Why it's hard to keep weight off—and how moving more helps
Increasing Energy Flux to Maintain Diet-Induced Weight Loss
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
High energy flux (via activity) improves appetite regulation even when calorie intake stays the same.
Most people think hunger is only about how much you eat—but this suggests movement itself can reset your hunger signals, independent of food intake.
Practical Takeaways
After losing weight, aim for 10,000–15,000 steps/day or 60–90 minutes of moderate activity to hit the 1.7–1.8 TDEE/REE ratio.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
High energy flux (via activity) improves appetite regulation even when calorie intake stays the same.
Most people think hunger is only about how much you eat—but this suggests movement itself can reset your hunger signals, independent of food intake.
Practical Takeaways
After losing weight, aim for 10,000–15,000 steps/day or 60–90 minutes of moderate activity to hit the 1.7–1.8 TDEE/REE ratio.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2019
Authors
Christopher L. Melby, Hunter L. Paris, R. Sayer, C. Bell, James O. Hill
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Claims (4)
When people increase their physical activity beyond a certain point, their total daily energy burn stops increasing because the body reduces other movements and metabolic processes, making additional exercise less effective for losing weight.
After losing weight through dieting, keeping the weight off typically requires higher levels of physical activity because the body naturally reduces energy use and increases hunger, making it difficult to maintain weight loss by eating less alone.
People who maintain a metabolic rate 1.7 to 1.8 times their resting energy expenditure through physical activity tend to have better control over hunger and burn more calories at rest than those with lower activity levels.
People who burn more energy through physical activity tend to feel less hungry and have better appetite control than those who burn less energy, even when both groups consume the same number of calories.