When most people hear “calorie restriction,” they imagine hunger, deprivation, and a half-empty plate. Decades of crash diets have caused us to associate eating less with feeling worse. But not all calorie-restricted diets are low-calorie. Thoughtfully formulated diets (that still meet nutritional requirements) can support long-term health, as excess weight gain over time (in particular, the accumulation of excess fat) is a risk factor for many chronic diseases.
