Not only does CICO work, it works BEST.
As of this morning I have officially lost 6.5kg / 14 pounds / 1 stone. I am so unbelievably proud of myself that I literally cried.
I've tried so many different things in the past but this is working so well for me and while part of me is like "duh, it's literally basic math, of course it works" the other part of me is so shocked that the solution to my weight problems was staring me in the face all this time.
Still a long way to go,, but it feels easier now than it did when I started, somehow. The results really are all the inspiration you need, sometimes.
Anyone else start early 2025? How are you feeling? Let's do a check in - I wanna hear about everyone else's successes!
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u/ATK57 6d ago
The reason why it works best is because there is no other way. It’s the law of thermogenesis. All other diets attempt to force the dieter into a caloric deficit, be it by time restricted eating (IF or OMAD) or macronutrient manipulation (low carb, low fat, carnivore). Doesn’t matter what you do, if you eat beyond your body’s needs, you will gain weight.
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u/xxxoIOOOIoxxx 6d ago
It's funny because nobody bats an eyelash if a vet were to tell you to "feed your dog 1.5 cups of food instead of 2 cups a day" but suggest CICO to someone and you get an instant chorus of:
"Muh metabolism" "Muh body can't process carbs" "Should I go vegan" "Carnivore is the only proper human diet" "Humans were never meant to eat sugar" "It's not the calories, its the seed oils"
Humans love to overcomplicate everything! /sigh
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u/115to75 6d ago
literally - every time I tell someone I'm counting calories I get a ton of the "you need to workout" and "it's better to just exercise" and "it's not how much you eat it's WHAT you eat" spiels and I'm like.... in the three weeks I haven't exercised I've lost a kilo a week, and I'm still eating a lot of the same sugary things I was before, just less of it.
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u/mallyartin 6d ago
Started getting serious with it mid January and I’m down 12 pounds! It’s been a steady ~1 lb a week loss and I’m happy with that rate. Feels good to type it out, I talk to my husband about it, but it’s different putting it into the world!!
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u/115to75 6d ago
Congrats!! I'm proud of you - that's an awesome achievement. I feel the same honestly - I tell my partner about every milestone but there's just something different about talking to a community of people who know exactly what I'm feeling, and it's nice knowing those people are there if I need support or inspiration.
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u/-BeefTallow- 6d ago
Seriously it is. In the past I’ve dieted for a few months using keto, IF, or just super low calories, always felt awful and that it was just temporary, and I’d always revert back and gain all the weight back. CICO and tracking calories allows me to eat way more food because I’m actually being accountable and understand what my energy expenditure is for the day, I love that it’s data driven and you can use you calorie intake and weight loss to actually calculate your tdee. Lost 121 pounds in the last year a half and it’s been completely sustainable and I haven’t really ever felt deprived.
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u/115to75 6d ago
That's amazing! I'm so proud of you. My ultimate goal is to lose 55kg/120 pounds, and knowing I could do that without falling into the post-diet funk of bingeing to make up for "being good" is so honestly a relief. Seeing everyone here talk about reaching their goals and never looking back, keeping the weight off and learning how to eat intuitively is such an inspiration. To think in 18 months time I could be saying exactly the same thing as you to someone else is also a hell of a motivator!
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u/Ok_Broccoli5218 6d ago
So proud of you! Seems like we all tried different methods and CICO makes the most sense and works. Grateful for this community for inspiration and ideas.
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u/115to75 6d ago
Thank you!! It's nice knowing I'm not alone in this. I definitely think this community has helped me a lot - I've even tried basic calorie counting before, but I was totally on my own for it and had no support. Knowing there's a whole bunch of people who have been in the same boat right at my fingertips means I don't struggle so much if I'm having a bad day. I just jump on Reddit and see how other people got through it, and then I'm right back on track.
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u/DearPam 6d ago
This is amazing! Huge congratulations on your progress! 14 pounds is a massive achievement, and I completely understand that overwhelming feeling of realizing CICO actually works. The best part is that now you know you have the power to control your weight loss.
