Every time this topic comes up I have to bring up my old standby....

A calorie does not exist in a vacuum. Water will boil at different temperatures under different atmospheric pressures, after all. Therefore it stands to reason that there are many different factors which will affect the use of calories, including metabolism, genetics, activity level, and a whole host of other things.

That's what people who have not read in depth about what lc'ing is about fail to understand. Yes there is a metabolic advantage. Is it huge? probably not--I think it's about 200-300 calories per diem on average, I'm sure it varies from person to person, but it IS significant enough to keep a big eater much more happy than on any other weight loss program.

And yes, the other advantage is a reduced urge to binge when you fill up on good protein and fat. I think that is by far one of the advantages that is always neglected when a 100 calorie soda is compared to a 100 calorie piece of cheese (which of course will have very different effects on the body).