Seek Balance, Not Just Reduction

Reductions in resting energy expenditure during periods of calorie restriction may indicate metabolic adaptation, but they also complicate active weight loss and maintenance. Evidence from the Minnesota semi-starvation study highlights that despite predicted weight loss, subjects lost only about two-thirds of the expected amount due to a substantial decrease in total daily energy expenditure. Interestingly, this reduction stemmed more from decreased physical activity than from metabolic adaptation, suggesting the need to carefully define and characterize metabolic adaptation to understand its true impact on weight loss.