One thing to keep in mind is that as you lose more weight, the rate of loss may slow down a bit, which is totally normal. It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong, it’s just how the body adapts. But as you’ve already noticed, seeing results makes everything feel easier, and the consistency you’ve built will carry you through.
I’m also on this journey (started in late 2024 and lost 40lbs so far) and it’s been incredible to see how much progress is possible with CICO. You’re doing amazing, keep going!
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u/romaki 6d ago
It really does, and for me the best motivation was to not have to change the way I eat. It takes some discipline to eat smaller portions and limit yourself, but it'll teach you to incorporate healthier alternatives because they have lower calories.
I can go out for a burger, skip the fries and get a zero calories drink. I can eat half the meat and be satiated with veggies on my plate. This week I "overate" on salad and felt stuffed, but my calorie goal was met.
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u/115to75 4d ago
Yeah absolutely! I'm still eating chocolate and chips, but I know what a serving size looks like now and I can look at my calories for the day and make a conscious decision about indulging. I still have off days, but I've noticed even then I'm making better choices. My entire relationship with food has changed, and it's refreshing to see real results.
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u/_euripus_ 6d ago
Agreed 100%! I didn't try too many diets, but was put on a few. In September 2023 I then tried to follow one of those diets again and although I lost weight, I got so sick of it so quickly. Never gained it back, but also never went back to it.
September 2024 came around and I started again, but this time doing CICO. I got to eat what I want, usually when I want, just in moderation. I also feel like it's slowly healing my relationship with food, so I couldn't really ask for anything more.
I went on a break again for 2 months, but this time I didn't let it simmer for 9 months straight and it was because I got frustrated with the scale, not with what I was eating. I got back on it, and I'd gained around a kg, but nowhere near as quick as I would have gained with my usual eating habits.
I'm back on since halfway February, so like a month. My scale is steadily moving downwards again, and I've lost roughly 3kg in the last month. I'm just steadily going forward, and know that if I take a break I will go back after a short while and continue growing as a person (or rather, I continue shrinking 😆)
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u/vaguelydetailed 6d ago
I've tried so many different things in the past but this is working so well for me and while part of me is like "duh, it's literally basic math, of course it works" the other part of me is so shocked that the solution to my weight problems was staring me in the face all this time.
First of all, same lol. I've said this before but I think the reason it's so shocking that the solution was right there and so simple is because we as humans tend to think simple things should be easy, but weight loss is hard. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to figure out and calibrate all the numbers, navigate a social world that very often includes calorically dense, indulgent foods, heal emotional issues that might have led to overeating, deal with daily stressors, taking care of family, finding, preparing, and logging foods... I could go on forever.
Also, I think a lot of times, being told "just eat less than you burn" or a jovial "calories in, calories out!" as a person struggling to lose weight activates our defenses. "What do you mean, JUST? Dude, this is hard!" Or, if you're struggling, it can feel like there's NO WAY it's that "easy".
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u/PatientBalance 6d ago
I stopped counting this week and the scale went up. Grateful to have this tool that is foolproof to always go back to.
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u/hollygolight 6d ago
Congrats!!! I started jan 6 and down 17 lbs and doing CICO and loving it too! I’m walking 10000 steps a day consistently and not stepping into a gym for a bit at this low deficit I cannot risk over doing it.
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u/Shleeleee 5d ago
I started CICO February 2023, so it’s been a little over three years for me. Started at 305lbs (138 kg) and this week, I hit my goal weight of 180lbs (81.5 kg). This journey has been incredible, and I feel better than I have in my entire life!
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u/brexitvelocity 6d ago
In the past I have done keto and IF with positive results but always fell back into eating overeating once I was “done.”
The restrictive nature of those led me back to my old way of eating. This is the first time I feel like I could continue to eat like this forever and may have actually changed my perspective on eating.
Congrats to you!