less calories on those diets than they regularly do. It’s not necessarily because of the particular foods you’re avoiding on that diet, it’s more about your daily consumption of calories decreasing.

I’m on a diet right now. I’ve lost 18 lbs in 7 weeks. I’ve been working on limiting my net calories (calories eaten - calories burned). I’m not avoiding carbs or sugar per se, but I naturally avoid those as I weigh every food against how many calories it has, and if it’s really worth it for me to eat that particular thing.

So far, working great.