I’m confused about the value of exercise. I just finished rereading Gary Taubes chapter on exercise where the case put forth that exercise is fairly worthless, and possibly even counterproductive to weight loss. The general theory seems to be that exercise raises appetite and that any added calories burned will likely be offset through added calories consumed. He even discounts the idea that building more muscle will lead to higher metabolism because the effect would be fairly small.

I am at a plateau and considering exercise to blast through it but concerned that this could backfire. I understand that exercise has benefits beyond potential weight loss, but in this case my primary concern is body fat.

I have formed a hypothesis and would love your feedback. First let me say that it is logical that exercise stimulates hunger if you are burning glucose for fuel. You use up the glucose stores and then your body tells you to refuel, but if you are in ketosis is it possible it does not stimulate hunger in this same way? The reason is that rather than needing to eat to refuel your body can just access your fat reserves.

If this is not how it works, why? My understanding is that ketosis allows your body to access its fat reserves when it needs fuel. If your body can access its fat reserves then why trigger hunger? (bonking as Peter Attia called it)

My hypothesis is that had the exercise studies been done on people who were in a state of nutritional ketosis that the outcomes and conclusions might be different. Specifically that exercise was not a huge appetite stimulant, because the added fuel needs get taken care of by burning more stored fat as opposed to stimulating more hunger.

Thoughts?