Comments on: Hacker’s Diet

By: Ragged Clown

Ragged Clown — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 11:44:15 +0000

It’s 8 years later and there’s a new web app. You can sign up at https://stark-eyrie-28983.herokuapp.com/

By: Victor

Victor — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 16:28:28 +0000

In reply to Ragged Clown.

Oh wow– I figured that would be long gone after half a decade haha

I’ll poke around, thanks!

By: Ragged Clown

Ragged Clown — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 15:37:21 +0000

In reply to Victor.

Hey Victor,

This post is from several years ago and the iPhone app is long dead.

By an odd coincidence, I’ve just rewritten the app as a mobile web app. You can sign up here:

https://stark-eyrie-28983.herokuapp.com/slimmers/

It’s pretty bare bones still. I’ll finish it one day. Maybe.

By: Victor

Victor — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 08:30:27 +0000

What’s the best way to ping you?

I would love to take a look at that iPhone app!

Soooooo happy to have stumbled onto your writing through this post!

By: Stuart Thompson

Stuart Thompson — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:46:00 +0000

Simplicity is a wonderful thing. I haven’t read the book, but I’ve got it on my list now. I’ve been losing weight pretty consistently for about eighteen months now. Down from 220lbs to 190lbs and chasing 180 next. The things I’ve found that really make a difference were/are:
Quitting soda
Drinking beer linearly instead of binging. Leaving a few hours between final beer and bedtime.
Planning around meals out. Big dinner tonight? Eat smaller lunch and do workout in late afternoon.

I’m still fighting it, and I still binge with beer. Big meals come up and exercise takes a break for the weekend. However, the general trend is down and as you pointed out that’s what really matters.

Great work guys. Keep it up!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:16:16 +0000

I like the Hacker’s diet for the same reasons as you, Ben, but I was definitely attracted by the appeals to engineering and common sense seem to be missing from every where else. I especially like the focus on two things: the trend chart and the daily deficit. If you are red, you are in trouble! Feedback loops work!

I downloaded maybe 10 or 15 weight tracking apps before deciding to write my own. All the others I tried were too complex except one – WeightBot – that was great except the charts didn’t span months.

I have been using physics diet too as well as Walker’s own Hacker’s Diet Online but I find them both too fiddly to use every day.

I hear Noom on Android is very good. It probably doesn’t have the Daily excess concept, but it looks simple and its very popular. If I ever finish my app, I might port it to Android.

Thanks for stopping by!

By: Ben Smith

Ben Smith — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:08:42 +0000

The hacker’s diet has served me well – first helping me move from from 230lb to 200lb, and now again on my way towards a target weight of 180lb.

I like the focus on food rather than exercise. The diet treats exercise as a good way to get fit, but not to burn fat – and it’s right. Eating less is the easiest way to lose weight.

In any case, I’m glad you’ve build an app! I’d take you up on the offer to play along, but I’m an Android guy. Maybe I’ll follow your lead and build my own for Android!

Do you track your weight in any other way online, or just using your app?