Want to Lose Weight? Count Calories, Not What Type
Want the scoop on the ultimate diet secret? According to a recent study published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it’s not what you’re eating—it’s how much. Researchers, who compared four different diets with varying proportions of fat, carbohydrates and protein, found no difference in weight loss or body fat reduction. That might be sad news for Atkins enthusiasts.
The study randomly assigned different diets, varying in protein, fat, and carbohydrate content, to overweight or obese people (body mass indexes ranged from 25 and 40). The intention was to eliminate 750 calories a day from the participants’ diets. Throughout the two-year period, researchers checked the weight, fat mass, and lean mass of participants. Though some lost more than nine pounds of fat during the first six months, they eventually gained it back. (Hey, we know what that’s like). Some were able to keep the weight off, while others just dropped out of the study altogether. But ultimately there was no difference in weight loss between the different diets.
One of the study’s leading researchers, Dr. George Bray of Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, offered this conclusion: “The major predictor for weight loss was ‘adherence.’ ” In other words, dieters can obsess less with quests to find the perfect food alchemy, and focus more on adopting a balanced, low-calorie diet that sticks.
The study, confirming an already commonly understood weight-loss reality, may not be revolutionary, but it might be hard for yo-yo dieters to swallow. And those choking down their twentieth chicken breast of the week may grimace at the idea of a fat or carb-infused diet winning the weight-loss race. In addition, if you’re about to sacrifice your low-cal dinner for a few blissful bites of lava cake, know that this is no time to turn your nose up at proper nutrition. Resuming dysfunctional relationships with your favorite indulgences may have latent effects and unintended consequences.
So the bottom line is this: There’s no magic bullet for weight loss, just the slow and steady path of realistically balanced low-calorie eating. The key is finding what works for you...and maybe a way to actually enjoy it.
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