Every bit of movement counts — new study shows your daily activity truly adds to calorie burn

Sometimes it can feel like all the effort of moving — a quick walk, a run, or a session at the gym — barely makes a difference. A new study shows it actually does. Every bit of movement adds to your daily calorie burn, without your body reducing energy elsewhere.

The research, led by scientists at Virginia Tech with colleagues from the University of Aberdeen and Shenzhen University, looked at 75 adults aged 19 to 63, from mostly inactive people to ultra-endurance runners. Over two weeks, participants wore sensors that tracked movement and drank special forms of oxygen and hydrogen to measure exactly how many calories their bodies used each day.

The results were gathered, and the scientists found that as activity increased, total energy use also increased. Meanwhile, essential functions like breathing, circulation, and keeping warm stayed the same. This showed that the body didn’t cut back elsewhere. In other words, moving more genuinely adds to your daily energy expenditure.

The study also highlighted that participants were adequately fueled, meaning the body had the energy it needed to support extra activity. In extreme cases of under-fueling, the body might conserve energy, but for most people, daily movement truly adds to calories burned without compromise.

So what does this mean in real life? Small, everyday activities make a difference. Pacing during calls, taking the stairs, or sneaking in stretches during TV breaks all contribute to your total energy use. Getting up from your desk every hour, shoving on a pair of the best running shoes and picking up the pace as you walk the dog, or cycling for a quick errand can all add measurable impact over time.

If long, intense workouts aren’t your thing, or you can’t exercise at the same intensity you once could, don’t worry. You can still do your body plenty of good with smaller, consistent movements.

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