally easier than burning them through exercise, emphasizing the importance of a balanced approach to weight management.
  • One participant introduces the concept of a metabolic "set point," suggesting it may play a role in weight management, but acknowledges uncertainty about its acceptance in the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views on the relationship between exercise, hunger, and weight management. There is no consensus on whether exercise is beneficial for weight loss without dietary considerations, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the effectiveness of exercise alone.

Contextual Notes

Some participants point out limitations in the studies referenced, such as the lack of controlled diets and the potential variability in what constitutes effective exercise. There are also differing personal experiences regarding hunger and exercise, indicating that responses may vary significantly among individuals.

  • #31
lisab said:
Keep in mind that muscle is denser than fat.

OK, but what about body composition changes? I can't believe that wasn't measured. The women who exercised most may have gotten a lot smaller, but as they exchanged fat for muscle, their weight may not have changed.
I suppose it depends on wether you want to look thin and be healthy or you care more about being compared to a platinum cylinder in Paris
 
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  • #32
Well depends what exercise. Weight training will obviously make you gain muslce, which will make you gain weight.

How ever, weight gain, the same with weight loss is dictated mostly by calories in vs calories out.

Simply, if you want to lose weight, then you have to eat less calories than your body needs to maintain your weight. There's loads of online calculators to work out what your maintainence calories are.
 

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