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We deal with this all the time when recommending diet supplements at my startup. When it comes to losing weight, yes, calories in vs. calories out is the most

We deal with this all the time when recommending diet supplements at my startup. When it comes to losing weight, yes, calories in vs. calories out is the most important step to start with. Sure, protein has a higher TEF (thermic effect of food), and yadda yadda yadda there are some other minor things involved, but they're just not enough for you to discredit the calorie situation. However, when it comes to burning fat, the next most important thing (after you have determined a reasonable caloric deficit) is to maintain a "high" level of protein. Too low of protein, and you're going to lose too much muscle mass. Ultimately, this is what's leading to so many "skinny fat" dieters. You get a lot of it from people who do nothing but cardio cardio cardio. It turns out that all the low-fat vs. low-carb wars are really meaningless, because most of those studies don't control protein - which is MORE important! That last low-fat vs. low-carb study that came out was miserably guilty of this, because protein intake has actually been shown to be more significant than carb or fat control[1]. After you've situated your calories, then your protein (and you are consistent about it), then you choose your carbs and fats however it pleases you. There are extremes on both sides. What's important is you find something that you can be successful with, and keep that protein number up. Lest you be skinny fat, which I personally feel is worse than being "muscular fat". In the bodybuilding community, some people have taken this to extremes with Flexible Dieting, or "IIFYM" (If it Fits Your Macros...). Basically, the idea that proper quantities (as discussed above and below) are more important than food quality. I will err on that side of the argument, but the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle when attempting to achieve overall health. Finally, it's worth noting that while total caloric intake and macronutrients are most important when it comes to weight and aesthetics, please eat some damned vegetables too. And corn is not a vegetable. [1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22935440 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22935440

bokonist 12y ago
I had great success starting from a strict calories in vs. calories out diet, and then iterating on what I ate to make myself the most satiated per calorie eaten. Turns out that the diet that solves for satiation ends up being a lot of plain chicken and meat, beans, roasted veggies, modest amounts of starch, and no sugar. (Eating a handful of jelly beans would make be starving 30 minutes later). The other thing I found, is that I had to avoid foods that tasted too good. Basically any food that combines fat, simple starches, and a sweet sauce will taste too good and give you an overwhelming urge to overeat. If I wanted to eat a burrito for lunch, I would cut it in half, put the other half in the fridge, and save it for dinner, before I even started to eat my lunch. Burritos are quite satiating, and you actually diet while eating them, you just have to portion control, and will yourself past the ten minutes when you are done with the first half and so tempted to eat the other half. I've wondered if the reason why so many diet strategies succeed in the short run, but fail in the long run, is because they are all hacks to make you eat less tasty food. If you just eat fat, or just eat carbs, or just eat whole wheat, or whatever, your food will be less tasty. In the long run though, people like eating tasty food, and so they keep making exceptions to the diet in the name of taste, and they are back to their normal eating habits.
- MicroBerto 12y ago
  That's actually a great point, and something I've told friends in a "broscience" fashion: There is nearly nothing in nature that combines fats and carbs. It's almost like you need to choose one or the other - balance is how you get into trouble, because then you think everything is legal. Take, for instance, potato chips -- and not the low-fat Baked Lay's or Quest Chips kind. If you're on a "balanced diet", they're legal. But good luck measuring them and not eating the entire bag. It sounds like your success was mainly in portion control. Eating standing up helps you get full faster too, as does focusing on chewing a lot (also prevents choking and other benefits). The biggest problem I forgot to mention above, however, is that people will read all sorts of literature, but when it comes to actually weighing their food with a food scale (costs literally $20) and counting their calories and macros, they all fail. Yes, it's a pain in the arse, but you learn so much by recording everything you eat. But people simply don't want to do it, and it drives me nuts. This also leads me to believe that there's a massive business opportunity somewhere in there to make it easier to do (I have ideas but am too busy).
  - bokonist 12y ago
    My diet was partly portion control, but I also weighed food and used myfitnesspal. It did require greatly simplifying my diet. I would make five pounds of food at a time in a slower cooker, and have my meals all portioned out for the next few days. It was somewhat monotonous but that is actually a benefit. What made the diet stick and work, was that I knew with absolute scientific certainty that if I 1) counted calories 2) always underestimated 3) stuck to it, then it was 100% certain that I would get the results I wanted. And sure enough, ten weeks later, I was 15 pounds lighter and people were commenting on how good I was looking. My recommendation to dieters is to not do it halfheartedly. Go all in, read reddit fitness, geek out on dieting, count calories, come up with new recipes, set a complete routine around cooking the right food, etc. That way you won't be tempted to make exceptions and you will know with 100% certainty that you will get results.
    - minikomi 12y ago
      Any favorite recipes?

