When most people begin an exercise program, they are often hoping to lose fat and improve their health. Ironically, there are some unfortunate circumstances in which individuals may actually gain fat after beginning to exercise. The reason for this is that some people choose to reward their efforts by eating more desserts, which leads to a caloric surplus rather than a caloric deficit.
In two similar studies, subjects engaged in moderate physical activity. For half of the subjects, activity was referred to as “exercise”, while for the other half, the activity was referred to as a “scenic walk”. After the activity, the subjects were given access to food. Those who had engaged in the “exercise” ate significantly more desserts and overall calories as a “reward” for exercising.
Conclusions
The phenomenon that occurred in these studies is a well-known effect referred to as “self-licensing”, and can be a major obstacle towards seeing results when beginning an exercise program. Because many people heavily underestimate how many calories they reward themselves with, and heavily overestimate how many calories they burn during exercise, it is very common for individuals to reward themselves with substantially more calories than they burned.
In order to reap the weight loss benefits of exercise, it is imperative that individuals do not fall into this trap and continue to maintain a strict diet in conjunction with their exercise program.
References
1 Werle CO, Wansink B, Payne CR. Is it fun or exercise? The framing of physical activity biases subsequent snacking. Marketing Letters. 2014 May.