Research
Energy balance
Energy expenditure declines after weight loss due to both reduced body mass (less tissue to maintain and move) and enhanced metabolic efficiency (regulated by homeostatic feedback loops), creating a persistent energy gap.
Your body burns fewer calories after weight loss than expected for your new size. This is due to having less tissue to maintain and a more efficient metabolism driven by your brain. You must account for this drop in expenditure to avoid regaining weight.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
Total energy expenditure declines... The mechanisms are linked to both the loss of body mass and enhanced metabolic efficiency.
Why this rating
Supported by numerous studies in humans and animals.
Source
Biology's response to dieting: the impetus for weight regain
Paul S. MacLean et al. · American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology · 2011
DOI 10.1152/ajpregu.00755.2010
narrative_reviewCited 446×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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