5 ms·

Calorie restriction basically categorically works. If it is not working for you, you are either not accurately measuring your intake, or you need to restrict mo

Calorie restriction basically categorically works. If it is not working for you, you are either not accurately measuring your intake, or you need to restrict more aggressively. It's that simple. Now, is calorie restriction the OPTIMAL diet? Maybe not, but half the problem with weight loss is that people get hyper fixated on finding the ideal dieting methodology and never just start. Calorie counting works, IIFYM works, zone diet works, keto works, weight watchers works. As long as you pick a validated plan that matches your lifestyle and you are adherent, you will have success.

johnkpaul 8y ago
I feel like that's like saying "making more money categorically works to solve poverty." I don't disagree with that statement, no one can, but is it useful, actionable and helpful? As a lifelong obese person, I disagree immensely that any of those things work. I have been asking doctors for years if they have any success stories of any of those things "working" for longer than 1 year and I have found none.
- Thriptic 8y ago
  You're speaking with someone who has had success. I've had success using both keto / Atkins and if it fits your macros (basically calorie counting with more tracking). I would be happy to share my experience with you / provide advice if you would like. Alternatively, please feel free to refer to my post here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15604761 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15604761
  - johnkpaul 8y ago
    That's great! Thank you. I definitely want to know how long you've been able to do it for. I've had similar successes but then much longer failures about a dozen times since 8 years old. How should I contact you? There's no info in your profile. Thanks.
    - Thriptic 8y ago
      I can be reached at useport25@protonmail.com I have been successfully managing my weight for the last 8 years.
- bena 8y ago
  I feel you. All I can say is that weight loss is simple. But it's not easy. To be successful, you have to change a lot and some of it will suck.
- byproxy 8y ago
  I've been consistently dropping weight since highschool (c. 2005, ~250lbs - now, ~160lbs) by simply cutting my caloric intake little-by-little. Started by switching out regular soda to diet soda. I think we generally underestimate our caloric consumption.
- nradov 8y ago
  Your disagreement is not relevant. We know categorically that anyone who consumes fewer calories than they expend will lose weight. Many people lack the discipline to stick with caloric restriction over a long period, but it's not a universal problem. If you're asking doctors for success stories then you're wasting their time.
  - johnkpaul 8y ago
    Interesting, I've never actually heard this point of view. Do you mean I'm wasting their time because it's not their responsibility to know if they have had successes? Or because it's my fault for eating too much when I could decide not to? I'm honestly asking this, please don't take this as an attack. I am very curious as to your thoughts about doctors. I'm generally asking because I am hopeful that they provide me with a motivation to believe that someone else has done what they're asking me to do.
    - nradov 8y ago
      Why do you want others to provide you with motivation? You know what you have to do. Just do it. Right now it seems like you're expecting to fail, and looking for excuses to not even try.
      - johnkpaul 8y ago
        Because I have questioned for decades if it is possible. Similar to an alcoholic finding comfort in Alcoholics Anonymous, I would love to find someone who has been lifelong obese who has shed the pounds for more than a year. Do you mean that it is wasting a doctors time because they don't owe me motivation? I am talking about my obesity specialists. They are giving me diets and exercise plans that I am doing. I don't feel like I am not trying. Do you mean that I am not trying because I am not successful?
        nradov 8y ago
        Do or do not. There is no "try". If you consume fewer calories then you expend then you are guaranteed to lose weight.
eigenspace 8y ago
Saying that it categorically works is pretty misleading. Many people try straightforward calorie reduction and find that besides experiencing extreme discomfort from cravings and reduced metabolism, they make very little progress over periods as long as a month and these people often walk away thinking that weight loss is impossible for them. The truth is that many people are metabolically imbalanced or diseased and will not respond the way a young otherwise healthy man does to caloric restriction. Calories in, calories out is certainly true because we know the laws of thermodynamics are obeyed by the human body. However, there are all sorts of subtleties here. For instance, one person might not absorb all the food they're eating and may shit out much more viable calories than another person. Further, we know that hormones play a dramatic role. Look at pubescent boys versus pubescent girls. In both cases, caloric intake goes up (it also doesn't go up consciously, the kids are signalled to eat more by their bodies and are nearly helpless to do otherwise) but what is done with the excess calories is different in boys versus girls due to hormonal influence. In boys, the majority of excess calories goes into creating more lean tissue whereas in girls it is much more balanced between lean tissue and fat growth and the fat distribution is not the same as boys. Hormones are an important factor in weightloss and weight gain and should be considered. This is just my long-winded way of saying: yes, simple caloric restriction works for many people, but among many people with hormonal and metabolic problems, caloric restriction is much more likely to result in needless suffering and poor results. If the conversation focuses solely on simple caloric restriction, then these people who likely make up the majority of obese people will likely never get the information they need to find strategies that work for them.

johnkpaul 8y ago

I feel like that's like saying "making more money categorically works to solve poverty." I don't disagree with that statement, no one can, but is it useful, actionable and helpful? As a lifelong obese person, I disagree immensely that any of those things work. I have been asking doctors for years if they have any success stories of any of those things "working" for longer than 1 year and I have found none.

