Do you ever find yourself thinking, "that looks easy, but maybe there's more nuance here?"
As a kid i was always told to finish my plate, then the usual "think of the starving kids" guilt trips, and whatever else.
As an adult, I just eat smaller portions of the same garbage I ate before, and I started to lose a bit of weight. I didn't change anything else (at the time).
Now I'm working on the rest, but the biggest stepping stone for me was literally just eating smaller portions.
So yes, it really is that hard.
And mostly because it isn’t as simple as the calories in/calories out model. Lots of things contribute in various way. And if anything dieting and exercise can actually make things worse if done wrong. In the “biggest loser” approach, f.ex, all contestants, ended up with a lower metabolic rate, and of course all but one ended up gaining more weight than before the show.
Wait, shit. So what should one do?
The obesity code referenced in a sibling comment is an interesting read absolutely, fasting is the authors suggestion. It doesn’t talk much of gut microbiome, which seems like a big factor from recent studies, but mentions a very interesting connection to fiber intake though which the author (at that time) interprets simply as a means, to lower GI.
Edit: My take - Avoid sugar and sweeterners (Probably want at least 14-days between servings) - Avoid highly processed grains, treat them as sugars, go for whole grains and things with husks instead - In general avoid things that trigger cravings - Healthy fats (nuts, virgin olive oil) are an excellent source of calories, don’t go hungry - Eat lots (lots) of different vegetables - (for adults) Take longer fasts from time to time (3+ days, but probably no more than a week without proper guidance) - East at most two times a day
People can't stay healthy their whole life if they only eat healthy for a few months.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/6-years-after-the...
But I agree, a healthy diet probably could help them, the one they tried wasn’t it though.