Today we are inundated with so much information, (and misinformation) about diet and exercise, how do you even know where to start? We take in small bits of information about diet from literally everywhere as everyone loves talking about what new fad diet they are doing. Even Dr.Phil has a weight loss book and he isn’t even lean!
Looking back, I was prey to some of the most magical diet and exercise fairytales the internet had to offer on losing weight. Anyone else drink lemon honey water with cayenne pepper because…Beyonce? Did anyone else listen to Dr.Oz’s diet and supplement recommendations? I mean, what’s more credible than a TV doctor? (sigh) I tried all the Dr.Oz recommended supplements and weight loss ‘quick fixes’, including but not limited to; juice cleanses, raspberry ketones supplements, garcinia cambogia supplements (anyone else remember this one?), green coffee bean extract, weight loss teas, the list goes on. It was convincing seeing the super thin people touting all the ‘miracle’ weight loss abilities that these supplements would just burn the fat right up. That you didn’t have to change your diet at all just take X supplement. Clearly that was B.S.
I’ve lost over 60 lbs and have tried all the fad diets including; Keto, carb cycling, high carb, low carb, atkins, vegan, you name it I probably tried it. They all worked to a certain extent but what I’ve found upon getting multiple nutrition certifications and really becoming an avid reader of nutrition, and reading actual research studies, I’ve come to some really uplifting information about how to lose fat nutritionally. The secret…
All diets work if you’re in a calorie deficit.
Hall et. al.’s recent research at the NIH shows when calories and protein are equated, both high carb low fat diets, and low carb high fat diets, lose an equal amount of weight. This is extremely good news why? What all diets come down to is adherence to the diet.
Whichever diet you choose that feels easiest for you to adhere to and sustain will be the best diet for fat loss, FOR YOU. No one diet has proven so far to be superior to another. Just good ol’ calorie restriction is what works.
What should the take away be from this?
Adherence is paramount to any successful diet.
Calorie deficits work regardless of the actual mode with which you chose.
This is great news! If you like eating high carbs, you can still lose weight. If you like eating low carb you can also still lose weight. As long as you are eating in a calorie deficit and remain adherent to the diet for a long enough period of time. The diet will work. PERIOD. No magic required.
