People are constantly searching for the most powerful diet. Unfortunately, science is screaming in our faces to stop looking for a universally powerful diet. It doesn’t exist (3).
Research concludes, the most effective diet is simply the one you can personally stick to consistently. Consistency or adherence is by far the #1 predictor for weight loss success (1,2).
Many of my clients will tell you how annoyingly I hammer the concept of consistency down their throats. That’s because without consistency, nothing matters!
You could know everything about food like a wizard and have the most science proven diet in place, but if you can’t stick to that style of eating consistently, you won’t see any results. Period.
Many coaches are quick to completely bash or mindlessly worship certain diets. Both of these extremes are shortsighted.
The truth is many popular diets can work whether you manipulate macronutrients, limit food groups, or alter meal timing (3). Of course, different diets have many nuanced differences, but ultimately If the diet can create a caloric deficit, it will cause the primary intent of weight loss if adhered to long enough.
In addition, health effects of diets are largely the same if weight loss is the same (12).
Certain diets are easier to stick to for specific individuals which is why a diet that worked exceptionally well for your friend might not be appropriate for you.
So now that you understand consistency is so absolutely beyond important, let’s go over science-based tips to increase your chances at consistency.
Merrian Webster defines a fad as a practice or interest followed for a time with exaggerated zeal.
Fad diets usually have much hype around them, but are unsustainable. Things like extreme fasting and juice cleanses are common fad diets that will obviously cause weight loss because you’re eating practically nothing, but can’t be sustained because well, they’re miserable to do.
Fad diets often promote unnecessary methods, have low adherence rates, and can have unwanted side effects (4). For example, the trendy carnivore diet will almost certainly cause initial weight loss, but will also leave you deficient in micronutrients and fiber.
Long story short, do something sustainable ideally without side effects.
Dichotomous thinking is simply a fancy word describing the mindset of a completely black or white perspective. The most damaging example is thinking foods are purely good or bad.
Simply holding this belief can lead to damaging diet behaviors and inconsistency (5).
Labeling food as bad can lead to all or nothing behavior. For example, it’s quite common for dichotomous dieters to feel guilty after eating a cookie (or any treat) and say, “Screw this, I might as well eat the entire box because I already failed.”
The truth is, no food is always indefinitely good or bad. Good/bad are terrible adjectives for food because foods don’t have morals. Last I checked, The Bible doesn’t declare French fries to be anymore sinful than kale.
Some foods however are simply better for certain goals and situations while some foods are less ideal, but all foods can still be part of a healthy diet (3).
This leads me to my next point.
As a result of dichotomous thinking, many people take on rigid dieting approaches where lots of food are completely off limits. Anyone who’s tried this, knows it usually doesn’t work for too long as the temptation of binging just grows greater.
This has been linked to various body image issues and eating disorders (6,7). But being flexible and allowing yourself access to treats within reasonable amounts or frequencies leads to better behavior outcomes (8). For example, successful dieters are more likely to be a bit loose on the weekends instead of enforcing strictness (10).
Ultimately, a caloric deficit is the key to weight loss, so why wouldn’t you want a fun flexible deficit as opposed to a rigid one?
To clarify, this is not a green light to start inhaling an endless buffet. While you technically can stuff all your calories with tasty junk food and still lose weight, this isn’t sustainable because food volume would be hysterically low and inevitable micronutrient deficiencies will occur.
The goal of flexible dieting is to allow for more food choices to improve the adherence of a well-balanced diet, not to entertain a game of how many churros can I scarf down this week without going over.
Research shows being rigid is clearly bad, but being too flexible isn’t ideal either.
Next factor that ensures consistency and weight loss success is self-monitoring (9). A systematic review found a deeply strong relationship for self-monitoring exercise, frequent weigh-ins, and dietary intake for successful dieters.
Because this is a diet article, we’ll focus on the nutrition component.
By self-monitoring what you eat and their portions, you’re more self-aware and now held accountable to your food log. Tracking calories (while it does have it’s limitations) is the most accurate way to monitor intake.
And while many people think, tracking calories is a nauseating pain in the glutes, it actually takes minimal effort. This study shows it only takes about 20 daily minutes daily to do and achieve meaningful weight loss (11).
The study also shows as you track more often, you get better results and eventually, the effort takes you even less time. In fact, tracking consistently is a great start, you don’t necessarily have to be perfect to the decimal. So pick an app or find a notepad and start tracking. It’s not rocket science.
Many diets work, but don’t get hung up on which ones seems more powerful.
When creating or selecting a diet plan, you should never think, “Hmm, How many different foods can I eliminate to hopefully get better results?”
Instead you should think, “Hmm, how can I make dieting more doable so I can actually stay consistent for once in my life?”
The answer will usually involve a flexible approach with some form of self-monitoring, not a fad or rigid diet.
Ge, Long, et al. “Comparison of Dietary Macronutrient Patterns of 14 Popular Named Dietary Programmes for Weight and Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction in Adults: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomised Trials.” The BMJ, British Medical Journal Publishing Group, 1 Apr. 2020, www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m696.
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