A few days ago, I was asked a rather unconventional question:
"Hey, K! Can studying actually help with weight loss? I have a friend who lost 20 pounds after finishing their postgraduate exams! Isn't that a win-win situation? It's so tempting!"
Upon closer inspection, the "use your brain to lose weight" method seems to have some merit:
Although the brain accounts for only about 2% of the body's total weight, it consumes a significant amount of energy: even at rest (commonly referred to as: doing nothing), the brain's glucose consumption is about 20% of the total glucose consumption of the body.
Given the high "energy consumption" of the brain, can I achieve weight loss by "using my brain more" (studying hard, working diligently, and thinking deeply)?
In this article, we will use scientific evidence to analyze this question thoroughly.
"The Calorie Burn from Using Your Brain May Not Be as Exaggerated as You Think."
Let's start with the conclusion:
The fact that "the brain consumes a lot of energy" does not equate to "using your brain more will burn a lot more calories."
While your brain's energy consumption may account for about 20% when you're daydreaming, even during an all-nighter before an exam, your brain's energy consumption only increases to about 20%-25%.
To put it simply:
Lying down and doing nothing, using your brain more might burn a few extra calories, but not as many as actually getting up and moving (it might not even be as much as a few potato chips).
You might be wondering:
Why is that? Isn't my brilliant brain worth more energy consumption? Is there a way to make my brain work harder?
This question leads us to the principles of how the brain works: While the brain consumes a lot of energy, it has a very weak capacity for energy storage, so it essentially operates on a "you eat what the blood brings" basis.
Expanding a bit more:
When brain nerve cells generate action potentials, they do consume energy, but the energy consumption of action potentials is actually lower than we might imagine.
In the cerebral cortex, the energy consumption for action potentials only accounts for about 21% of the total energy required for signal transmission in the brain, and in the cerebellum, it's even lower at about 17%.
In fact, the average metabolic rate of each neuron is relatively stable, independent of the size of the brain, and there's not much difference between species.
You can understand it as:
Whether you're studying or daydreaming, each neuron dutifully spends according to a certain ratio (within a certain range), after all, nerve cells don't have something like "credit" to spend.
Moreover, neurons are non-renewable cells, and after adulthood, it's impossible to expect a surge in the number of nerve cells. With the number and individual neuron requirements relatively unchanged, the overall energy consumption of the brain doesn't fluctuate much.
The brain you think you have:
High-speed operation, consuming energy fiercely.
The actual brain you have:
You might ask again:
That's all well and good, but many people do lose weight after intense studying or a period of serious learning, right?
However! "Losing weight" is just an appearance, and how much the "brain work" is related to it is not certain:
👯♀️ In some high-intensity intellectual situations, people may experience weight loss, but it's not just due to the brain's slight energy consumption.
This situation is more likely due to the body's muscle tension increasing, the secretion of hormones like adrenaline, and a significant boost in basal metabolism, creating an energy deficit.
Combined with disrupted eating patterns (studying to the point of forgetting to eat and sleep!), it results in a temporary decrease in body weight.
For example, in 1984, chess player Anatoly Karpov lost 10 kg after 5 months and 48 games (the final match was canceled). In 2004, chess player Rustam Kasimzhanov lost 17 pounds (about 7.7 kg) after 6 games and later chose to withdraw from the competition.
"Using the Brain vs. Using the Legs: Still Recommend Taking a Step Forward.”
If you really want to burn fat, exercise actually offers a higher "cost-effectiveness" ratio. Compared to "brain work" for weight loss, exercise has these additional benefits:
1️⃣ The fat loss effect is more stable, commonly known as "not easy to rebound."
2️⃣ It allows you to achieve a more attractive physique. After exercise, your body fat percentage decreases, and your muscle mass increases. Even if the number on the scale doesn't change much, the difference in body fat percentage can make a significant difference in your appearance.
3️⃣ Exercise also has a great effect on reducing visceral fat.
Studies have shown that a 5% weight loss from exercise can reduce visceral fat by 21.3%. Even if your weight remains the same, exercise can still reduce visceral fat by 6.1%. Doesn't that sound great? Through exercise, you also gain a healthier body!
4️⃣ Exercise has many other positive effects on the body.
For example, it can regulate the secretion of various hormones in the body, allowing you to eat well and sleep well. Or it can participate in the regulation of the body's inflammatory and immune cells, reducing inflammation and the occurrence of immune problems. The key point is that it can also reduce the risk of death!
In summary, the benefits of exercise are too numerous, and "weight loss" and "losing weight" are just the tip of the iceberg.
If your goal is fat loss and body shaping, compared to "brain work," "leg work" is more recommended!
Of course, whether or not fat loss is successful is not determined by simply "burning more." A healthy dietary pattern, adequate sleep, and a pleasant mood all play important roles in the outcome of weight loss.
