Exercise burns fewer calories than people think, and “reward” eating often exceeds the burn. Research by Pontzer shows compensatory eating frequently negates exercise’s caloric benefit. A hard 30-minute workout burns 200-300 calories; a post-workout smoothie or muffin exceeds 500. Beyond calories, treating food as exercise reward creates problematic relationships—movement becomes something to compensate for.
This companion covers the compensation math, the psychology problem, disconnecting exercise from eating, and exercise for its own sake. (4 min read)