Q&A: Is it true that weight loss during exercise is normal?
Posted December 29th, 2007 at 2:16 PM by Martin Kennedy
Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise
If you weigh yourself before and after an hour or two of exercise, the difference is likely to be fluid loss. However, in events lasting several hours or even several days, measurable fat loss can occur. At a competitive 12-hour indoor stationary bicycle marathon, one athlete took fluids and food throughout the entire competition, and still lost 2.64 pounds (Schweizerische Rundschau für Medizin Praxis, July 2007).
Of this weight loss, 1.98 pounds was due to loss of fat. His calculated muscle weight increased by 1.46 pounds due to damage to the muscle cells, which results in fluid retention in the cells.
During vigorous cycling, an athlete can burn between 600 and 1000 calories per hour, so this cyclist probably used more than 9000 calories in his 12-hour event. That is equal to the amount of energy needed to form almost three pounds of fat. He lost only two pounds of fat because of the prodigious amount of food and drink he took in during the marathon.
You can lose fat during a single exercise session, but you have to be in extremely good shape and exercise for a very long time to accomplish this. For most exercisers, true weight loss will be measured over weeks or months.
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: calories, cell, competition, dehydration, dr. gabe mirkin, drink, energy, event, exercise, exercise session, fat, fat loss, fluid loss, fluid retention, fluids, food, gabe mirkin dr gabe mirkin, health, hydration, intense excerise, measure, measurement, muscle cells, muscle weight, vigorous cycling, weight loss
Like what you see? Subscribe to our feed!















The Final Sprint
[…] Posted by as Uncategorized If you weigh yourself before and after an hour or two of exercise, the difference is likely to be fluid loss. However, in events lasting several hours or even several days, measurable fat loss can occur. At a competitive 12-hour indoor …article continues at Martin Kennedy brought to you by diet.medtrials.info and conSALSITA […]
December 29th, 2007 at 3:08 pm[…] Read the rest of this great post here […]
December 29th, 2007 at 3:43 pm[…] Q&A: Is it true that weight loss during exercise is normal? […]
December 29th, 2007 at 8:34 pm[…] healther wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptYou can lose fat during a single exercise session, but you have to be in extremely good shape and exercise for a very long time to accomplish this. For most exercisers, true weight loss will be measured over weeks or months. … […]
December 30th, 2007 at 1:33 am[…] Read the rest of this great post here […]
December 30th, 2007 at 6:13 am