Welcome to the Get Fit Guys quick and dirty tips to get moving and shape up.

My name is Brock Armstrong and I'm the Get Fit Guy.

A listener named Marcia sent an email in asking about weight loss and exercise.

This is what she asked.

I've been doing resistance training and some cardio for a couple of months now, and I've

noticed that I've been gaining weight, mainly around my belly.

Do you have any way to explain this?

Well, yes, Marcia, I do have a few different ways to explain what kind of things might cause you

to gain weight even if you're

exercising. And of course, I won't leave you hanging. I'll also let you know what you can do

to avoid this issue. But let's start here. I don't know where the idea first came from,

but I do know that the majority of people that I have met and coached in my life hold this idea

that the most important factor in losing weight is exercise.

Well, despite how ingrained this belief may be, it is not true.

Here is one important reason why.

The extra calories you burn when you exercise only amount for a small portion of your total

energy expenditure.

In fact, there are three main components to your overall energy expenditure.

Number one, basal metabolic rate, the energy your body uses to stay alive. Well, that makes up 60 to 80% of your

energy expenditure. Then number two is the energy used to break down and metabolize food, and that makes

up about 10% of your daily energy expenditure. And finally, number three, the energy used to make your

body move, and that takes up about 10 to 30% of your daily energy expenditure. While the food you

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