Eight years ago I was 87kg, with a waist circumference of 102cm (40in) and a BMI of 26. Today I hover around 69-71kg, and I never once counted calories or went

Eight years ago I was 87kg, with a waist circumference of 102cm (40in) and a BMI of 26. Today I hover around 69-71kg, and I never once counted calories or went on keto, atkins or any exclusionary diet. I reduced my intake, increased my expenditure (CICO) and lost weight. I feel fan-f*cking-tastic, but that's more to do with my exercise regimen (resistance training for the win!) than anything else. I still eat carbs, just not as many as I used to. You're right, diets don't work, it has to be lifestyle changes. But I'll second the other response to you that blanket statements are confusing the issue. Weight loss is simple to understand (CICO), but not easy to do. Find things that work for you, simple small changes that will last a lifetime, because otherwise they won't stick. Also, gut microbes don't make people fat, eating too much does. Gut microbes may have an effect on cravings, hunger signals, etc, but ultimately it's the hand under control of your brain that puts food in your mouth.