Is it too simple? New research found people who counted bites over a month's time lost roughly four pounds - just about what the CDC recommends for "healthy" weight loss. Those in the pilot test counted the number of bites they took each day and then committed to taking 20 to 30 percent fewer bites over the next four weeks. Participants who stuck with the task saw results despite changing nothing else about their eating and exercising routine. "This study confirms what we already knew: consuming less food makes a difference," said lead study author Josh West. "We're not advocating people starve themselves; what we're talking about is people eating less than they're currently eating".