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Only because most people who count calories actually don't. They cheat or miscalculate, because the US "serving" system is an insane way to measure nutrients.

Only because most people who count calories actually don't. They cheat or miscalculate, because the US "serving" system is an insane way to measure nutrients. Also 3% of body weight over 8 weeks is a nothing burger. Did they control for water intake? It's not in the abstract. You can lose roughly 1-2% of your body weight in less than 24 hours, simply by sweating.

treeman79 3y ago
My wife counted calories for about a year. It was total OCD to get correct numbers. Would get out the scale, so exact measurements. Calculate ever ingredient. Was shocking how much more calories we were eating without realizing it. Drove the whole family nuts. However, She lost 90 pounds from it all. So can’t complain.
- copperx 3y ago
  Calorie counting is a great exercise whether you stick to it or not. It's shocking to see how calorie dense are some processed foods and how easy it is to overeat. You get a feel for the portions you should be eating. Another cool thing is that calorie counting doesn't make you crazy hungry like some diets where the calories have been miscalculated. However, it is a chore. Apps help.
JimtheCoder 3y ago
While I agree with your other points... "They cheat or miscalculate, because the US "serving" system is an insane way to measure nutrients." I'm not sure how many people who count calories use the "serving" system. Almost everyone I know, myself included, goes by weight of the food and calories. Eg. 15g of Peanut butter is 90 Cals
- antisthenes 3y ago
  > I'm not sure how many people who could calories use the "serving" system. Almost everyone I know, myself included, goes by weight of the food and calories. I bet those who actually use the weight of the food (in a standardized 100g increment, for example) have much better compliance and success in weight control, like yourself.
- SketchySeaBeast 3y ago
  Yeah. My calorie count success has always involved a kitchen scale. It's a pain for the first week but pretty soon you know the kCal/g and you're off to the races.
addcommitpush 3y ago
> Only because most people who count calories actually don't. There are two slightly different questions: - how much weight is lost assuming perfect compliance - how much weight is lost assuming the compliance of the average people If I am interested in losing weight, I want to know what will work for me, a measly sack of meat with imperfect discipline, imperfect information and so on. It’s like saying walking on a tight rope though a canyon is not dangerous - assuming you perfectly go through one edge to another. Sure, it’s trivially true. Not very informative though.
Sohcahtoa82 3y ago
I've definitely seen that first-hand. A girl I dated years ago started counting calories but not including the 3-5 cans of Coke she drank each day, or sometimes she'd only record one or two of them. I tried to point it out, and she insisted she only drank one or two cans/day and they were recorded. I pointed out that we bought a 12-pack of Coke on Sunday, and it was now Tuesday and there were only 2 cans left, so do the math, because I wasn't drinking any of it. Or she'd buy Oreos and snack on them while gaming and after an hour not realize she's eaten a third of the package. I don't think she was serious about wanting to lose weight, because anybody really wanting to lose weight probably wouldn't be buying Coke and Oreos. A single can of Coke and 3 Oreos is 300 calories. That's half a meal's calorie budget for someone trying to stick to 1800 calories/day with 3 meals/day.
lm28469 3y ago
Calorie counting isn't very precise to start with, even if you're serious about it https://www.insidescience.org/news/calories-count-only-when-accurately-counted https://www.insidescience.org/news/calories-count-only-when-...

treeman79 3y ago

My wife counted calories for about a year. It was total OCD to get correct numbers. Would get out the scale, so exact measurements. Calculate ever ingredient. Was shocking how much more calories we were eating without realizing it. Drove the whole family nuts. However, She lost 90 pounds from it all. So can’t complain.

copperx 3y ago
Calorie counting is a great exercise whether you stick to it or not. It's shocking to see how calorie dense are some processed foods and how easy it is to overeat. You get a feel for the portions you should be eating. Another cool thing is that calorie counting doesn't make you crazy hungry like some diets where the calories have been miscalculated. However, it is a chore. Apps help.

JimtheCoder 3y ago

While I agree with your other points... "They cheat or miscalculate, because the US "serving" system is an insane way to measure nutrients." I'm not sure how many people who count calories use the "serving" system. Almost everyone I know, myself included, goes by weight of the food and calories. Eg. 15g of Peanut butter is 90 Cals

antisthenes 3y ago
> I'm not sure how many people who could calories use the "serving" system. Almost everyone I know, myself included, goes by weight of the food and calories. I bet those who actually use the weight of the food (in a standardized 100g increment, for example) have much better compliance and success in weight control, like yourself.
SketchySeaBeast 3y ago
Yeah. My calorie count success has always involved a kitchen scale. It's a pain for the first week but pretty soon you know the kCal/g and you're off to the races.

addcommitpush 3y ago

> Only because most people who count calories actually don't. There are two slightly different questions: - how much weight is lost assuming perfect compliance - how much weight is lost assuming the compliance of the average people If I am interested in losing weight, I want to know what will work for me, a measly sack of meat with imperfect discipline, imperfect information and so on. It’s like saying walking on a tight rope though a canyon is not dangerous - assuming you perfectly go through one edge to another. Sure, it’s trivially true. Not very informative though.

Sohcahtoa82 3y ago

I've definitely seen that first-hand. A girl I dated years ago started counting calories but not including the 3-5 cans of Coke she drank each day, or sometimes she'd only record one or two of them. I tried to point it out, and she insisted she only drank one or two cans/day and they were recorded. I pointed out that we bought a 12-pack of Coke on Sunday, and it was now Tuesday and there were only 2 cans left, so do the math, because I wasn't drinking any of it. Or she'd buy Oreos and snack on them while gaming and after an hour not realize she's eaten a third of the package. I don't think she was serious about wanting to lose weight, because anybody really wanting to lose weight probably wouldn't be buying Coke and Oreos. A single can of Coke and 3 Oreos is 300 calories. That's half a meal's calorie budget for someone trying to stick to 1800 calories/day with 3 meals/day.

lm28469 3y ago

Calorie counting isn't very precise to start with, even if you're serious about it https://www.insidescience.org/news/calories-count-only-when-accurately-counted https://www.insidescience.org/news/calories-count-only-when-...