The foundation that dictates body weight, on which all other factors are predicated

If we look at the nutrition pyramid here, we can see that Total Daily Energy is at the foundation of body weight management.
Energy balance is the net balance of energy taken in through food and energy expended through exercise, digestion and organ function.
Calories are just the measure of this energy, just like a kilometer is a measure of distance.
The First Law of Thermodynamics: "Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only altered in form".
I don't like the philosophy "eat less, move more", as there are so many factors involved in body weight regulation, and having excess weight does not mean someone is lazy and gluttonous. At the foundation, however, more energy coming in than is expended will influence weight gain, and more energy expended versus what is coming in will influence weight loss. The energy deficit or surplus must be either stored or liberated.
A visual representation of energy balance:



"Someone said otherwise"
If you come across information that calories don't matter, and that specific foods or factors like "hormones" are responsible for bodyweight, just keep in mind that energy balance is an established law of physics. As you'll see shortly, specific foods and hormones may indeed influence body weight - indirectly through altering energy balance.
One specific food is not to blame
Over the years various foods have become the scape goat for causing the obesity epidemic. Once upon a time it was fat, and it still is in some circles. Now it's carbohydrates, particularly sugar. In reality, it's the total amount of energy consumed from all foods in a dietary pattern that influences body weight.
As mentioned previously some foods may influence energy balance over all, and hence would be better to increase or minimise depending on its impact. Fibre from fruit and vegetables, and protein rich foods make us feel fuller for longer, therefore often reducing overall calorie intake. Highly processed foods like chips, ice cream and chicken nuggets are easily over eaten because they may not be very filling and, quite frankly, are so difficult to stop eating once we start.
Processed food under the microscope
A study in 2019 gathered 20 volunteers willing to lock themselves away for 4 weeks, where they were asked to eat as much as they wanted of a whole foods unprocessed diet for 2 weeks, and then an ultra processed diet for the other 2 weeks. Half of the people ate diet, the rest ate the other, and then they swapped over (cross over design).
Result: The ultra-processed diet lead to a 508 calorie/day excess intake compared to the unprocessed diet. The excess calories influenced a .9kg weight gain, and the unprocessed diet influenced .9kg weight loss.
Interestingly, participants rated their hunger levels, fullness, satisfaction and meal pleasantness equally, but what differed was the meal eating rate. It's thought that the softer, easier to chew texture of processed foods may increase eating rate and delay fullness signals - hence increasing overall calorie intake.
Contributors to energy balance

Energy In
Energy intake comes from the foods and drinks we consume. The macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat and protein) within foods are the energy giving nutrients., which make up our "Total Daily Energy Intake".
Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are essential for health, but they don't contain energy.

Nuances of energy intake
Energy intake is is more complex than energy expenditure. Internal and external cues are so powerful, that saying "eat less" is really too simplistic.
The power forces behind energy intake are:

