woofgang, for most of us on protracted diets. I think that quality of food intake and watching what goes into your body goes hand in hand. I've been on a min carbs for ten months and recently relaxed it at the edges (still no bread, rice or pasta and min spuds), over 3 stone down but very attentive to what goes into me, a lot more greens etc and way over the 5 or 7 a day....