Experimental Fat Loss

Experimental Fat Loss explores methods of reversing obesity through 30-day diet and lifestyle trials, focusing on approaches like cutting out seed oils, protein restriction, and exploring the impacts of different fats and diet hacks on weight loss, metabolic health, and obesity. The blog combines personal experimentation, scientific evidence, and diet reviews to provide insights into effective fat loss strategies.

Diet and Nutrition Weight Loss Experimentation Metabolic Health Dietary Fats and Oils Exercise and Fitness Scientific Research and Evidence Dietary Supplements Food and Meal Planning

The hottest Substack posts of Experimental Fat Loss

And their main takeaways

ex_dryfast report: 48h of no food, no water

141 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Fasting Weight Loss Dieting Fitness
  1. Dry fasting for 48 hours felt easier than expected. The experience didn't match the scary stories I'd heard online about serious difficulties.
  2. I lost about 5-7.5 pounds after the dry fast, mainly due to water weight. It was surprising how quickly the weight dropped without eating or drinking.
  3. This experience made me more interested in trying dry fasting again. It seems less daunting now, and I have noticed that many people are exploring it more as a way to lose weight.

ex150-13 report: Man discovers food

198 implied HN points • 09 Feb 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Dieting Weight Loss Fitness Supplementation
  1. Eating the same meal for a long time led to small weight changes, showing routines can affect weight loss positively.
  2. Trying a variety of foods after years of strict diets resulted in surprising satiety, even from sugary snacks.
  3. Lowering linoleic acid levels might improve overall health and satiety, suggesting dietary adjustments can have significant effects.

What causes obesity & how to reverse it

339 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Obesity Dieting Health trends Wellness strategies
  1. Cutting down on linoleic acid found in seed oils is key to reversing obesity. This type of fat is everywhere in modern foods and affects how hungry we feel.
  2. Many diets can help, but turning to either a low-carb (keto) or low-fat (carbo) approach can be beneficial, depending on what works best for you.
  3. Restricting protein intake can also aid in weight loss. Some people find eating less protein helps their body shed fat more easily.

The Gadfly: Walter Kempner

162 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Dieting Public Health Medical History Patient Care
  1. Walter Kempner was a doctor who developed a strict rice diet that helped seriously ill patients, particularly those with kidney problems, see improvements in their health. The diet was simple but very restrictive.
  2. Kempner's approach was controversial, and he often faced criticism from other doctors. However, he backed his claims with detailed data and had notable success in treating patients.
  3. Despite his initial success and fame, Kempner's methods aren't widely recognized today, and the rice diet hasn't been successfully replicated outside of his clinic.

CO2-curious

141 implied HN points • 20 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Mental health Wellness Trends Chronic Conditions
  1. High CO2 levels can make people feel dizzy or stuffy, but this doesn’t always mean they will get headaches. Personal experiences with varying CO2 levels in different environments lead to different symptoms.
  2. The old homes might have better airflow compared to modern buildings, which could lead to fewer headache symptoms despite higher CO2 levels. The construction of a building can impact how we feel in relation to CO2 exposure.
  3. Making assumptions based on CO2 measurements alone can be misleading. It’s important to consider other factors or pollutants that may actually cause discomfort or headaches.
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Obesity: Root Cause Analysis

268 implied HN points • 24 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Obesity Diabetes Health Research
  1. Obesity and diabetes rates have soared in the last few decades, showing something has fundamentally changed in our lifestyle or diet since the 1800s.
  2. Understanding the mechanisms behind diet and health is important, but we also need to focus on finding practical solutions rather than just theoretical ones.
  3. Evaluating various diet ideas from personal experiences or small experiments can be more effective than relying solely on large studies, as many common narratives about health don't fully explain the issues we face today.

ExFatloss 2024: Year in Review

205 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Nutrition Dieting
  1. In 2024, there were many experiments and personal weight changes, with weight fluctuating but often hovering around the lowest point in several years.
  2. Tools like the Omega Tracker and various calculators were created to help people understand their dietary impact and weight loss journey better.
  3. There are new goals for the future, focusing on sharing knowledge and enabling others to experiment with their diets rather than just personal progress.

Post-rice OmegaQuant: 8% linoleic acid

162 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Dieting Health Testing Wellness Trends
  1. Eating very low-fat diets, like a rice diet, can deplete the body's linoleic acid faster. When you stop taking in certain fats, your body starts using fat stored in your tissues.
  2. The OmegaQuant Complete test can give a rough idea of linoleic acid levels, but it's not completely accurate. It's a useful tool, but results should be interpreted carefully due to various factors.
  3. Body fat levels and diet can greatly affect fatty acid profiles. If you're on a low-fat diet, your body might produce more of its own fats, which can influence test results.

ex150-12 review: Holiday Edition

127 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Dieting Weight Loss Fitness Lifestyle
  1. Following a special diet led to a quick weight loss of about 4 pounds, but it might just be water weight from changes in food intake.
  2. During the holidays, more flexibility in eating was allowed, but it didn't seem to majorly affect overall weight loss.
  3. Future experiments with different diets, like one focused on honey, are planned to see how they compare with previous food plans.

ex_rice review: Didn't lose any weight, Non-24 gone

198 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Weight Loss Diets Metabolism Health Conditions
  1. A rice-only diet was tested, but it didn’t lead to weight loss. Instead, there was an increase in body fat and lean mass, which was disappointing.
  2. The individual’s sleep cycle disorder, called Non-24, seemed to improve during the rice diet, suggesting a potential link between carb intake and circadian rhythms.
  3. The experiment highlighted that feeling full doesn't always mean being satisfied; the body knows when it has the energy it needs, regardless of how much food is consumed.

