Research

Energy balance

High-intensity exercise suppresses relative energy intake more effectively than low-intensity exercise when energy expenditure is matched, promoting a greater negative energy balance.

If you want to maximize fat loss, high-intensity exercise might be more effective than low-intensity exercise, provided you can tolerate it. This is because high-intensity exercise suppresses your hunger relative to the calories you burned, creating a larger energy deficit. Start with low intensity if you are new to exercise, but consider increasing intensity as your fitness improves.

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high-intensity exercise exerted a greater reducing effect on this variable [relative energy intake] compared with the control and low-intensity exercise sessions. These results suggest that for a given level of energy expenditure, high-intensity exercise favours negative energy balance to a greater extent than low-intensity exercise.
Pascal Imbeault et al. · British Journal Of Nutrition · 1997

Why this rating

Randomized crossover design with objective measurements, but small sample size (n=11) and short duration (acute effects).

Source

Acute effects of exercise on energy intake and feeding behaviour

Pascal Imbeault et al. · British Journal Of Nutrition · 1997

DOI 10.1079/bjn19970053

crossover · n=11Cited 210×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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