I think of it this way: CICO is an axiom we have to assume in order to figure out why a diet isn't working. E.g. if your input is 1200 calories and you work ou

I think of it this way: CICO is an axiom we have to assume in order to figure out why a diet isn't working. E.g. if your input is 1200 calories and you work out, but you aren't losing weight? Maybe your NEAT is way down (or you have a thyroid issue). You are super active but can't lose weight? Maybe you aren't tracking food calories accurately, or you need to eat more satiating foods. CICO isn't a strategy, it's part of the landscape and your diet is a strategy to navigate that landscape. But no matter what your particular strategy, it is always going to involve eating less hyper-pallitable foods and getting more activity. That may not be all, but you cannot go from obesity to a healthy weight without those things.