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For a very long time now, many researchers have been trying to find the correct correlation between exercise and the rate of metabolism. While it has been seen that exercise has an effect to increase the basal metabolic rate (BMR), there has also been proof that exercises also bring down the metabolic rate.

Prior to getting boggled by these opposing results seen by the researchers with respect to the rate of metabolism while performing exercise, we need to know that within the confines of a day, everyone burns some calories that is termed as the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

This TDEE constitutes of various other smaller units of energy expenditure such as the energy spent while the person is at rest which is called RMR and the energy spent for digesting the food consumed in addition to the energy for performing day-to-day activities. While RMR amounts to a whopping 60% of energy consumed, 10% goes to involuntary functions like digestion, around 15 to 30% amount to energy for normal activities. Exercise needs more calories for use when the activity is happening.

Researchers have studied the acute effect of undertaking the exercise on the energy that is being exhausted. In most of these studies, there is a faster metabolic rate in a period of a day following the exercise. For example, aerobics shoot up the rate of metabolism just after the session is over.

There is also a probability that men and women have different effects of exercise on the metabolism. Most of the researches that were conducted have used men for the study. But, women have shown not much change in RMR when comparisons were made between women who were in the habit of exercising and those who were not. This goes to conclude that women appear to use up lesser amount of calories both at rest and while exercising.

Although a lot of data has been assimilated through several researches that have been conducted in this regard, it is still very difficult to come to a conclusion mainly owing to the various methodologies that have been followed. However, there is growing evidence seen that there is a definite correlation between exercise and the metabolic rate. A few of these observations are listed below:

There is a high possibility that exercise will boost up the rate of metabolism 6 to 36 hours after the session.

Based on the type of exercise followed, there may be a threshold limit in terms of the amount and period to which the metabolism is affected.

The intensity of Normal activity is elevated if endurance exercises programs are followed frequently.

Sex of the individual seems to play a role in the correlation between exercise and metabolic rate. Women seem to demonstrate a lesser effect in comparison to men.

Resistance training has been shown to enhance the metabolic rates more so in older people.

Weight training exercises brings about improvement in muscle mass. There are more calories that are expended during this exercise. As muscle mass improves, there is an increase in the rate of metabolism.