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Peer-reviewed · No conflicts of interest

Built on mechanisms,
not myths

Every recommendation in Nouriish is grounded in published nutritional science. Here are the four mechanisms that drive the program.

Adaptive thermogenesis

When you chronically restrict calories, your body lowers its total energy expenditure to match your intake — sometimes by 200–400 kcal/day. This is the primary reason diets stall, and it's predictable, measurable, and reversible.

This is why the same 1,200-calorie diet that worked in week 1 stops working in week 6. Your metabolism adapted. It's not failure. It's biology.

Key insight
The fix isn't cutting more. It's a moderate deficit (10–15% below TDEE) that doesn't trigger the adaptation response in the first place.
Typical adaptation
–300
Average daily kcal reduction from adaptation
This hidden calorie gap is why crash diets plateau — and why moderate deficits outperform extreme ones over any meaningful timeframe.

Leptin & hunger hormones

Leptin, GLP-1, ghrelin, and PYY regulate appetite at the neurological level. Fat loss causes leptin to drop — intensifying hunger signals and making calorie-dense food more rewarding.

This is why hunger intensifies after weight loss, not before. Understanding this cycle explains why willpower is the wrong lever to pull.

Key insight
Protein and fibre trigger GLP-1 and PYY release — the same satiety hormones that weight-loss medications target pharmacologically. Diet is a lever.
Leptin drop from fat loss
–22%
Average leptin reduction after 10% body weight loss
Lower leptin = stronger hunger signals. This is the biological driver behind weight regain — not a lack of discipline.

NEAT — the hidden variable

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis encompasses all movement that isn't formal exercise — walking, fidgeting, standing. In active people it accounts for up to 30% of total daily calorie burn.

NEAT suppresses unconsciously during caloric restriction — you move less without realising it. This creates a hidden energy gap most people never account for.

Key insight
Adding 2,000 daily steps is more effective for calorie burn during fat loss than increasing gym sessions — because it doesn't trigger the same adaptive response.
NEAT range in humans
10–30%
Of total daily energy expenditure
The difference between a sedentary and active person's NEAT can exceed 2,000 kcal/day — dwarfing the impact of structured exercise.

Protein & muscle preservation

Without adequate protein during a calorie deficit, a significant portion of weight lost comes from lean mass — slowing metabolism long-term and increasing rebound risk.

Protein also has the highest thermic effect of any macronutrient: your body burns roughly 25% of protein calories through digestion alone.

Key insight
0.7–1g per lb of bodyweight is the research-backed target for fat loss with muscle preservation. Most people eat half that amount.
Thermic effect of protein
~25%
Of protein calories burned through digestion
No supplement, herb, or "metabolism booster" comes close to the thermogenic effect of adequate dietary protein intake.
The team behind Nouriish

Built by a scientist,
not an influencer

In a market full of before-and-after photos and supplement ads, Nouriish is built on peer-reviewed research and real nutritional science.

"I built Nouriish because I was tired of watching people blame themselves for failing programs that ignored basic physiology."

The Nouriish Team
BSc Food Science · MSc Nutritional Science
Specialising in metabolic adaptation and sustainable weight management

Peer-reviewed research No supplements No conflicts of interest
Colourful nutritious food arranged on a bright table

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