Oct 8 • Food/Nutrition
All Diets Work the Same Way: Through a Calorie Deficit
Keto. Low-fat. Mediterranean. Intermittent fasting. High-protein.The branding changes, but the physics don’t. If your goal is fat loss, the common denominator of every successful diet is a sustained calorie deficit—consistently taking in less energy than you expend.
The evidence (quick hits),
- Named diets vs. named diets: A large JAMA meta-analysis comparing popular diet programs found similar weight loss across plans when calories were reduced—adherence mattered more than the specific macronutrient split. JAMA Network+1
- Macros don’t beat math: In a year-long NEJM trial testing four diets with different fat/carb/protein targets, participants lost comparable amounts of weight as long as calories were cut. New England Journal of Medicine+2PubMed+2
- Low-carb vs. low-fat, head-to-head: The DIETFITS RCT reported no significant difference in 12-month weight change between healthy low-carb and healthy low-fat approaches. Again, the driver was sustaining the deficit, not the diet label. JAMA Network+2PubMed+2
- Guidelines agree: Public health guidance emphasizes creating an energy deficit via eating fewer calories and/or increasing activity to reduce body weight. CDC+1
- Clinical practice notes: Current NICE guidance supports calorie-reduction strategies within comprehensive weight-management plans (with very-low-energy diets reserved for specific cases under supervision). NICE+2NICE+2
What this means for you
- Pick the diet you can actually stick to. Enjoyment, culture, budget, and lifestyle beat perfection. A “pretty good” plan followed for 6–12 months outperforms a “perfect” plan abandoned in 2 weeks. (That’s what the adherence data keep showing.) JAMA Network
- Prioritize protein + fiber. They help with fullness while you’re in a deficit (think lean meats, dairy/soy, legumes, fruits, veg, whole grains). New England Journal of Medicine
- Engineer the deficit with simple levers:
- Watch the long game. Your calorie needs may drop as you lose weight—plateaus are normal. Adjust portions, activity, or both. Mayo Clinic
Simple starting template
- Aim for ~300-500 kcal/day average deficit (adjust based on progress and how you feel).
- Build meals around a palm or two of protein, a fist or two of veg/fruit, a cupped handful of whole-grain/starchy carbs (optional on lower-carb days), and a thumb of fats—then scale portions to your target. New England Journal of Medicine
- Add 2–4 sessions/week of resistance training and regular walking or cardio to support energy expenditure and muscle retention. CDC
Takeaway
You don’t need the “best” diet—you need a workable one that keeps you in a calorie deficit most days, protects your hunger and muscle, and fits your life. Get those fundamentals right, and the label on your plan matters a lot less than you’ve been told. JAMA Network+2New England Journal of Medicine+2
Sources you can explore:
JAMA meta-analysis of named diets; NEJM macronutrient-varying RCT; DIETFITS RCT; CDC guidance on energy balance; NICE overweight/obesity guideline. NICE+4JAMA Network+4New England Journal of Medicine+4
(If you want, drop your current diet style below and I’ll show you how to set a realistic deficit without obsessing over every calorie.)
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All Diets Work the Same Way: Through a Calorie Deficit
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