How to Understand the Difference Between Diets – Like Keto and Carb Cycling
There are so many different diets out there, it’s best to understand their underlying principles first. I have 10 principles that explain the physiological and psychological truths necessary in reaching weight, health, and performance goals.
Understanding these principles is a way to understand the differences (or not) in how diets work – like keto and carb cycling.
Principle 6: All Diets Control Quantity to Varying Levels of Precision
In this podcast episode, where we outline the Optavia 5 in 1, keto and carb cycling diets, it’s important to first talk about one of these principles.
And that is Principle 6: All diets control quantity to varying levels of precision.
Quantity means calories or macronutrients. So what this principle is saying is that based on the different diet structures or rules, it’s going to change the total calories (and macronutrients) you are consuming.
“The varying levels of precision” means that the number of calories someone is eating on the different diets is all over the map. This is why there can be such a mixed response from the same diet: some people lose weight, other people don’t.
An example of this is the #800gChallenge®: the focus is on adding a weight of fruits and vegetables. Calories can be quite variable because they are not measured. People could be eating 1,500 calories or 2,500 calories (or any number of calories) and still be doing the #800gChallenge®.
It’s only really counting calories or counting macros that we know exactly the quantity of food people are eating (assuming they are consistent).
So that’s the takeaway for Principle 6: think about the rules of any diet you might start. And think about how the rules might be alter the calories or macros. (Diets are usually trying to lower them since most people want weight loss – so they normally have some way to cut down on the processed foods we tend to overeat.)
While diets often have different rules, the goal is the same: reduce the calories.
The explanation that the diets give is almost always more complicated than that, but that is how they drive weight loss. Optavia 5 in 1, keto, and carb-cycling are no different.
The Main Problem with These Diets
You can in fact lose weight on Optavia, keto, and carb-cycling. But the main problem is, will you sustain it?
When we look across weight loss diets we find: one-half of weight lost is regained in 2 years, and 80% of weight loss is regained in 5 years!!! Not good.
Many diets do in fact drive weight loss, but it’s very few diets that sustain weight loss in the long term.
One of the primary reasons for that is that most diets are unsustainable. They cut too much overall food from the diet (Optavia), cut types of food that people love (Keto), and/or have a restrictive schedule that doesn’t fit with modern busy lives (carb cycling).
Optavia, Keto and Carb Cycling Explained
If you want to learn more about the specifics of these diets, their claims, and why ultimately they are not solutions for most people – take a listen to this episode of The Consistency Project! (link above)
Topics include:
• What is “quantity” and review of Principle 6 (All diets control quantity to varying levels of precision)
• What is the Optavia 5 and 1 diet, how it controls quantity, and why it is not sustainable
• What is the Keto diet (ketosis), how it controls quantity, and why it is not sustainable
• Keto vs. Carnivore diets
• Why keto is not superior to other weight loss diets, and why carbs are optimal for health and performance
• The rapid initial weight loss on Keto (water weight)
• What is the (low) Carb Cycling, how it controls quantity, and why you might not get the results you want
• Whether carb cycling is good for performance, and addressing caloric need
Referenced Podcasts
On the 10 Principles of Nutrition
On the Paleo Diet on the Ancestral Fallacy
On Weight Watchers, the Zone, and Low FODMAP
On the Carnivore Diet and Mainstream Diet Books