1 - Central regulation - The brain processes information and influences drive to eat or not, or to exercise more or less. ie. An aggressive calorie restricted diet will cause the brain to ramp up hunger signals, and slow down unconscious reflexive movement (blinking).
2 - Peripheral signals - these are mainly generated in the digestive tract, but fat cells and the pancreas too. Various hormones are secreted to alter hunger and fullness sensations. ie. Fibre and water add bulk to a meal creating a stretch of the stomach, which signals fullness.
3 - External factors - these include social factors, palatability, habits, stress and environment. External factors are intertwined with the internal factors. An example if this is chronic stress and its influence on food reward seeking behaviour.
Taking Control
Central regulation and peripheral signals are well out of conscious control, there are still many things that are within your control. We just have to identify them and make a plan to integrate them into your lifestyle to achieve a desired energy balance.
The food environment is the most powerful factor you can take control of. Just as important as what food you eat, is where you eat your food, and how you eat it. Optimising this will have lasting impact on your ability to control the internal cues.
Setting realistic but firm guidelines for social settings will allow you to enjoy some of your favourite "treats", in smaller portions, and still keep you on track for your goals. Communicating your goals unapologetically to friends and family is a way for you to take command of your food environment.
Energy Expenditure
Let's take a look at the "energy out" part of the equation. Total energy out is given a fancy name - Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). There are four components that make up our TDEE, each of which is impacted by each other & other variables. In discussing this, you'll see once more that the "eat less - move more" should be put to rest.
Components of TDEE
1) Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)
RMR is the energy required to keep the lights on. This means the bare essentials of survival are covered - Heart beating, hair growing, chemical reactions occurring. RMR uses the largest amount of our TDEE, accounting for 60-65%.
Your body composition (muscle to fat make up) has a strong influence on your RMR. As muscle is a very active tissue, requiring greater energy to exist, higher amounts will increase your RMR. This is why us coaches are singing the praises of resistance training for fat loss, despite it not "burning" as much energy as aerobic exercise.
On the other end, negatively impacting RMR, are heavily and/or chronically restricted energy intakes. As a compensatory response to low energy availability and an attempt to preserve muscle and fat mass, the body down regulates energy expenditure. This is a common reason why weight loss plateaus occur within weeks after dieting, and why weight regain is one of the hardest aspects of weight loss.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
NEAT is the unintentional energy expenditure that occurs through a physical job, walking to the car or train station, and fidgeting. NEAT takes up 10-15% of our TDEE, depending on the individual.
As is the case with RMR, calorie restriction impacts NEAT significantly. Spontaneous movement can decreases, and even movement efficiency can increase during weight loss diets, in order to preserve energy. This, all occurring outside of our awareness.
Step counts is a great proxy for general NEAT levels, and used during a fat loss phase is extremely helpful. As we usually need to get around on our feet, it allows us, to gauge if spontaneous activity has shifted.
Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT)
EAT is the purposeful exercise we perform that usually gets our hearts pumping & sweat rate up. This may come as a surprise, but of all energy expended in a day, EAT accounts for only 10%.
Exercise at greater intensities, and/or for longer durations increases TDEE. This can have its limits however, as NEAT, and to a lesser extend RMR, have been seen to drop as a compensation for high energy outputs through exercise. If you find yourself too knackered to function long after an exercise bout, its may be worthwhile scaling back the intensity a touch.
Diet-Induced Thermogenesis (DIT)
DIT, or sometime referred to as Thermic Effect of Foods (TEF), is the energy required to digest, absorb and store the foods consumed through the diet. Overall, this component makes up 5-10% of TDEE.
I discussed in a previous post that Protein has a higher DIT, and along with its appetite lowering effect, is a reason for why we want to prioritise protein when attempting to lose weight.
Summarising the above:

Take Home Points
Think of the Cumulative Effect, not the Isolated. You're likely wondering what the point of most of the above information is! Well, it's crucial. It is this info that will help drive positive and meaningful weight change. Here are the key points for you to focus on:
Lift Weights

Given that muscle mass is a predictor of RMR, ensure that you perform resistance training 2 to 3 times per week to build muscle, or at least maintain muscle during a fat loss phase.
Remember N.E.A.T

Don't be hard on yourself if you didn't get all your exercise sessions in this week. Keep in mind that generally being active through daily tasks contributes significantly to daily energy output.
Set Goals & Targets

Set yourself non-negotiable targets to keep your NEAT and EAT up. Hopefully understanding the interplay of the components of energy balance provides reasoning to carry out these goals.
"Fuel for the work Required"

Fuel yourself adequately for the amount and type of activity you plan to do. Greater amounts and intensities require more carbohydrates. "Fuel for the work required"
Prioritise Protein

Whilst a an energy deficit is implemented for weight loss, higher protein intake ensures muscle preservation, better appetite regulation, and slightly greater energy expenditure through Diet induced Thermogenesis.
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