Research
Energy balance
Exercise interventions typically result in less weight loss than predicted by simple energy balance models due to metabolic and behavioral compensation.
Do not be discouraged if you do not lose weight as fast as you calculate. Your body will try to compensate by making you hungrier or moving less. Focus on the health benefits and consistency rather than just the scale.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Dhurandhar and colleagues estimate that exercise studies typically result in 55–64 % less weight loss than expected due to compensation
Why this rating
Supported by systematic reviews and specific intervention studies.
Source
How can physical activity facilitate a sustainable future? Reducing obesity and chronic disease
David J. Stensel · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · 2023
DOI 10.1017/s0029665123002203
narrative_reviewCited 18×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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