Thank you for the response, Steven. I appreciate that perspective and can understand the potential issue with promoting greater caloric intake through exercise. I think a lot depends on how you are fueling that increased desire for food. There are many drivers to hunger — volume and type of food intake, sleep, body fat %, activity level, attention — and I don’t think increasing exercise by default results in the body seeking to eat more. If adding exercise reduces stress, improves insulin resistance (through either increase in muscle mass, increase in estrogen, improved cardiovascular output, or a combination), reduces pain, or provides a stronger desire to eat well, I think the energy balance difference can be overcome.

If it is a habit, the individual enjoys exercise, and the exercise intensity is appropriate, then an effective long-term strategy can be developed. The problem is when exercise is treated like a crash diet, shooting for a goal number of a scale through any means necessary.

As you said, exercise is great for many aspects of health. I think weight loss is included but not as a stand-alone intervention. It must be paired with good dietary and sleep habits.