The author of The Hackeros Diet, John Walker, has generously given me permission to discuss his diet in detail using some quotes, with links back to his site. (Earlier E4T articles on The Hacker’s Diet)

Consider Skinny Sam, that exasperating acquaintance we all seem to have: the fellow who’s never overweight, never out of shape, who chows down whenever he feels like and eats as much as he wants, who can’t understand how anybody could have a weight problem. How does he do it?

(snip)

(snip)

When Sam eats the same number of calories as he burns, the ball rests at the bottom of the bowl and his appetite is silent. If less food goes in than he burns, whether from skipping meals, eating less at each meal, or from the extra calories he burns up practicing wolverine juggling three times a week, the ball drifts to the left. As it does, his appetite begins to signal, subtly at first then with increasing stridency, the need for more food. Conversely, when too many working lunches become rounds of “eat fast or get the anchovies”; when Sunday afternoon touch football in the back yard is supplanted by Monday Night Football in front of the illuminatus, too many calories begin to push the ball to the right. “How can you think of food?”, groans Sam. “You guys enjoy your burgers. All I want is a stalk of celery and a good night’s sleep!”

Oh, right. I can hear myself saying this — Do you think? Will we really build an Eat Watch that will make me want a stalk of celery and a good night’s sleep more than a hamburger?
It sounds like he’s saying that Sam’s “I’m full” signal is as strong as Sam’s “I’m starving” signal. I know that I’ve gotten more in tune with my “I’m full” signal in the last months. I remember reading that it takes 20 minutes to get the signal that we’re full (an undocumented citation). And I think that by not taking seconds, I don’t eat past the signal as often as I used to.

(I peaked ahead — tomorrow’s episode makes it sound possible.)