Research
Energy balance
Physical activity is a critical factor in successful long-term weight maintenance, likely by mitigating the increased appetite and decreased energy expenditure associated with the weight-reduced state.
Incorporate regular, moderately vigorous to vigorous physical activity into your routine. It helps counteract the biological drive to eat more and the slowdown in metabolism that occurs after weight loss. Focus on consistency rather than intensity.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
The greater strength of the negative feedback circuit controlling appetite might explain why high levels of physical activity are often associated with successful maintenance of lost weight... increased physical activity may allow for increased energy intake at the same level of weight loss, thereby mitigating the persistent effort required to counter increased appetite.
Why this rating
The paper notes that study designs make it difficult to determine causality, though the association is strong.
Source
Describing the Weight‐Reduced State: Physiology, Behavior, and Interventions
Louis J. Aronne et al. · Obesity · 2021
DOI 10.1002/oby.23086
narrative_reviewCited 105×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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