Metabolic Adaptation
The body's energy-saving response to weight loss — burning less than the new size alone predicts.
As weight falls, expenditure falls — partly simple physics (less mass to run), partly adaptation: the body trims resting burn and quietly reduces fidgeting and spontaneous movement beyond what the new size predicts. Studies of large losses document the extra component persisting for years; it is the headwind every maintainer feels.
It is also regularly overread: adaptation is a headwind, not a wall — typically a few hundred daily calories at most, answerable with recalibrated intake, preserved muscle, and deliberate movement (NEAT). GLP-1 therapy helps by holding appetite below the adapted burn line. Plateaus blamed on "ruined metabolism" are usually this math plus loosened tracking — fixable, measurable, and not a verdict.
This glossary entry is general information, not medical advice, and is written to be consistent with FDA prescribing information and primary trial publications as of its last review. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider for personal medical decisions.
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