Does exercise help you lose fat? According to some experts the answer is that exercise alone won’t shed those pounds. However, that answer is wrong. It’s a matter of simple science when it comes to weight loss. If you eat 3500 fewer calories than you expend, you lose one pound. If you don’t change your diet one bit and were maintaining your weight, not gaining weight, exercise boosts the amount of calories you burn. That increase will eventually add up to 3500 calories and you’ll shed a pound. Of course, a more prudent method of weight loss is to combine exercise with healthy eating.

Exercise gives your metabolism a boost.

One problem with most diet plans is that they burn lean muscle tissue, while it burns fat. That can slow your efforts to lose weight. Exercising boosts the development of muscle tissue, so when you cut your calories, you’ll burn fat instead. Muscle tissue also requires more energy for maintenance than fat tissue does, so the more you have, the higher your metabolism. It boosts your energy level so you’ll be more active, too.

Exercise blasts away at stress hormones.

Have you ever reached for a bag of crunchy chips when you’re frustrated or some soft yummy ice cream as a nurturing partner? You’ll be able to avoid these thigh thumpers if you workout first. Exercise not only eliminates the hormones of stress, it also stimulates the brain to create ones that make you feel good. It’s a great way to block the blues or get rid of that angry pent up emotion you want to direct at your boss. That tension relief can prevent you from overeating or eating high calorie foods and be a great aid in weight loss.

You’ll look thinner when you exercise.

The whole idea of weight loss is to look thinner. Sometimes, when people workout they don’t lose weight, but they do lose a clothing size or two. That’s because they built muscle tissue and muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue does per cubic inch. It’s like comparing the size of a container to hold exactly a pound of feathers with a container holding exactly a pound of steel. The container holding the pound of steel will be smaller. Looking great and thinner is the goal. After all, nobody goes around with a button that says, “You may not notice it but I lost two pounds.”

• The best type of exercising for weight loss is strength-building resistance exercises.
• One study showed that women who lost weight while using resistance training, maintained muscle mass and their metabolic rate. Those who didn’t, lost muscle mass and ended with a lower metabolic rate.
• No matter how much you exercise, if you increase your caloric intake, you won’t lose weight. Exercise is not a miracle worker if you eat a big plate of fries and a burger after your workout.
• Exercise reduces the amount of ghrelin—the hunger hormone—in your body, which can suppress your appetite.