Holy S&*t, is my Non-24 gone?!

261 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Dieting Nutrition Mental health
  1. Non-24 is a sleep disorder that makes your body clock run on a different schedule than normal. It feels like having constant jet lag and can seriously affect your daily life.
  2. Following a ketogenic diet helped one person manage their Non-24 symptoms, giving them a regular sleep schedule for years. When they tried adding carbs, the disorder returned quickly.
  3. Surprisingly, after experimenting with a rice diet, they found their non-24 symptoms didn’t come back. This was unexpected and raises questions about how different diets impact circadian rhythms.

Is Keto just a Band-Aid?

176 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Dieting Nutrition Weight Loss Metabolism Health trends
  1. Keto can help some people lose weight initially, but it often doesn't lead to long-term success. Many people may gain the weight back after stopping the diet.
  2. People can do keto in many different ways, but not all methods work for everyone. It's important to find what suits your body and lifestyle best.
  3. Keto isn't the only option for weight loss; other diets, like those focused on potatoes or rice, can also be effective. Choose a diet that you enjoy to make it easier to stick to.

Gear Post 3: Judgement Gear

92 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🍲 Food & Drink Cooking Nutrition Dieting
  1. A Santoku knife is a versatile kitchen tool that can handle both everyday tasks and heavier cutting, making it a good investment for cooking.
  2. Having a reliable can opener is really important, especially for those who open cans occasionally and want it to work well every time.
  3. Trying fat-free sauces and alternative drinks can help you stick to a specific diet while still enjoying flavorful meals and beverages.

ex150-11 review: weight stable for 30 days

134 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Dieting Nutrition Weight Loss Food Science
  1. After a month on the ex150 diet, the person remained stable in weight with an average around 222-224 pounds. A little weight gain was noted, but it was mostly muscle and fat together.
  2. Eating felt more satisfying during a recent protein refeed. They experienced better fullness from their meals than they had in the past.
  3. The experiment with different foods shows that consuming more cream might help maintain weight. They are now trying out a new diet involving rice to see how it affects their results.

Swamp Update: Detailed Swamping

134 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Diet Nutrition Fitness Health Lifestyle
  1. The Swamp Visualizer can show more detailed diet information now, instead of just using 10% steps. This makes it easier to understand how different diets compare.
  2. You can now see where the ex150 diet falls in comparison to the Standard American Diet. It's a helpful way to visualize macronutrient distributions.
  3. If you know of any interesting diets with specific macro information, you can share them. The author is looking to include a variety of diets in the visualizer.

PUFA: The Preponderance of the Evidence

233 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Weight Loss Health Benefits Risk Analysis
  1. Cutting out seed oils led to significant health benefits for the author, including weight loss and improved overall well-being.
  2. While the link between PUFAs and obesity is not 100% proven, there is substantial evidence and personal anecdotes supporting the idea.
  3. The author believes that the risks of consuming seed oils outweigh any potential benefits, and will continue to avoid them based on the evidence available.

Book & concept review: Omega Balance

148 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Diet Balance
  1. The importance of achieving a balanced Omega-6/3 ratio in the diet is emphasized, with a focus on reducing omega-6 intake and increasing omega-3 consumption to improve overall health.
  2. The concept of Omega Balance is introduced as a more detailed and structured approach to understanding the effects of PUFA ratios on the body, particularly in relation to phospholipids in cells.
  3. Cutting out omega-6 linoleic acid from the diet is highlighted as a vital step in improving health, with the book recommending a 'whole-of-diet' approach that combines reducing omega-6 while increasing omega-3 intake.

Fuel-Partitioning causes Obesity

169 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Weight Loss Fitness Metabolism Diet
  1. Mainstream CICO/EBM and Fuel Partitioning/low-carb are two paradigms about what causes obesity.
  2. CICO views calories as the cause of fat gain, while Fuel Partitioning sees excess calories as a result of other issues.
  3. CICO doesn't work for everyone, and there are diets like low-carb or keto that work better for some due to Fuel Partitioning.

Torricelli's Law for Fat Loss

127 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Metabolism Diet Sleep Predictions
  1. Torricelli's Law for Fat Loss explains how weight loss can slow down as you approach your normal weight, similar to a bucket draining liquid with decreasing speed.
  2. Weight loss projections can be influenced by dietary changes and external factors, like daylight savings time affecting circadian rhythms and potentially affecting weight loss plateaus.
  3. Testing multiple weight loss projections, such as following a fitted curve and intuition-based predictions, can help in anticipating weight loss outcomes and adjusting dietary strategies.

