6 Reasons Why Exercise Speeds Up Weight Loss

A popular saying among fitness advocates is that you can’t outrun a poor diet. This euphemism helps explain that exercise alone will not compensate for a diet that is lacking in nutrition or overly saturated in calories.

So, if you can’t outrun a poor diet, why should you exercise at all? Many of us simply don’t have time or the desire to exercise daily. But it looks like there are still reasons to exercise when trying to lose weight. Here are 6 reasons why exercise speeds up weight loss.

How Exercise Speeds Up Weight Loss

1.Maintains Muscle Mass

When you’re exercising for weight loss, many people consider losing pounds on the scale as a primary indicator that it’s working. Unfortunately, exercise and reduced calorie diet should really aim for fat loss. This shows that you’re maintaining your muscle mass while losing fat.

Healthline notes that reduced calorie diets without exercise can mean your body chooses to burn muscle protein along with your fat stores. Exercising helps prevent this by building muscle and replacing muscle lost during the low-calorie diet.

2. You Burn Calories after the Fact

Calories-in needs to be lower than calories-out. This is a basic formula for weight loss. Fitness Magazine notes that not only will exercise increase the number of calories you burn but it will also help you burn more calories throughout the day. People who participate in muscle building activities see an increase in their overall metabolic rate. Exercise makes your body better at losing fat.

3. You Can Speed up Your Metabolism

WebMD highlights how exercise can speed up your metabolism. This is done through two pathways. Aerobic exercise helps increase your total calorie burn for the day. Anaerobic, muscle building exercise, can increase your overall metabolism by increasing the amount of lean body mass you have. Exercise is a great metabolic changer.

4. It Prevents Yo-Yo Dieting

Having your weight constantly go up and down 10 pounds isn’t healthy. It can also be de-motivating. The CDC highlights that exercise is one of the few ways to maintain weight loss. It’s the largest factor in maintained weight loss superseding any other lifestyle element. Helping prevent yo-yoing during your initial weight loss can give you higher levels of motivation and dedication.

5. You Lose More Weight

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but we all want to lose weight overnight. The only way to increase the amount of weight you lose is by increasing your calorie burn. People who changed nothing about their nutrition and only added exercise could expect to lose more weight than those who didn’t exercise. U.S. News notes that adding exercise can increase your weight loss about 6.6 pounds versus those who don’t exercise.

6. Behavior Modification

Do you snack at night? Exercise can be one of the best ways to change your bad habits. Livestrong notes that people who choose to exercise at night can stop habits such as late night over eating and snacking while watching TV. This happens because they are both releasing anti-hunger hormones through exercise and doing an activity that prevents them from eating.

What Types Of Exercise Speeds Up Weight Loss?

Weight loss is a difficult thing. But, if exercise speeds up weight loss and increases your chances of success, it should be included in your weight loss regimen. If you’re looking to change your habits, replacing sedentary activities with exercise can greatly improve your weight loss and long-term outcomes.

And, some exercises actually burn more calories than others. To learn more, download my free report 6 of The Best Types of Exercise for Weight Loss.