As an older guy I've finally figured out weight-loss

The various studies done also show that most people regain the weight back 6 months to a year down the line. Right now the only thing we can be sure of is that weight loss only works for the minority in the long term and the only way to be slim is to always be that way.

We did at least work out why processed foods appeared to be more calories, turns out we spend about 20% more energy digesting food that isn't highly processed. Which also goes to show that calories in calories out is far over simplified when people are suggesting deficits that could easily be less than 20% of daily intake.

It is a chemical process and a very complex one at that and right now food science is basically garbage tier with very little in the way of good studies, most of the better end is on mice and rats.

Ha, was waiting for that one, XD

I said older because the weight-loss plans I came across usually only referred to case studies where people are in their 20s.

And from what I could gather, most people past 35 really start struggling with their weight.

The first month of my graph looked the same. 6 month time scale was more interesting though...

I needed to simplify even more:

Calorie counting doesn't work for me, I'm just not disciplined enough. I learned a shortcut, which might not work for others: I try to go a bit hungry. If I'm hungry, I'm in calorie deficit. I might even get a bit cold. Turns out I can just listen to the hunger feeling and know whether I'm currently losing or gaining weight. But walking past a bakery, inhaling the smell of fresh bread... Can't say I'm always able to resist.

Some other simplifications:

- I don't keep food at home anymore. Only rice and some bland tasting astronaut food which I can only tolerate when hungry enough.

- I love sugar, and I'm cheating my brain by drinking cola zero. I've gotten so used to it by now that I actually really like the taste and it feels like getting a sugar fix.

- No fixed meals: Only eating when actually hungry, not because it is time.

I did the inverse - just stopped having lunch - and that works for me. I also don't feel hungry.

For me, lunch was usually some low quality food grabbed in a hurry, and so it was the easiest meal to cut out. But the main reason to cut lunch was that I always got sleepy mid afternoon, and falling asleep in meetings isn't really acceptable. Not having lunch makes my afternoons much more effective, which is great as I'm not really a morning person.