So Matthew McConaughey lost 38 pounds so he can play an AIDS patient in an upcoming movie. omg.yahoo.com/blogs/bala
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But out on this weight loss thread I participate in on a geek forum, people assail his statement that weight loss is 90% what you eat. They then criticize his ability to communicate and belittle his character in various other ways. It is amazing to me how resistant people are to what simply works. No, weight loss is not everything, and no you can't just count calories.

McConaughey's goal was to come out looking unhealthy. I have no desire to look like I'm death walking. I chimed in that I've found his generalizations to be true. I've lost 38 pounds, and it was 90% diet. (Mine took 10.5 months, it sounds like he took 3 or 4 months). My weight loss has been a lot tougher since I started exercising consistently in August, but since my goal is to feel better and live longer, I'm okay with that. I'm not just banking calories lost or even inches lost.

The trick is finding a way to have a calorie deficit composed in a way that you don't feel hungry and stressed out all the time. That's what all these diets that say you don't have to count calories are really about. You can bet that they counted calories when they put together their "into action" meal plans in the third section of their books. It's always the third section. If they were honest, they would tell people "we have counted the calories for you." But instead, they say you'll lose weight because you're eliminating a food group or balancing your macronutrients or whatever, which is a lie that keeps you dependent on their diet system. You might feel better and still lose because of those things, but you are still going to run a calorie deficit or you won't lose. And when you've lost 30 pounds but regained 10 and try to reboot, it may not work as well because your calorie needs are less now that you weigh less.

I could be wrong, but I don't think most people know 1) How many calories they should be having and 2) how many calories are in the 20 foods that make up 80% of their diet. Every nutrition facts label gives percentages based on a 2000 calorie or 2500 calorie diet. 2000 is maintenance range for a woman of average height (5' 4.5") with a healthy BMI (150 lbs) who is moderately active. Well, that's intriguing. I had no idea the average healthy weight was around 150. I mean, I guess if you feel healthy is in the middle of the healthy BMI range, it would be more like 140. I still have these demented ideas of what's normal from those life insurance charts when I was a teen.