[jiffyjeff]

The Hacker's Diet hinges on: ((calories in) - (calories out)) / 3500 = (l lb of weight loss)

The Hacker's Diet holds as an axiom that calories from fat, carbohydrate and protein are equivalent in this formula. This assumption neglects the powerful influence of the hormone insulin, which plays a key role in regulating fat metabolism. Insulin release is very highly correlated with carbohydrate consumption, and a diet that restricts carbohydrate will often lead to weight loss.

[jacques_chester]

This sounds awfully ... Taubesy.

Problems with the Taubes' it's-all-carbs-and-insulin hypothesis:

* Protein consumption causes insulin spikes too.

* Insulin is not the only hormone involved in weight control system and energy system behaviour. Also involved: leptin, ghrelin, glucagon, cortisol and probably dozens of others neither of us will hear of in our entire lifetimes.

* Population obesity closely tracks calories-per-capita, apparently regardless of macronutrient breakdown (http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/calories-st...).

[wlievens]

How about the argument that higher sugar intake causes you to be more hungry, therefore making it easier to eat less calories on a low suger (high-fat) diet. I know it's an entirely different argument from the "keto magic" argument you are ranting against, but do you object to it?

[jacques_chester]

Firstly, it doesn't come up in proper trials (eg http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17413101).

That's part of the general Taubes carbs-insulin hypothesis; that insulin affects satiety (the feeling of fullness, or no longer wanting to eat).

As I said above, there are more hormones involved than insulin. For example, one very influential hormone is leptin. It has a profound affect on appetite and satiety; but we still only understand it poorly.

And leptin can be affected by all sorts of factors. Sleep deprivation, even small amounts, really play merry hell with it. Next time you're running on fumes, you may notice both that a) you're starving and b) your ability to resist the temptation to eat anything is greatly diminished.

And so on. The body is more complex than the thermodynamic equation, but ultimately that is enough to control your mass. The additional details are worth introducing as and when they are necessary (and a good dietitian will do that), but not before. People are very good at giving themselves excuses and, of course, analysis paralysis allows them to forestall any real change.