Stunning Research Result on Weight Loss

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has just published the results of a research study of weight loss. The researchers randomly assigned over 170 people who were sedentary and already overweight or obese to one of three supervised exercise regimens:

Group A maintained their current habits.
Group B burned roughly 100 extra calories a day doing simple things
              like walking more.
Group C burned roughly 250 extra calories a day by doing light
              exercises.

After maintaining the program for six months, Group A participants had lost 1/2 pound - well within the margin of error. Group B participants had lost about a pound while Group C had lost 3 1/2 pounds.

But based on the calories expended, Group B should have lost about 3 pounds and the Group C participants about 6. What happened? The people in Groups B and C "compensated" for the extra work by eating more.

The studies remarkable conclusion? If you want to lose weight, eat less. Seriously. It was a real, funded study. So there you have it. Fewer calories in than calories out equals less weight. Who would have guessed?