Energy balance
Persistent energy imbalance triggers metabolic adaptation (adaptive thermogenesis), causing energy expenditure to deviate disproportionately from predictions based on changes in body composition.
When you lose weight, your body burns fewer calories than expected for your new size. This is a normal survival response called metabolic adaptation. To counter this, focus on preserving muscle mass through resistance training and consider a slower, more gradual weight loss approach to minimize the metabolic drop.
These data clearly suggest a disproportionate change in energy expenditure not only during, but also well beyond, the dynamic phase of weight change, a phenomenon known as metabolic adaptation or adaptive thermogenesis.
Why this rating
The paper cites multiple clinical studies (CALERIE, morbidly obese interventions) showing consistent metabolic adaptation, though it is a review of methodologies and observations rather than a single controlled trial.
Source
Analysis of energy metabolism in humans: A review of methodologies
Yan Y. Lam et al. · Molecular Metabolism · 2016
DOI 10.1016/j.molmet.2016.09.005
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