"Until the 1970s, low-calorie diets were referred to in medical literature as 'semi-starvation' diets," writes Gary Taubes in Chapter Two of his excellent book Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It. Read the entire article | Email this article

"No wonder obesity is so rarely cured. Eating less -- that is, undereating -- simply doesn't work for more than a few months, if that," writes Gary Taubes in Chapter Two of his excellent book Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It.

"This reality, however, hasn't stopped the authorities from recommending the approach..." Read the entire article | Email this article

"Prescribing low-calorie diets for obese and overweight patients, according to a 2007 review from Tufts University, leads, at best, to "modest weight losses" that are "transient"- that is, temporary. Typically, nine or ten pounds are lost in the first six months. After a year, much of what was lost has been regained," writes Gary Taubes in Chapter Two of his excellent book Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It. Read the entire article | Email this article

In 1959, psychologist Albert Stunkard found that the success of low-calorie diets were 'remarkably similar and remarkably poor', notes Gary Taubes in Chapter Two of his excellent book Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It. Read the entire article | Email this article

People assigned to eat a low-calorie diet of 1000-1200 calories per day lost nearly twice as much weight loss as those assigned to limit their fat intake to 22-26 grams per day according to a 1999 study by Jean Harvey-Berino from the University of Vermont.

Those assigned to the low-caloried diet lost an average of 24.6 lbs after six months versus 13.4 lbs for those assigned to the fat-restricted diet. Read the entire article | Email this article

People assigned to eat a low-calorie diet of 1000-1200 calories per day lost nearly twice as much weight loss after six months as those assigned to limit their fat intake to 22-26 grams per day -- 24.6 lbs vs 13.4 lbs -- and also maintained a much greater weight loss after 18 months -- 16.5 lbs vs 4 lbs -- according to a 1999 study by Jean Harvey-Berino from the University of Vermont. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women who lost and maintained at least a 10 percent weight loss after two years exercised an average of 48 minutes per day and reduced their calorie intake to an average of 1365 calories per day according to a study from researchers at University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Women who gained weight exercised an average of 18 minutes per day and ate an average of 1809 calories per day.

Women who lost up to 4.9 percent of their body weight exercised an average of 28 minutes per day and reduced their calorie intake to 1638 calories per day.

Women who lost 5 to 9.9 percent of their body weight exercised an average of 26 minutes per day and reduced their calorie intake to 1452 calories per day. Read the entire article | Email this article

Patients lost an average of 21.2 pounds or 9.5 percent of body weight in six weeks when give a 800 calorie per day liquid meal replacement, which consisted of HMR 800 (Health Management Resources, Boston, Massachusetts, USA).

Information about the HMR 800 meal replacement shakes can be found here.

Note: A couple of weight loss doctors have told me that HMR makes the best meal replacement shakes of any they have tried.

Note: I have no financial ties to HMR or this product. Read the entire article | Email this article

A recent study suggests that eating a low-calorie diet limited to 1240 calories per day that includes a big breakfast containing 610 calories with lots of protein (47 grams), some fat (22 grams) and a moderate amount of carbohydrates (58 grams) causes more weight loss than eating low-calorie diet containing 1085 calories per day that includes a small breakfast (290 calories) with a small amount of protein (12 grams), a small amount of carbohydrates (7 grams), and the same amount of fat (22 grams) -- "low calorie, low carb".

After four months, women on the diet with the low-calorie, low-carb diet that included a small breakfast had lost 28 pounds compared to 23 pounds for those who ate the big breakfast with lots of protein and a moderate amount of carbs.

However, after eight months, women eating the big breakfast had lost 44.5 pounds compared to only 10 pounds for those in the low-calorie, low card group -- the low-calorie, low-carb group having regained 18 pounds.

As a percentage of body weight, those who ate the big breakfast had lost 21 percent of their body weight compared to only 4.5 percent for those in the low-calorie, low-carb group. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women on a low-carbohydrate Atkin’s diet lost roughly 10 lbs after one year vs 4-6 lbs for those on three other diets. Read the entire article | Email this article

Diet-plus-exercise causes 2.5 lbs more weight loss than diet alone according to an analysis of previous studies. Read the entire article | Email this article

Women lose a similar amount of weight (16 lbs vs 15 lbs) and body fat (11 lbs vs 12 lbs) with a low-carb diet versus a high-carb diet according to a study from Australia.

This was different than what was seen in men, where men on a low-carb diet lost 1.5 times as much weight and nearly twice as much fat as those on a high-carb diet. Read the entire article | Email this article

An analysis of studies that used low calorie diets found that people lost an average of 9.7 percent of body weight after six months, and 5 percent after 1-2 years according to a review paper. Read the entire article | Email this article

People fed a low-calorie diet of 800 to 1,000 calories per day "consisting primarily of shakes and bars" caused an average weight loss of 27.4 pounds in two months according to a new study from Denmark. Read the entire article | Email this article

People who had lost an average of 27 pounds in two months on a low-calorie diet of 800-1000 calories per day, regained a similar amount of weight when they were fed a low-fat diet, a high monounsaturated fat diet or a control diet according to a study from Denmark.

Subjects in the low-fat group regained an average of 4.8 pounds in six months.

Subjects in the high monounsaturated fat group regained an average of 5.5 pounds in six months.

Subjects in the control group regained an average of 8.4 pounds.
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"It is possible to achieve and maintain long-term weight loss using a low-carbohydrate diet," concludes a paper from researchers at Brown Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. Read the entire article | Email this article

People assigned to follow a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet containing about 30 percent fewer calories than normal lost slightly more weight than people assigned to follow a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet according to a study from Australia. Read the entire article | Email this article

Muscle loss accounts for approximately one-seventh (14 percent) of weight loss while on a low calorie diet according to a new review paper from researchers at the Australian Centre for Obesity Research and Education at the Monash Medical School in Melbourne, Australia. Read the entire article | Email this article

Men and women who were prescribed a diet of 1500 calories for men and 1000 calories for women, lost an average of 13.9 percent for men and 11.9 percent for women after one year according to a study from Poland. Read the entire article | Email this article

People lose more muscle while fasting than on a low-calorie or very-low-calorie diet. While fasting, approximately 18 percent of weight loss is lean body mass (muscle). While on a very-low calorie diet, 30 percent of weight loss is lean body mass (muscle). While on a low-calorie diet, 18 percent of weight loss is lean body mass (muscle). Read the entire article | Email this article

People lose weight three times as fast while fasting as opposed to while on a low-calorie diet. While fasting, people lost an average of 0.77 pounds per day compared to 1.14 pounds per day while on a very-low calorie diet versus 2.22 pounds per day while fasting. Read the entire article | Email this article

People on a low-calorie diet lost an average of 15.8 lbs in three weeks and 27.7 pounds in six weeks. This weight loss represented 6.8 percent of body weight and 11.9 percent of body weight. Read the entire article | Email this article