No matter what diet you use to lose weight or maintain normal body weight, you need to control what you eat.

Diets based on high fat or high protein help people lose weight because people actually eat few calories when they use these diets, they get the feeling of fullness easily.

The problem is that these diets may not be nutritionally balanced and people cannot stick to the diets forever and in the end, the lost weight comes back.

According to Colin T Campbell, a Cornell University nutritionist, the best way to lose weight and maintain a normal body weight while you do not have to count calories is to use a diet high in plant-based whole foods with lots of carbohydrates, but low in meat and fat.   He says that the Chinese living in rural areas eat more calories than Americans, but few are obese and overweight.

So the type of food you eat makes a difference.

The problem with this diet is that not many people in the West may be able to follow the diet because they cannot use a diet without much meat and fat.

Still regardless of what you’d like to eat, there are two things you may do to help control your energy intake.   One thing is drinking some low-calorie soup and the other is eating your meal as slowly as you can.   Eating slowly can help you eat less.   These two things help you get satisfied and have a feeling of fullness while you do not have to eat too many calories.

Dr. Campbell emphasizes that eating enough at meal time is very important. If you do not, then you are likely to eat something else and lose your control over the energy intake between meals.

One last thing you need to know is that you should not count on exercise to lose any extra calories you eat.   Exercise can be a two-edged sword. On one hand, it helps you expend energy and on the other, it creates a greater desire to eat more.

To sum it up, what's important is, 1) pay attention to what you eat. Eat the foods Dr. Campbell recommended, and 2) use some soup at meal time and eat your meal as slowly as you can, and 3) make sure you eat enough at meal time and avoid snacks or any foods between meals.

Try it.   You got nothing to lose.