I'm on the Hacker's Diet right now! As John and others have said, it's all about the math and the self-feedback.<p>I weigh myself everyday and record it on the online Hacker's Diet application[1]. It gives you a moving average (newer measurements count more than older ones) and gives you a great trend chart to track your progress and give you immediate feedback.<p>I don't exercise (yet) since I'm already losing weight at an acceptable rate and I've managed to get past the point of craving more from a meal. However, the choice is entirely yours -- if you want to eat a little more on the side, you have to make up for those calories with some (daily) exercise.<p>[1]: <a href="http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/online/hdo.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/online/hdo.html</a>