Can exercise make you lose weight? Experts say NO
Walk into any gym and you will see it – people sweating it out on treadmills, pushing through HIIT classes, cycling for hours, all in the hope of shedding kilos. They track every calorie burnt, every bead of sweat, believing that more movement means more weight loss. You will often hear stories in locker rooms or over coffee, “Spinning helped me lose massive weight” or “Strength training literally melted my belly fat.”
But Tim Spector, an award-winning British epidemiologist and a leading expert on gut health, diet, and microbiomes, says otherwise. According to him, there is no solid clinical evidence to prove that exercise alone leads to weight loss. “If you haven’t changed anything else in your lifestyle and are relying only on your workouts, whether it’s the weights you are lifting or the 10,000 steps you are clocking, you are setting yourself up for failure,” he warns.
Spector is not anti-exercise. He’s quick to acknowledge its benefits. It improves stamina, betters mood, enables a stronger heart and provides even cancer protection. But he’s clear- its role in weight loss is minimal unless your diet and lifestyle are also in check. “Exercise can help people avoid gaining more weight,” he says, “but that’s only if they’ve already fixed their diet.”
So, if you are sweating it out in the gym but indulging in pizza, sugary coffees, or processed snacks every other day, you have been misled, possibly by a well-meaning trainer or a fitness app promising fast fat burn. Whoever coined the phrase “Abs are made in the kitchen” clearly knew what they were talking about. In the weight-loss game, what you eat matters far more than the hours you put in at the gym.
And here’s a rough deal- working out can actually make you hungrier. That post-run craving for a big plate of pasta? It’s biology. When you exercise, your body burns energy and instinctively wants to replace it. If you are not careful about what you eat next, you might just end up eating more than you burnt, undoing all your hard work. “When you work out, your body tries to regain the energy it has lost, and so you feel more hungry,” says Spector. “That’s where control and the right choices come in.”
There’s also the matter of nutrition. You could be fitter, stronger and more energetic from your workouts but if your diet is poor, it can stunt muscle growth, cause nutrient deficiencies, and leave you feeling drained. Over time, this can sabotage your goals, no matter how disciplined you are in the gym.
The bottom line? Exercise is great for your mind, your mood and your overall health but if the goal is weight loss, it can’t carry the load alone. Your diet is non-negotiable. If you really want to see the needle move on the weighing scale, focus on what’s on your plate as much as (or even more than) what’s on your workout schedule.
Let’s take a look at what all a healthy diet includes:
Plenty of vegetables (especially a mix of leafy greens, cruciferous veggies and colorful ones like carrots and bell peppers)
Fresh fruits –(seasonal, and not overly processed- avoid fruit juices with added sugar)
Whole grains, especially millets
Lean proteins (for example fish, skinless poultry, eggs, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, beans)
Healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil)
Low-fat or fermented dairy (yogurt, curd, buttermilk)
Herbs and spices that are anti-inflammatory
Drink adequate water