NEAT, rather than metabolic adaptation, is a more significant factor in weight loss plateaus.

“But it does seem to be-- there's new evidence coming out on the metabolic adaptation from BMR. And it seems to be a little bit-- kind of in the transition phases. So if you start a diet within the first few weeks, you will have a reduction in BMR that then just-- thereafter, any further reduction is mostly from the amount of body mass you lose. And then if you, like for example, finish a diet and move your calories to maintenance, within a few weeks, BMR starts to come back up. There is still a small reduction, but I used to be somebody who thought that BMR, metabolic adaptation was a big reason why people stopped losing weight or plateaued. And now, I think it's much more to do with NEAT.”