Hormonal
Intentional weight loss triggers strong counterregulatory physiological responses, specifically increased hunger and reduced energy expenditure (hypometabolism), which actively defend the original body weight and facilitate rapid weight regain.
Expect that losing weight will make you hungrier and your metabolism slower. This is a biological defense, not a personal failure. To maintain loss, you must actively counterbalance these adaptations, likely through strategies like increased physical activity and specific dietary choices (e.g., fiber) that support metabolic rate, as standard willpower-based approaches often fail against this biological pushback.
Concerning intentional weight loss, this is reported to elicit strong counterregulatory responses, namely hunger and hypometabolism, which attenuate changes in body weight (5).
Why this rating
Supported by multiple animal and human studies cited in the text.
Source
Physiology of Energy Intake in the Weight‐Reduced State
Hans‐Rudolf Berthoud et al. · Obesity · 2021
DOI 10.1002/oby.23080
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