My reasoning ⬇️ Metabolic adaptation to restriction 1. Chronic caloric deficits trigger adaptive thermogenesis — resting metabolic rate drops beyond what’s predicted by weight loss alone. 2. Under-fueling costs muscle, not just fat. In a large deficit, the body pulls energy from both fat and lean tissue. Less muscle mass means a lower metabolic floor long-term. - Adequate protein and calories (especially around training) preserve or build lean mass, which is metabolically active tissue — more muscle raises baseline energy expenditure. 3. Hormonal knock-on effects - Sustained low energy availability suppresses thyroid hormone (T3), leptin, and testosterone, and raises cortisol — all of which work against fat loss and recovery. - Higher energy availability supports harder training sessions, which drives the muscle-building stimulus — more muscle over time changes body composition even if scale weight doesn’t move fast. #fatloss #metabolism