Energy balance
In free-living humans, increased physical activity triggers energy compensation, where basal metabolic rate (BEE) decreases such that only ~72% of the calories burned through activity translate into increased total energy expenditure (TEE).
When you exercise, your body naturally lowers your resting metabolism to save energy. On average, you only get 72% of the 'extra' calories burned from exercise added to your total daily burn. This doesn't mean exercise is bad, but it means you cannot simply 'eat back' all the calories you burned. Weight loss requires managing intake, as exercise alone faces a biological ceiling due to this compensation.
energy compensation by a typical human averages 28% due to reduced BEE; this suggests that only 72% of the extra calories we burn from additional activity translates into extra calories burned that day.
Why this rating
Large dataset (n=1,754) using gold-standard DLW and respirometry methods, though observational in nature for the main cohort.
Source
Energy compensation and adiposity in humans
Vincent Careau et al. · Current Biology · 2021
DOI 10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016
More from this paper
- The degree of energy compensation increases with body fat mass (FM), with individuals at the 90th percentile of BMI compensating ~49% of activity calories compared to ~28% for those at the 10th percentile.Good
- Energy compensation occurs primarily at the within-individual level (reversible trade-offs over time) rather than the between-individual level (genetic/permanent differences), meaning active periods lead to lower basal rates for the same person.Moderate
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