My only real gripe with the cal in/cal out idea is that, while factually accurate, people often go about it in a way that alters their baseline metabolism, but fail to account for that in their calculations.
Under Reporting
Under reporting is one of the main issues with counting calories.
That is one of the main reason that mice, as you know, in research studies.
You can control a moused total diet and environment. Once a person walk out the door, you have no idea what they did.
Is the most effective weight-loss strategy really that hard? New study shows dietary self-monitoring takes less than 15 minutes a day
Date:February 25, 2019
Source: University of Vermont
Summary:
Dietary
self-monitoring is the
best predictor of weight-loss success. But the practice is viewed as so unpleasant and time-consuming, many would-be weight-losers won't adopt it. New research shows for the first time how little time it actually takes: 14.6 minutes per day on average. The frequency of monitoring, not the time spent on the process, was the key factor for those in the study who successfully lost weigh.
"
Successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people won't."
This appears to be the take home message on the research above.
Snowman, post: 230119, member: 4564"]Mr. Camacho is a prime example. He could drop his calories all he wanted, but his body could just dial down his metabolism to match his intake. Eventually you hit a wall where it becomes very difficult to eat less.
Decreasing Calorie, Decreases Metabolic Rate
Yes, one of the main issues with anyone who goes on a diet is that at some point it stops working. Most individual will then decrease their caloric intake even more; reaching another weight loss plateau.
As you noted, at some point, dropping calories even more drop your metabolic rate into the toilet.
Research show...
Intermittent energy restriction improves weight loss efficiency in obese men: the MATADOR study. - PubMed - NCBI
The Cliff Notes in this is adaptation to a lower calorie intake occurs is around 2 weeks; The General Adaptation Syndrome.
That means at around the two week mark weight loss pretty much stops.
The research demonstrated that Calorie Rotation ensured greater fat loss and more muscle mass retention.
This was accomplished by decreasing your calories below maintenance for two weeks. Then going back to maintenance for two weeks; alternating these cycles.
Compare that with any one of the literally dozens of approaches that function by creating a state of low insulin and high glucagon, which allow us to feel satisfied while eating less with very little effort.
Insulin Resistance
A diet that lower insulin and increases glucagon, etc is one of the primary keys for most individual who are Insulin Resistance.
However, Mark Haub's (MS Nutrition/University of Kansas) "Twinkie Diet" demonstrated by decreasing calories, that you can lose weight eating junk food; just less of it.
Optimizing Weight Loss
1) Calories need to be counted.
2) You're food choices (low glycemic index carbohydrates) matter.
3) Some type of Calorie Rotation. Calorie Rotation adheres to the General Adaptation Syndrome; which Periodization Training is based on.
As someone once said, "Everything works but nothing works for ever". When something stops working, you need to change something.
The Harder You Make Something
I get that you're not a fan counting calories because the majority of individual won't do it; the harder you make something, the less likely someone will maintain it.
A good general rule for carbohydrates is "Thing of Color"; low glycemic index carbohydrate which are almost always low in calories.
Kenny Croxdale