TheBUZZ: The new dieting trick: cut total calories!
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
A new study finds cutting calories alone, regardless of percentage of fat, protein, or carbohydrates, is the key to weight loss.
WHAT WE KNOW
You should have 20% fat, less than 10% saturated fat, 45-65% carbohydrates … overwhelmed yet? When creating a balanced diet, the percentage of fat, carbohydrates, and protein often confuses people.
Weight loss is hard enough without adding complicated percentages into your plan! Good news … with the introduction of USDA’s new food icon, MyPlate, eating healthfully just got easier! Its message is simple: for a well-balanced meal of fats, carbohydrates and protein, focus on filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables and the other half with lean proteins and whole grains, then add a side of calcium-rich foods. Read More
To make weight loss even more manageable, a new study finds that total calories are the most important predictor for weight loss.
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition studied weight loss with diets that consisted of different carbohydrate, protein, and fat percentages.
Participants were assigned to one of four diets …
- Low fat (20 % daily calories), average protein (15%)
- Low fat (20%), high protein (25%)
- High fat (40%), average protein (15%)
- High fat (40%), high protein (25%)
After two years, the proportion of protein, carbohydrate or fat in the diet did not affect the amount of fat that was lost on any part of the body during the study. The total amount of calories alone was the most important factor in weight loss.*
OUR ADVICE
Create an eating plan that works for you! Just use this golden rule: total calories consumed (from food and drinks) has to be less than calories expended for the day. Create a Healthy Meal Plan
Remember that not all foods are equal when it comes to weight loss. Think of it like this … get the most ‘bang for your buck’ when it comes to food! Choose foods that offer the highest amounts of nutrients per calorie. See Calorie Comparison Chart
Having trouble cutting calories? It’s easier when you fill half your plate with fruits and veggies! Here’s how that helps …
- Fruits & veggies are full of fiber—to keep you satisfied longer
- They replace other high calorie and high saturated fat foods
- They’re low in calories and saturated fat
Easy tricks for everyday meals …
Read our complete weight management guide and remember to fill half your plate with fruits and veggies at every eating occasion!
*de Souza, R., G. Bray, V. Carey, et al. “Effects of 4 Weight-loss Diets Differing in Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrate on Fat Mass, Lean Mass, Visceral Adipose Tissue, and Hepatic Fat: Results From the POUNDS LOST Trial.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2012), doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.026328
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