However, There Are Costs Associated With The CICO Diet

 

calorie intake Out of calories. Simple, right?

Even though you are reading about the CICO diet for the first time, it is not exactly novel. In addition, even "new" diets that claim to be novel rarely draw on cutting-edge research (yes, even Keto).

Basically, the most recent fads for losing weight only look different. With their particular diet's set of rules, banned foods or food groups, and/or daily caps on certain nutrients, diet marketers (yes, they exist) attempt to create this separation.

However, the reality is that the majority of diets use roughly the same mechanism: reducing calories The goal of these diet plans, whether they are Whole 30, Paleo, or Keto, is to encourage (demand?) you to eat less overall and lose weight as a result.

This method works, but, as we've said many times, usually only for a short time. Additionally, "yo-yo dieting," also known as "failing" a diet, can result in regaining weight. In a nutshell, fad diets don't last long.

As a result, an emerging diet trend known as "Calories In, Calories Out" (CICO) emphasizes the calorie-counting approach to weight loss.

The CICO plan works on the idea that you'll lose weight if you eat fewer calories than your body needs to do everyday things.

This well-liked diet can't be as easy as counting calories, right?

According to Bethany Doerfler, M.S., R.D.N., a Clinical Dietitian at Northwestern University, "The idea of calories in and calories out is absolutely the backbone of weight loss." However, there is so much more to metabolism and weight loss than that."

Therefore, it is essential to comprehend a few essential aspects of how your metabolism and body function in relation to dieting and weight loss prior to joining the CICO bandwagon.

There is a healthy approach to CICO and one that can lead to serious problems. Before you start using the CICO method for weight loss, here are some things to think about in terms of your health, happiness, and contentment.

The CICO Diet: What Is It?

Dezi Abeyta, R.D.N., a Men's Health nutrition advisor and the author of The Lose Your Gut Guide, asserts, "There’s no real plan with CICO."

And actually, that's not a bad thing.

Every day, on CICO, you simply consume fewer calories than you burn (calories out, or CO). And, to be honest, any diet, whether it's keto, paleo, Whole 30, or another, can be hard to stick to if you want to eat fewer calories than you burn. CICO tries to make everything simpler.

To help you comprehend how CICO argues that it operates, let's make things a little more complicated.

The number of calories your body burns to stay alive is called your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Height, weight, and age all play a role in determining this figure, which is unique to each person. Some doctors use breathing machines that provide BMRs that are more precise and individualized, and online calculators provide an estimate.

Since you probably won't stay in bed all day, lifestyle factors like physical activity need to be taken into consideration. Again, rough estimates of how many calories your body burns are provided by online formulas and calculators.

Consuming fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its activity level is necessary for weight loss. CICO comes in handy here.

Using the calculators mentioned earlier, you keep track of how many calories you eat each day on the CICO diet and try to eat fewer calories each day.

As a result, let's say you determine that you require 2,600 calories per day. You could then set a goal of eating 2,200 calories per day to try to lose weight.

You will begin to lose weight if you maintain a calorie deficit.

In point of fact, as long as you maintain a daily calorie deficit, there are no forbidden foods.

Abeyta asserts, "Everything is on the table." So, if you wanted to drink beer and eat wings every day, you could, as long as you ate less of those things or exercised more to keep a deficit of calories." Is that a good strategy for constructing long-term health with CICO? Definitely not.

Although the CICO diet's premise is straightforward, its actual implementation can be challenging. Calorie counting necessitates precise tracking, which can be particularly challenging when dining out or traveling.

Math, too.

However, people have seen outcomes from the diet.

Is the CICO Diet effective?

It depends on your definition of "work."

According to Abby Langer, R.D., it is generally accepted that most diets work due to a calorie deficit. As a result, if we are talking about the CICO diet and short-term weight loss, it is certain that it can be effective.

Langer asserts, "However, calories as we know them are so arbitrary." The calorie, which was created a very long time ago, is not always accurate when it comes to how our bodies metabolize each food. We are discovering so much more about the absorption of calories."

She explains, "Food that has been processed or broken down from its natural form contains more calories." Therefore, Langer asserts, "Compared to consuming that food raw or cooked, you’re going to absorb a significant portion of those calories in a smoothie."

Chips or Twinkies, for example, are highly processed foods that your body reacts to in a different way than kale or bananas. According to Doerfler, "Those [packaged snacks] are going to be viewed very differently on a cellular level."

According to a 2019 study that was published in the journal Cell Metabolism, the National Institute of Health discovered that people's levels of the hunger-inducing hormone ghrelin are higher after eating a well-balanced diet than after eating extremely processed foods.

Doerfler explains that foods that have been heavily processed and are high in sugar, fat, and salt may increase insulin levels and cause your body to store more fat.

The advantages of a fiber must then be taken into account.

According to Doerfler, foods high in fiber provide a certain degree of satiety and fullness. Scientists believe that a person's weight may be determined by the bacteria in their gut, which the nutrient also helps to maintain.

According to Abeyta, "if you focus solely on calories, you may forget about filling fiber, muscle-building protein, and disease-fighting micronutrients."

In general, knowing how many calories you consume each day is beneficial. "Well, if you’re self-motivated and know that a healthy diet includes lean proteins, colorful produce, high-quality fats, and fiber-rich foods, CICO can help you lose weight and improve your health carbs," Abeyta says.

However, even if you are reducing your intake of junk food and losing weight, you are still not following a diet that promotes long-term health.

Is the CICO Diet Good for You?

We've already talked a little bit about this from a physical point of view, but it's important to also talk about diet from a mental point of view.

Doerfler asserts that counting calories is not necessarily problematic. There are, however, exceptions.

She asserts, "I like that this diet has brought back to the forefront the importance of looking at calories and where your high-calorie food comes from." These calories almost always come from sugar-sweetened beverages and refined snack foods. It is hoped that those calories would be used to eat smarter and better."

If you know that a morning bagel with cream cheese has more than 600 calories, you might choose oatmeal and peanut butter for a filling meal with fewer calories.

Additionally, food tracking apps like MyFitnessPal are useful tools. According to a study that was published in the journal Obesity in February 2019, individuals who recorded their food intake for just 15 minutes each day lost approximately 10% in a single month, of their body weight.

However, according to Langer, keeping track of calories can feel like a chore, cause obsessive behavior, and even cause binge eating.

She asserts, "When you drill everything down to numbers, it takes away all of the joy of food and disconnects us from nourishing our bodies." By punishing, this perpetuates diet culture."

People with eating disorders may binge when they are stressed out about numbers. Consult a dietitian for individualized guidance if you have a history of eating disorders.

Abeyta states, "That’s a signal flare if you ever find yourself 'running off' indulgences or skipping meals for the sake of CICO."

Also, strict diets don't take birthdays or any other meal to celebrate into account.

Doerfler asserts, "People are not quite so robotic." Even if a person needs 1,200 calories per day to lose weight, most people don't always stick to that."

In the end, the best diet is not one in which every thought is ignored. According to Langer, if you refuse to eat despite feeling hungry, dieting becomes problematic.

She asserts, "If you had to pee, you wouldn't say, "No, I can't pee for another three hours."

Langer suggests relaxing your approach and listening to your body's natural hunger signals.