All Glossary Terms
Nutrition
Metabolic Adaptation
The bodys reduction in energy expenditure in response to prolonged calorie restriction.
Metabolic adaptation is your bodys response to extended dieting, where it reduces energy expenditure beyond what weight loss alone would predict. Non-exercise activity decreases, hormones shift, and you become more efficient. This is why fat loss plateaus occur and why diet breaks and reverse dieting can be helpful.
Examples
- NEAT decreases during dieting
- Hormonal changes reduce metabolic rate
- Why diet breaks can help