What does priority fatigue refer to in weight management?

Priority fatigue in weight management refers to the phenomenon where individuals, after initially making significant behavioral changes to lose weight, become overwhelmed by the continuous demands of maintaining new habits. This concept captures the reality that individuals may experience a mental and emotional exhaustion related to the persistent effort required to prioritize healthy choices, leading them to revert to previous behaviors.

While priority fatigue can influence one’s ability to sustain health decisions, the specific focus of this term is more on the tendency to return to pre-existing habits once the burden of prioritization becomes too demanding. This is particularly relevant after the stress and effort associated with achieving weight loss, as individuals may decide that the effort required to maintain weight loss is not worth the rewards, ultimately cycling back to old habits without consciously recognizing the shift.