When it comes to weight loss, we usually focus on doing more exercise, cutting down calories and calorie restriction.
Do you know that exercise does not always burn calories?
Let me start with a short story:
Sarah wanted to lose weight. So she was involved in doing exercise regularly and lost some weight initially and she was very happy with her results. After two months she did not notice any changes in her weight. She was confused and consulted a healthcare professional to find out what was happening.
The expert explained to her about “adaptive thermogenesis”, and said your body is smart. It protects you from what your body thinks of as a threat. Understanding our body in a fitness journey helps us to achieve our goals.
Sarah went to a doctor to know more about adaptive thermogenesis. The doctor explained “Adaptive thermogenesis is a body’s natural response to change in diet and exercise. Our body tries to conserve energy when we start reducing calories. Our body goes into energy-saving mode. We are genetically programmed to live even during famine. By changing your exercise pattern, routine and diet, you may be able to lose weight effectively.”
Sarah learned that it was not about exercising more, it was about exercising smarter and she started to adjust her routine, and was happy to see the results she aimed for.
Exercise vs. physical activity
Exercise is a part of physical activity which is purposely done to improve and maintain health and fitness.
Physical activity is a normal body movement done by skeletal muscles. Physical activity is categorised into household, sports, occupational etc.
Calories: An overview
Calories are the unit of measurement of the energy content of food. Cells in the body would die and the organs would not function properly without energy. The food we consume provides supplies to our bodies. Our body needs energy to work normally even at rest. This includes digestion, respiration, transportation of nutrients, and repairing cells, etc.
The number of calories our body uses at rest is known as Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).
Factors influencing basal metabolic rate
- Body composition
- Gender
- Age
- Medical condition
Body composition
The individuals with higher muscle mass will have a higher BMR.
Gender
Men have a higher BMR when compared to women, as they have higher muscle mass.
Age
BMR tends to decrease with age. Younger people have increased BMR than older people.
Medical condition
Various medical conditions affect BMR. For example, hypothyroidism decreases BMR, while hyperthyroidism increases BMR and other conditions like diabetes, chronic stress and certain medications also influence BMR.
Exercise does not always burn calories
Have you ever wondered why exercise does not always help you to lose weight? Regular exercises help to burn out calories and lose weight. Most people experience weight loss in the beginning and thereafter they stop losing weight. This is despite exercising regularly. Our body stops burning more calories when it gets used to the exercise we are doing. This process is called adaptive thermogenesis.
As the doctor said adaptive thermogenesis or metabolic adaptation is a preventive mechanism to prevent losing extra weight, and it is the process where the metabolism slows down during calorie restriction. It is the body’s mechanism for preserving energy.
Will you burn the same amount of calories every time?
No! The energy requirement for the person initially is not the same after he or she loses weight. Our basal metabolic rate, and total energy expenditure change and our body adapts to the change. This is why you will not burn the same amount of calories always. Adaptive thermogenesis differs from person to person.
Conclusion
The hidden strategy to beat adaptive thermogenesis is changing exercise routine, intensity, and diet pattern. Understanding metabolic factors and a personalised approach helps you to lose weight. It is always important to ensure you do not have any hormonal or medical problems if you can’t lose weight.
Vishnupriya S,
Clinical Dietitian, Simplyweight
