Answer to Question 1
Most people on weight-loss diets find that weight loss slows down and becomes increasingly more difficult. This plateau typically occurs after 1 to 2 months of dieting, and there are several reasons why this occurs. First, weight loss itself reduces energy requirements. That is, with a lower body weight, the body requires less energy. Second, rapid weight loss can cause a loss of muscle or lean tissue. Lean tissue is metabolically active, and a loss of lean tissue reduces energy requirements. Last, diets that are low in calories and/or carbohydrates deplete glycogen stores. Because glycogen has a great deal of water associated with it, people tend to experience rapid weight loss the first few weeks of dieting. For all these reasons, the rate of weight loss slows the longer a person diets.
Answer to Question 2
With the focus on obesity, little attention is paid to the other side of the weight issuebeing too thin. While many people struggle to take pounds off, others struggle to put weight on. While some people are underweight due to non-genetic factors such as smoking or having an eating disorder, being thin is often related to genetics. In the same way that some people inherit a metabolic system that conserves energy, others inherit a metabolic system that is more efficient at burning energy. Clearly, the science related to obesity is more advanced than the science related to thinness. However, studying naturally thin people may help us better understand body weight regulation.
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