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Comment by eeks | Hacker News Reader

I don't know about easier, but it's certainly more efficient.

How easy it is probably depends on your circumstances.

There are infographics and whatnot out there detailing the caloric density of different kinds of food, that make it clear that, depending on the diet you already eat, you can reduce your calorie intake by vast amounts just by switching up what kinds of food you eat. But it's potentially a more expensive way to eat, and probably a more time-consuming one if you don't already enjoy cooking.

I used to believe that too. Just eat low caloric density foods, right? It makes a lot of sense. So, I calculated the precise caloric density of Everything and ate nothing but <0.8 calories/gram foods with increased emphesis on 0.2 I had to eat truely vast amounts of food to get anywhere near full. We're talking many many pounds of spinach and 8 zero calorie jellos, pound after pound of vegetables and high fiber fruits: like berries.

It does NOT work well at all. Don't get me wrong, it helps a little, but your stomach is extremely smart and it knows alot more about calorie counting than we do. Like it or not, it keeps it's own account of your calorie intake and adjusts your hunger and appetite accordingly.

If you're like me and you're already eating a very healthy diet and you exercise regularly and your still gaining weight, you only have one option: go hungry. Very hungry. Right now, it's the only way. You could exercise a lot more, but either way, you're going to suffer.

That’s also my experience. I do a lot of Thai boxing and I need to control my weight to maintain my weight class. I switched from a balanced diet to a keto diet hoping for change but at the end both averaged the same. The only difference was that with the balanced diet I had to eat twice as much food to actually feel full and work out without being dizzy. Now I am walking down the path of strict calorie intake control, trying to better understand my metabolism tipping point. Working out more has no effect if it does not come with some form of caloric restriction.

Personal experience: I've lost 4lb per months for the last 6 months with no cooking. I'm lazy so I just use microwavable food: 3mn to prepare, I know the number of calories so I can easily stay under my target.

Even with not microwaved but easily made, pre-made soups or veggies are easy to heat and more filing.

Even eating only snacks I can stay under 1.5k per day by just not eating anything on the side.

The trick for most people starting is to not drink your calories: switch to 0% calorie sodas and replace sugar in coffee and tea with aspartame. No fruit juice and check calories as "0% added sugar" usually mean there are a lot of calories.

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