What is a simple way to adjust your energy balance?

Adjusting energy balance fundamentally involves managing the relationship between calories consumed and calories expended. This can be accomplished in a straightforward manner by modifying dietary intake — specifically, by increasing or decreasing food consumption.

Eating more calories than the body needs leads to a positive energy balance and weight gain, while eating fewer calories than required creates a negative energy balance and can result in weight loss. Therefore, the option to "eat more or less" directly addresses the concept of energy balance through dietary changes. This approach is simple and effective for individuals looking to intentionally manage their weight or overall health.

The other options do not offer a straightforward method of adjusting energy balance in the context of general dietary practices. For instance, increasing exercise alone may improve physical fitness and calorie expenditure, but without a corresponding adjustment in calorie intake, the overall energy balance may remain unchanged. Increasing fat intake, while potentially beneficial in certain dietary contexts, does not directly equate to adjusting overall energy balance unless it is accompanied by changes in total caloric intake. Similarly, decreasing water intake is not a relevant or healthy strategy for adjusting energy balance and doesn't directly affect caloric intake or expenditure.