The more you exercise, the more you lounge around: Study
Do you feel the urge to rest for some time after a workout session? You are not alone. A recent study suggests that the more we exercise, the longer we lounge around. The study published in the journal Current Nutrition Reports found that even if people engage in exercises regularly, this drop in physical activity may hinder their ability to lose weight successfully.
People should be aware of their non-exercise physical activity
Study author Julie Marvel Mansfeldt, a graduate student at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports (NEXS), told Fox News Digital that if people are aiming for weight loss, then they should be aware of their "non-exercise physical activity (NEPA)"- which includes activities such as "walking the dog, riding a bike to work or standing at the desk at work."
Study findings
Mansfeldt conducted a systemic analysis of 24 research papers that examined people's levels of daily physical activity both before and after engaging in various types of structured exercise regimens. The research team discovered that someone more committed to a regular workout regimen is more likely to "lounge around" and avoid other, unstructured daily physical activities, such as climbing stairs.
Lounging around can be a barrier to weight loss
The amount of regular exercise a person gets appears to have a big impact on whether or not they can successfully lose weight. "If these activities are suddenly stopped, the total daily energy expenditure is less than expected — and thus the weight loss will be less than expected," Mansfeldt shared. "Compensation of NEPA can thus be a barrier to weight loss."
Dietary compensations
"People adjust their calorie intake based on how they feel after engaging in physical exercise," says Mansfeldt. "For example, if they did not enjoy running, they increased their energy intake afterward, which is an example of dietary compensation — and this is potentially also true for non-exercise physical activities." Across all weight groups, men and women had decreased non-exercise physical activity, the study revealed.
