Have you lost weight only to feel that you hit a plateau after a certain number of pounds? New research sheds light on this frustrating aspect of weight loss: Scientists studying subjects in strict clinical setting have determined that the body really does adapt to caloric intake, meaning that it will level out after about six pounds in either direction. So what's a body to do? While counting calories can be a useful tool to get a handle on exactly how much you're consuming, it may be wise to also consider these holistic, long-term approaches to weight loss to help overcome this phenomena and to lose pounds safely and for good.