Exercise helps your body burn more energy - all day long

Exercise feels temporary. You run, you sweat, and then you stop. But inside the body, the story continues. Movement keeps the energy engine burning long after the workout ends.

A new study from Virginia Tech, the University of Aberdeen, and Shenzhen University (SZU) shows that physical activity doesn’t make the body save energy elsewhere. Instead, it adds to the total energy you burn every day.

How the body uses energy

The body spends energy like money. Breathing, thinking, digesting – all of it costs calories. For years, scientists wondered if this budget was fixed or flexible. Does the body shift energy away from other tasks when you move more, or does it just burn extra?

The research team decided to find out. They examined how total daily energy use changes with different activity levels.

“Our study found that more physical activity is associated with higher calorie burn, regardless of body composition, and that this increase is not balanced out by the body reducing energy spent elsewhere,” said Kevin Davy, professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech.

Testing the energy expenditure

The experiment was simple but clever. Seventy-five people aged 19 to 63 took part. Some spent most of their day sitting, while others trained like endurance athletes.

Each person drank water labeled with special isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. Over two weeks, researchers collected urine samples to see how much carbon dioxide the body produced. The more carbon dioxide, the more energy used.

Participants also wore small waist sensors that tracked every step and movement. This mix of chemical analysis and motion data gave researchers an exact picture of how daily energy use changes with activity.

Exercise adds more body energy

The results broke a long-standing idea. The body doesn’t cut back energy in one system to make up for energy burned through exercise.

Even during high activity, basic processes such as breathing, blood circulation, and temperature regulation continue at their usual rate. The total energy used simply rises as you move more.

“Energy balance was a key piece of the study,” said Kristen Howard, senior research associate at Virginia Tech.

“We looked at folks who were adequately fueled. It could be that apparent compensation under extreme conditions may reflect under-fueling.”

Daily habits matter too

Something else stood out. People who were more active didn’t just move during workouts – they also spent less time sitting.

This constant light activity added up, making their daily energy use even higher. Exercise didn’t exist in isolation; it changed how people lived throughout the day.

These small differences matter. Standing more often, walking instead of scrolling, or stretching during breaks all add to the energy budget.

The body keeps burning, even in moments that feel still. This idea challenges the belief that only structured workouts make a difference.

Exercise keeps increasing energy

The study supports the “additive” model of energy use. In this model, every bit of movement increases total energy burn without taking from other systems. That means the body’s energy limit isn’t fixed. Instead, it expands with activity.

Insights from the research could shift how health experts think about exercise. Rather than seeing the body as a machine with a set fuel limit, it can be viewed as a dynamic system that adjusts and thrives with movement.

This explains why regular exercise helps maintain healthy weight, supports the heart, and boosts mood – it keeps every part of the system active.

Exercise supports lasting energy

For people trying to stay healthy, this research brings a simple message: every move matters. The body doesn’t cancel out effort. A quick walk after lunch, climbing stairs, or even pacing while on calls contributes to total energy use.

The study also hints at why under-eating during exercise can backfire. When fuel is too low, the body might eventually slow down to protect itself.

Staying adequately nourished keeps the system running smoothly, letting movement boost metabolism rather than strain it.

Future research directions

“We need more research to understand in who and under what conditions energy compensation might occur,” said Davy.

Future studies may explore how extreme sports, stress, or poor diet influence energy patterns. But one thing seems clear – our bodies are built to move and to keep moving.

Each stretch, step, or sprint sets off a quiet chain reaction that lasts far beyond the moment of motion. Energy doesn’t vanish or balance out; it builds upon itself.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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