MEPX
Chapter 2 of 10All chapters
  1. 1What food is made of
  2. 2Energy balance
  3. 3What is broadly agreed
  4. 4Why the science is hard
  5. 5Common myths
  6. 6Reading labels
  7. 7Diets
  8. 8Supplements
  9. 9Water, salt and alcohol
  10. 10Practical and honest

Chapter 2 of 10

Energy balance

The physics and the biology.

Calories

Weight change follows energy in against energy out over time. That is arithmetic, and it does not make weight simple, because both sides of the equation adjust.

  • Metabolism adapts to intake, which is why losses slow.
  • Appetite is regulated by hormones, sleep and stress, not by resolve alone.

Food quality

What you eat changes how full you feel, how much you eat next, and long-term health outcomes. Two diets with equal calories are not equivalent in practice.