Show me the (BCAA) studies

184 implied HN points • 18 Nov 23
  1. Restricting isoleucine in the diet can lead to weight loss and improved metabolic health in mice.
  2. Elevated BCAAs are associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome in humans.
  3. Protein/BCAA restriction shows promise in improving health outcomes and mitigating cardiometabolic issues.

ex150-9 review: Down 4lbs, broke through 220lbs

106 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Nutrition Fitness Metabolism Healthy Eating
  1. Decision-making dilemma: stick to what works or explore new options. It's tricky to find the balance.
  2. Balancing exploitation and exploration in weight loss experiments is key to progress. Trying new things can build confidence, but sticking to what's known to work is crucial for consistent results.
  3. It's important to evaluate the success of experiments and prioritize proven methods. Understanding mechanisms behind weight loss can lead to more effective strategies.

Review: 12 weeks of strength training with the x3 bar variable resistance system

155 implied HN points • 23 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Strength Training
  1. Free weights vs. x3 bar: x3 may be gentler on joints and allow for training with heavy resistance in a safer way.
  2. x3 bar offers convenience: Short, intense workouts that can be done in minimal time and space, even when traveling.
  3. Consider the value: x3 bar may provide comparable results to traditional gym equipment, with added benefits like reduced joint pain and convenience.

What miracle cures should we expect from cutting out seed oils?

134 implied HN points • 04 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Self-care Medical Research Mental health Physical health
  1. Cutting out seed oils can lead to improved skin health and reduced sunburn sensitivity.
  2. Seed oils can easily oxidize and negatively impact cell membranes, potentially causing health issues.
  3. The body can regenerate various cells impacted by seed oils within days to years, leading to potential health improvements over time.

Response: How Critical MAS would tackle serious weight loss

106 implied HN points • 16 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Diet Exercise Nutrition Wellness
  1. Critical MAS recommends tackling serious weight loss in two phases, with different strategies for each phase based on weight and goals.
  2. During the 'Serious Phase,' MAS suggests a low-fat whole-food diet, including the Modern Peasant Diet, and protein restriction to aid weight loss.
  3. MAS advises against exercise in the initial phase, gradually incorporating intermittent fasting, and increasing protein intake in the 'Red Zone' for final weight loss.

Seed Oils explain the 8 Mysteries of Obesity

176 implied HN points • 22 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Obesity Nutrition Metabolism Diet Wellness
  1. Obesity is caused by long-term dysfunction of mitochondrial energy metabolism, mainly due to changes in food intake starting in the late 1800s and increased seed oil consumption since the 1930s and 1970s.
  2. The drastic increase in obesity rates since the mid-1970s can be attributed to the rise in seed oil consumption, such as the introduction of canola oil in the 1970s.
  3. The ongoing obesity crisis, even since 2010, has seen a massive increase due to a 50% rise in seed oil consumption like soybean oil.

ex150nostarbucks review: down 13lbs, 6 of which fat

134 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Nutrition Diet Insulin
  1. The author realized that consuming heavy cream lattes from Starbucks significantly increased their daily calorie intake, leading to weight loss plateaus.
  2. The experiment highlighted the importance of being mindful of hidden sources of excess calories in the diet, such as the heavy cream lattes.
  3. Insulin levels and types of protein consumed can play a significant role in fat gain or loss, showcasing the complexity of weight management beyond just calorie counting.

More Cool Gear I Like

70 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Kitchenware Coffee
  1. Be mindful of the materials in your kitchen gadgets to avoid microplastics.
  2. Consider investing in kitchenware with unique features like pre-programmed temperatures.
  3. Exploring different food and beverage options, like Vietnamese coffee, herbal teas, and tallow-based products, can add variety to your routine.

The Mysterious Case of Outlier 17

106 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Diet Nutrition Metabolism
  1. Outlier 17 lost a significant amount of weight on the Half-Tato diet, which was only 50% potatoes and 50% regular food, with the main focus on how her approach ties into eliminating PUFAs, limiting protein intake, and focusing on a specific macronutrient.
  2. The Half-Tato diet study compared to other experiments led to observations that avoiding PUFAs, keeping protein intake low, and following a specific macro balance might contribute significantly to weight loss.
  3. Outlier 17's success might be due to factors like avoidance of PUFAs, low protein intake, and focus on a specific macro balance, indicating potential keys to effective weight loss.

Not losing fat on Keto/Carnivore? Try eating less protein.

141 implied HN points • 27 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Weight Loss Metabolism Diet Medical Research
  1. Eating high protein might hinder fat loss on Keto/Carnivore diets; consider reducing protein intake.
  2. Popular Keto/Carnivore diets emphasize high protein, but excessive protein intake may not be suitable for everyone.
  3. Moderating protein intake and focusing on adequate fat consumption is essential for maintaining a balanced diet on Keto/Carnivore.