SCIENCE: Does Exercise Actually Help You Lose Weight? Here’s What The Evidence Says.

Your metabolism responds to regular exercise by decreasing the number of calories you burn when you’re not exercising. That’s according to the constrained total energy expenditure hypothesis that spurred the current debate.

Researchers recently tested the hypothesis by measuring the nonexercise calorie burn of 29 obese adults over a nearly 24-hour period, both before and after a six-month exercise program.

They found that the calories they burned when they weren’t working out did decrease after months of regular exercise – but only in those who were prescribed the higher of two different exercise doses.

Moderation is key.