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As we’ve mentioned before, in large, controlled experiments, all different diets / ways of eating have been shown to perform exactly the same (from a weight loss perspective) when calorie controlled.
Eg: If you were consuming exactly 2,000 calories per day and burning exactly 2,500 per day………….
You would lose weight at exactly the same rate however you achieved that.
Exercising / moving more or less.
Doing Slimming World, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Paleo, 5:2, Intermittment Fasting, etc, etc.
All exactly the same when accurately controlled.
As we’ve mentioned before, real life isn’t like a lab.
Which is where some of the problems and seeming variations in results begin.
So the question has to be asked………..
Is it just down to calories?
And the answer is “Yes and No”.
Yes in that we need to be a in an energy deficit to lose weight.
Basic science.
No in that, for most people, doing what they’ve done before but adjusting to create a deficit doesn’t usually work long term.
Ie: Eating the same, but eating less.
Or just moving more.
Doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work.
It definitely would.
Fact.
But we struggle to maintain it.
For numerous reasons.
Our body has certain requirements for protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, etc.
So, while we could lose weight only eating ice cream and chocolate and drinking wine………..
Chances are, in real life, we’d have ‘sufficient’ amounts of energy from them……….
Then some more from what we ate to provide the other stuff the body was crying out for.
And we’d probably feel pretty crappy being powered by sugar and alcohol.
So would likely exercise less.
And probably just move around less.
So what we thought was a 500 cal deficit soon turns into a 500 cal surplus.
Again, doesn’t mean it can’t work.
Just probably doesn’t, long term, in real life.
Long term weight loss
Long term weight loss is a bit like climbing a mountain.
To get from the bottom to the top, we need to to convert some energy.
From chemical energy (what’s in our body) to kinetic energy (the movement of our body) to Gravitational Potential Energy (the increased stored energy in us by being raised up the mountain).
All paths will work.
Some are straight up but covered in thick, thorn covered vines.
Getting through them will work, but it’s hard going.
There’s a good chance that you’d give up and go home.
Some routes will get you there but take an eternity.
You’ll probably get bored and go home.
You need to decide the route that will get you there but is doable for you.
That is sufficiently quick to keep you interested in the idea of getting up the mountain.
But not so hard a route that it puts you off.
Much love,
Jon ‘Hannibal’ Hall and Matt ‘Muhammad’ Nicholson
P.S. Fairly easy middle names there – one bonus point 🙂
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P.P.S. Check RISE in Macclesfield’s briefing meeting page if you like the sound of an approach that’s about finding your own route rather than that ‘one size fits all’ ‘this is what you have to do’ method!
RISE Macclesfield – myrise.co.uk
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Or check out our monthly find-out-more meeting if you want to learn more about our free ’20lbs weight loss in 8 weeks’ and ‘Beach Body’ challenges –> myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting
