On another line of thought, one diet I was on - <500 calories a day—required zero willpower to maintain once I had been on it for a week or so (the benefits were significant enough and the return rapid enough that I had no desire to go off the diet). (Essentially I copied the HCG diet without the HCG. High protein, low carb, low fat.) Lost somewhere in the vicinity of forty five pounds, of which I’ve regained twenty five since dropping off of it. Preparing to go back on an approximation of the diet (leaving out the fruits and crackers this time and trading them in for whey protein to support heavy exercise).
A line of conversation with DaFranker ( http://lesswrong.com/lw/h7r/open_thread_april_1530_2013/8tzt ) suggests to me that some people may be fighting the wrong causes by seeking to confront akrasia.
On another line of thought, one diet I was on - <500 calories a day—required zero willpower to maintain once I had been on it for a week or so (the benefits were significant enough and the return rapid enough that I had no desire to go off the diet). (Essentially I copied the HCG diet without the HCG. High protein, low carb, low fat.) Lost somewhere in the vicinity of forty five pounds, of which I’ve regained twenty five since dropping off of it. Preparing to go back on an approximation of the diet (leaving out the fruits and crackers this time and trading them in for whey protein to support heavy exercise).