I’m Japanese and learning English.
I have a question about the meaning of “if not more” in the below sentence.
Many people who follow this diet end up eating just as many calories, if not more , because they constantly feel hungry.
According to my text, this means “... end up eating just as many calories as before they begin it, or even more calories than before they begin it.”
However, I interpreted as “... end up eating just as many calories as before they begin it, not to say more calories than before they begin it.”
Which of the two is correct? And why?