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Unfortunately for us well-fed individuals in developed nations, tens of thousands of years ago our ancestors often were hungry. Evolution selected for a trait that helped protect our hungry ancestors: In the face of substantial weight loss, our resting metabolic rate (RMR) falls. We burn fewer calories, thereby discouraging further weight loss.
A team at the NIH studied 14 contestants in “The Biggest Loser” — a televised weight-loss competition. The participants' average weight at baseline was 328 pounds; during 30 weeks of supervised diet and exercise, they had lost an average of 128 pounds. As expected, average RMR also fell greatly, along with weight. At 6 years after their weight loss, they all had regained considerable weight (average w…