Adaptive Thermogenesis Estimate Calculator

About this calculator

Adaptive thermogenesis, also called metabolic adaptation, is the drop in metabolic rate during sustained dieting that goes beyond what would be predicted from weight loss alone — your body burns fewer calories than its new, lower body weight alone would explain, as a survival response to sustained energy restriction.

The phenomenon was documented dramatically in Fothergill et al.'s 2016 follow-up study of Biggest Loser contestants, whose resting metabolic rates remained suppressed years after the show despite substantial weight regain, and it echoes earlier findings from the 1944-45 Minnesota Starvation Experiment. It is a leading explanation for why weight loss commonly plateaus even when calorie intake and activity stay consistent.

This calculator compares your baseline maintenance calories against what would be predicted from your weight change alone, using your starting weight and current weight, to estimate how much of your metabolic slowdown goes beyond simple weight loss.