Thriptic 8y ago
You're speaking with someone who has had success. I've had success using both keto / Atkins and if it fits your macros (basically calorie counting with more tracking). I would be happy to share my experience with you / provide advice if you would like. Alternatively, please feel free to refer to my post here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15604761 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15604761
- johnkpaul 8y ago
  That's great! Thank you. I definitely want to know how long you've been able to do it for. I've had similar successes but then much longer failures about a dozen times since 8 years old. How should I contact you? There's no info in your profile. Thanks.
  - Thriptic 8y ago
    I can be reached at useport25@protonmail.com I have been successfully managing my weight for the last 8 years.
bena 8y ago
I feel you. All I can say is that weight loss is simple. But it's not easy. To be successful, you have to change a lot and some of it will suck.
byproxy 8y ago
I've been consistently dropping weight since highschool (c. 2005, ~250lbs - now, ~160lbs) by simply cutting my caloric intake little-by-little. Started by switching out regular soda to diet soda. I think we generally underestimate our caloric consumption.
nradov 8y ago
Your disagreement is not relevant. We know categorically that anyone who consumes fewer calories than they expend will lose weight. Many people lack the discipline to stick with caloric restriction over a long period, but it's not a universal problem. If you're asking doctors for success stories then you're wasting their time.
- johnkpaul 8y ago
  Interesting, I've never actually heard this point of view. Do you mean I'm wasting their time because it's not their responsibility to know if they have had successes? Or because it's my fault for eating too much when I could decide not to? I'm honestly asking this, please don't take this as an attack. I am very curious as to your thoughts about doctors. I'm generally asking because I am hopeful that they provide me with a motivation to believe that someone else has done what they're asking me to do.
  - nradov 8y ago
    Why do you want others to provide you with motivation? You know what you have to do. Just do it. Right now it seems like you're expecting to fail, and looking for excuses to not even try.
    - johnkpaul 8y ago
      Because I have questioned for decades if it is possible. Similar to an alcoholic finding comfort in Alcoholics Anonymous, I would love to find someone who has been lifelong obese who has shed the pounds for more than a year. Do you mean that it is wasting a doctors time because they don't owe me motivation? I am talking about my obesity specialists. They are giving me diets and exercise plans that I am doing. I don't feel like I am not trying. Do you mean that I am not trying because I am not successful?
      - nradov 8y ago
        Do or do not. There is no "try". If you consume fewer calories then you expend then you are guaranteed to lose weight.

eigenspace 8y ago

Saying that it categorically works is pretty misleading. Many people try straightforward calorie reduction and find that besides experiencing extreme discomfort from cravings and reduced metabolism, they make very little progress over periods as long as a month and these people often walk away thinking that weight loss is impossible for them. The truth is that many people are metabolically imbalanced or diseased and will not respond the way a young otherwise healthy man does to caloric restriction. Calories in, calories out is certainly true because we know the laws of thermodynamics are obeyed by the human body. However, there are all sorts of subtleties here. For instance, one person might not absorb all the food they're eating and may shit out much more viable calories than another person. Further, we know that hormones play a dramatic role. Look at pubescent boys versus pubescent girls. In both cases, caloric intake goes up (it also doesn't go up consciously, the kids are signalled to eat more by their bodies and are nearly helpless to do otherwise) but what is done with the excess calories is different in boys versus girls due to hormonal influence. In boys, the majority of excess calories goes into creating more lean tissue whereas in girls it is much more balanced between lean tissue and fat growth and the fat distribution is not the same as boys. Hormones are an important factor in weightloss and weight gain and should be considered. This is just my long-winded way of saying: yes, simple caloric restriction works for many people, but among many people with hormonal and metabolic problems, caloric restriction is much more likely to result in needless suffering and poor results. If the conversation focuses solely on simple caloric restriction, then these people who likely make up the majority of obese people will likely never get the information they need to find strategies that work for them.