bokonist 12y ago

I had great success starting from a strict calories in vs. calories out diet, and then iterating on what I ate to make myself the most satiated per calorie eaten. Turns out that the diet that solves for satiation ends up being a lot of plain chicken and meat, beans, roasted veggies, modest amounts of starch, and no sugar. (Eating a handful of jelly beans would make be starving 30 minutes later). The other thing I found, is that I had to avoid foods that tasted too good. Basically any food that combines fat, simple starches, and a sweet sauce will taste too good and give you an overwhelming urge to overeat. If I wanted to eat a burrito for lunch, I would cut it in half, put the other half in the fridge, and save it for dinner, before I even started to eat my lunch. Burritos are quite satiating, and you actually diet while eating them, you just have to portion control, and will yourself past the ten minutes when you are done with the first half and so tempted to eat the other half. I've wondered if the reason why so many diet strategies succeed in the short run, but fail in the long run, is because they are all hacks to make you eat less tasty food. If you just eat fat, or just eat carbs, or just eat whole wheat, or whatever, your food will be less tasty. In the long run though, people like eating tasty food, and so they keep making exceptions to the diet in the name of taste, and they are back to their normal eating habits.

MicroBerto 12y ago
That's actually a great point, and something I've told friends in a "broscience" fashion: There is nearly nothing in nature that combines fats and carbs. It's almost like you need to choose one or the other - balance is how you get into trouble, because then you think everything is legal. Take, for instance, potato chips -- and not the low-fat Baked Lay's or Quest Chips kind. If you're on a "balanced diet", they're legal. But good luck measuring them and not eating the entire bag. It sounds like your success was mainly in portion control. Eating standing up helps you get full faster too, as does focusing on chewing a lot (also prevents choking and other benefits). The biggest problem I forgot to mention above, however, is that people will read all sorts of literature, but when it comes to actually weighing their food with a food scale (costs literally $20) and counting their calories and macros, they all fail. Yes, it's a pain in the arse, but you learn so much by recording everything you eat. But people simply don't want to do it, and it drives me nuts. This also leads me to believe that there's a massive business opportunity somewhere in there to make it easier to do (I have ideas but am too busy).
- bokonist 12y ago
  My diet was partly portion control, but I also weighed food and used myfitnesspal. It did require greatly simplifying my diet. I would make five pounds of food at a time in a slower cooker, and have my meals all portioned out for the next few days. It was somewhat monotonous but that is actually a benefit. What made the diet stick and work, was that I knew with absolute scientific certainty that if I 1) counted calories 2) always underestimated 3) stuck to it, then it was 100% certain that I would get the results I wanted. And sure enough, ten weeks later, I was 15 pounds lighter and people were commenting on how good I was looking. My recommendation to dieters is to not do it halfheartedly. Go all in, read reddit fitness, geek out on dieting, count calories, come up with new recipes, set a complete routine around cooking the right food, etc. That way you won't be tempted to make exceptions and you will know with 100% certainty that you will get results.
  - minikomi 12y ago
    Any favorite recipes?