Research
Energy balance
Successful long-term weight loss maintenance is associated with high levels of physical activity (averaging ~2,621 kcal/week), but there is no single optimal amount of activity required, as successful maintainers exhibit wide variability in activity levels.
If you are trying to maintain weight loss, aim for regular physical activity, but do not stress about hitting a specific calorie-burn target. Successful maintainers vary widely in how much they exercise. Focus on finding activities you enjoy and can sustain long-term, whether that is walking, resistance training, or other forms of movement.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
NWCR entrants report an average of 2,621 ± 2,252 kcal/week in physical activity. There is considerable variability in the amount of activity reported: 25.3% report <1,000 kcal/week and 34.9% report >3,000 kcal/week... Overall, NWCR participants are an extremely physically active group. However, the amount of activity reported is highly variable, making it difficult to develop a single recommendation for the optimum amount of physical activity for weight loss maintenance.
Why this rating
Large sample size (N=3,683) and longitudinal registry design, though reliant on self-reported data.
Source
Physical Activity Patterns in the National Weight Control Registry
Victoria A. Catenacci et al. · Obesity · 2008
DOI 10.1038/oby.2007.6
cohort · n=3683Cited 194×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Higher levels of physical activity at the time of registry entry are associated with greater magnitude of weight loss maintained, although activity level does not predict the duration of maintenance.Good
- Walking is the most common form of physical activity among successful weight loss maintainers, followed by resistance training, cycling, and running.Good
Related findings · Energy balance
- Achieving a total body weight loss of 10-15% (or >10-15 kg) through Total Diet Replacement (TDR) induces remission of Type 2 Diabetes in individuals with short-duration disease.Strong
- Bariatric surgery is superior to medical management alone for inducing significant long-term weight loss, remission of type 2 diabetes, and reduction in mortality for patients with BMI ≥ 40 or ≥ 35 with comorbidities.Strong
- Achieving type 2 diabetes remission requires significant weight loss (≥15 kg) via major caloric restriction, independent of macronutrient composition.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →