My take on low cal diets -

I believe that calories are the first thing people take into action when they begin their fitness plans. Many people think that "starving" themselves is the best way to lose weight.

Flaws with low calorie diets

I think what people don’t realize is that doing this puts your body into what is called starvation mode where your metabolism slows enormously. Your body holds on to whatever food you intake. Low calorie diets also lead to binge eating. After long term use of such a diet, your body loses only water and muscle, but very little fat. It is also extremely difficult to workout. I remember plenty of times when exercise felt impossible because I was too low on food. But on the other side, even more times when I felt slugish from eating too much.

I believe that you should eat enough that you don’t feel slugish when you work, but that the meals are fitting to your diet. Never fast or processed food!

Which diet is the best?

There is none. You see ads everywhere for the best diets and wonder, which one is the RIGHT one? The reality is, for the most part, they all have an element of truth. Find one and stick to it. It all depends on your body type. I will say this though. If you are a runner or extreme "cardioholic", lay off the low carb. Good carbs in pastas and breads are a solid base of energy that lasts a long time. If you are a lifter, obviously, you need protein. Lay off low cal or vegan type diets. Read lower too see what some experts say about calorie counting.
Are there any positive results to a low calorie diet?

I suppose. I have seen it work, but results are very short term and usually comes back to bite you in the butt when you can’t maintain it. At the same time, the diet does produce fast results, but at the end of the day it's always better to be smart. Eat Smart. Workout. The only true way to lose weight.
This site is originally found at and written by Bryan Picchiottino.