Can High-Intensity Exercises Actually Lead To Weight Gain?

Conventional wisdom holds that high-intensity exercise is key to burning calories and losing weight. However, a recent study challenges this belief, suggesting that pushing oneself too hard may have the opposite effect.

Potential weight gain from high-intensity exercise

While exercise is crucial for weight loss, a single session of high-intensity exercise (HIE) that causes heavy sweating can reduce subsequent physical activity and core body temperature. This reduction can lead to weight gain, even without increased food intake. The study found that after intense workouts, people often reduce their overall daily movement, which can counteract the calories burned during the exercise session.

Impact on sleep and cortisol levels

High-intensity workouts can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, or natural sleep-wake cycle, and elevate cortisol levels, a stress hormone. Elevated cortisol can increase appetite and decrease motivation for further physical activity. This cycle can lead to consuming more calories than those burned, ultimately causing weight gain.

Metabolic effects of high-intensity exercise

HIE significantly impacts the body's metabolism, initially boosting it to burn more calories. However, the accompanying surge in cortisol can act as a double-edged sword. While it ramps up calorie expenditure initially, it also triggers intense cravings for high-calorie foods. Yielding to these cravings can negate the calorie deficit created by the exercise, leading to potential weight gain.

When high-intensity workouts backfire

Not all high-intensity workouts are equally effective for weight management. Excessively long, frequent, or intense sessions can be counterproductive. Overdoing HIE can lead to increased fatigue and a drop in overall physical activity levels throughout the day. It's important to balance exercise intensity with adequate recovery to avoid these negative effects..