#07 The Compensator

Doing more isn’t always the best approach. Church and Martin are publishing a new study that arrives at a surprising conclusion: those who exercise an average of half an hour a day on a treadmill don’t lose any more weight than those who spend 15 minutes on the same task. The team measured participants’ energy intake and expenditure and concluded that, though the more committed runners were burning more calories, they were eating more food because they deemed it a ‘reward’ for their good work and commitment (sound familiar?). If your weight barely changes, even when you increase your training volume or intensity, you probably fall into this category.

The prescription

Wearable activity trackers offer a good starting point. Your body burns about one calorie per kilo of body weight per hour at rest, equating to roughly 2,160kcal a day if you weigh 90kg, or 1,560kcal if you’re 60kg. Run for half an hour and you might burn an extra 300kcal – which sounds like a lot until you realise it’s equivalent to a slice of toast with peanut butter. Factor your postworkout refuel into the rest of your meal plan. It’s not a ‘treat’.

Church and Martin noted that this behaviour is particularly prevalent among those who have high blood sugar and an impaired insulin response, who were three times more likely to overeat after a workout. They believe the drop in blood sugar after training increases appetite. But try to ride it out: over time, a steady training programme improves your insulin sensitivity, while encouraging your body to burn more fat for energy.

There’s a second possible culprit: if your training leaves you so burnedout that you barely move in the next two days, you’ll be lucky if your weekly calorie balance breaks even. Build in low-impact activities such as walking or cycling to your rest days. A little extra sweat, we know – but it could be a life-changer.