Two studies of neutral quality design (Burleson et al., 1998; Gillette et al., 1994) conducted with a total of 25 men, aged 20-35 years, reported that the increase in energy expenditure associated with lifting weights at moderate to high intensities for 27 to 100 minutes persisted following the end of exercise and represented a mean VO2 increase above baseline RMR of 11% for the shorter-duration workout measured at 90 minutes, and 15% above baseline (or approximately 0.05 L/min) for the longer-duration workout measured at 120 minutes, such that a measure taken at this point would become clinically significant when extrapolated to 24 hours. In a third study of neutral research quality design (Williamson DL et al, 1997), 12 older (59-77 years) men performed single-leg knee extension exercise (right and left leg) and bench press lifts (16 sets, 10 rep/set with a timed recovery between sets) at 75% of the individual’s three repetition max (3 RM) for 90 minutes, group mean 48-hour post exerciseVO2 consumption was 3% greater than non-exercise control (i.e., a VO2 consumption difference from control of 0.007 L/minute ); such that when extrapolated to 24 hours represents a 57 kcals/day difference from control and is not clinically significant.

In women, the recovery to baseline RMR following resistance exercise is more complete by 90 minutes following exercise. One study of neutral research design quality (Binzen, et al., 2001) conducted with 10 women, 24-34 y, found that the increase in energy expenditure associated with lifting weights at high intensity for 45 min had returned to baseline RMR levels at 90 minutes post-exercise, and the group mean RMR was approximately 7% above the pre-exercise RMR, such that a measure taken at this point (i.e., 90 minutes) would become clinically significant when extrapolated to 24 hours.

Generalizability to old and very old individuals or to the obese or physically ill is not possible because no study participants were from these groups.