Hormonal

Adherence to a high-carbohydrate diet (60% energy) for 14-20 weeks significantly increases regional cerebral blood flow in the nucleus accumbens (reward) and hypothalamus (homeostasis) compared to a low-carbohydrate diet (20% energy), suggesting neural mechanisms that may impede weight-loss maintenance.

If you are trying to maintain weight loss, the type of carbohydrates you eat matters for your brain's reward system. A diet high in carbohydrates (60% of calories) was shown to increase blood flow to the brain's reward and hunger centers compared to a low-carb diet (20% of calories). This neural activation may make it harder to stick to your diet long-term, even if you are eating the same number of calories. Consider reducing carbohydrate intake to lower levels to potentially dampen these reward-driven hunger signals.