Precisely.
After years of yo-yo dieting, I switched to the several very small “meals” a day. I also cut back on meat from three times a day to once every couple days. Peanut Butter sandwiches make a fine substitute, as does the occasional protein shake.
I have noticed the body going into survival mode about every ten pounds. After losing about 40 pounds it kicked in. I would cut back on the food intake and increase the exercise and get nowhere. I would go from 240 to 230 and (without increasing food intake) bounce back to 240. I would cut back further and increase exercise (weights) and drop to 230 – then bounce back to 240. I am now trying to get below the 220 mark – but my body just seems to like being around 225-230.
I can increase muscle easily, almost like I’m on steroids – but as the muscle mass increases and the body fat percentage (now around 20 - 25%) drops I gain weight. When I stop working out I also lose muscle mass fast – a result of age?
I actually have to stop the workout to lose a couple pounds. That’s hard to do – weight work is as addictive as running. It feels good when I’m done.