Low Carb Vs Low Fat Diets
Which is better for weight loss?
This is a great question! We know that fat loss ultimately comes down to the calories and ensuring they are low enough to induce weight loss. We also know that we need to consume an adequate amount of protein to maintain muscle mass when cutting, recover from sessions and optimise muscle protein synthesis.
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But what about carbs and fats. What do we do with them? Do we go low carb? People do rave about low-carb diets! Or do we go low fat? Dietary fat is pretty calorie-dense, so naturally limiting this could make it easier to control calories. Or does it not matter too much? Is it simply the case that we want to eat our protein, control our calories and allow the carbs and fats to form a natural balance based primarily on personal preference?
Study on the effect of low-fat vs low-carbohydrate diets
Well, let’s ask science and check out the results of a 12-month weight loss diet study on this very topic. It shows that among 609 participants either on a healthy low-fat diet or a healthy low-carb diet, there was no significant difference between the groups. For the healthy low-fat dieters, the loss was 5.3kg, and for the healthy low-carb dieters, it was 6kg. That’s a 0.7kg difference between groups, and over a 12-month period, it’s not statistically significant! Many other studies replicate these findings and generally either show no difference or slightly favouring low carb, but there’s a big emphasis on the word ‘slightly’!
Conclusion
What can we take from this? Well, it doesn’t really matter if you go low carb, or low fat – it ultimately comes down to preference. I recommend controlling your calories if fat loss is the goal and aim for 1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight. If you can hit over that while remaining within your calories, then go for it! I tend to eat more carbs, so naturally, my fat intake is a bit lower, but you do you! Let the carbs and fats naturally fluctuate through the week, depending on your daily preferences.
Parting shot
Ensure your diet allows you to enjoy a decent amount of the foods you love while also inducing the desired body composition changes!
Control calories, eat your protein, and generally eat a healthy, balanced diet. You nail this, and you can’t go wrong!