In today’s post, we will definitively explain which is the best diet to burn fat.
In my 12 years of exercising and dieting, I have tried and failed with numerous diet plans which promised me the world. If you can resonate with my experience, you should keep reading.
Today, I will explain WHY most fad diets are pre-destined for failure, and which diet is actually the most effective (you will be surprised!)
So put the kettle on, sit back, and let’s go!
The Typical Diet Failure
The dieting industry is HUGE. In fact, it was worth $70 billion in 2018, and the trend continues to rise(1). This has resulted in a vast number of published diets, all promising to deliver weight loss results.
So which is the best diet to burn fat?
Before we proceed, let’s set one thing straight. The “which diet is best?” question is an extremely subjective question. Many of the extravagant claims made by famous “diet gurus”, have not been backed by scientific results.
One thing is undeniable though.
Despite the lucrative industry, the general population remains none the wiser when it comes to dieting and losing weight. This is evident from the poll results of a recent dieting survey.(2)
Poll: Many People Struggle With Dieting
- The average adult in a developed country will try ~126 different diets in their lifetime.
- 50% admitted they didn’t know what made one diet better than another.
- 20% admitted they have no idea where to find reliable nutrition guidelines.
- Most people will prematurely end a diet due to side effects such as fatigue (21%), weakness (29%), and headaches (26%).
- 20% admitted they would eat a tapeworm to lose weight (seriously?!?!).
For many, the classic dieting journey is often a demoralizing cycle of disappointment. At worst, you prematurely end the diet. At best, it goes something like this:
Sound familiar? Keep reading!
Why Are Fad Diets Ineffective?
Disclaimer: Where many people are unsuccessful with fad diets, some do succeed. If you have seen success, and continue to do so, I applaud you. You have done a great job at conquering your goals! But for those who have not been so lucky, this post will guide you through a more realistic approach to dieting.
Fad diets are usually ineffective for one reason- they are unsustainable.(3)
They are unsustainable because they do not provide the body with the complete nutrient profile required for a healthy lifestyle. This is why many people become fatigued, irritated, and downright miserable on a fad diet.(4)
Nutrients can be broadly categorized as macronutrients and micronutrients.
Why We Need Macronutrients & Micronutrients
Macronutrients are required by the body in the largest amounts. They sustain the body with the energy and raw organic materials required for growth, repair, and maintenance.
Micronutrients are required in smaller amounts, but they are equally important for a healthy body. They are necessary for the biochemical and physiological functions of the body (immune system, energy utilization, sleep regulation, etc).
The body NEEDS a complete profile of macro and micronutrients to operate efficiently(6).
Think of macronutrients as bricks and micronutrients as mortar. Both materials are required to build a house right?
This basic nutritional requirement is hardwired into our DNA through millions of years of evolution. So when Mr Atkins tells you that carbs are your enemies, throw him a biology textbook.
Here’s a fun fact- the Atkins diet was actually created in the 1960s. Is it a bit dated?….
When we deny the body specific nutrients, the brain’s natural response is to make you CRAVE those particular nutrients. This may explain why many people will often binge eat and quickly regain weight shortly after a fad diet.(7)
So if fad diets are no good, what is the best diet to burn fat?
What Makes Fat-Burning Diet Effective?
First, let’s define what we mean by a “fat-burning diet” and an “effective diet”.
A fat-burning diet simply means the diet causes you to lose fat.
An effective diet means that the diet helps you achieve your weight loss goals for the LONG-TERM.
Even if you manage to shed a few pounds from a diet, that does not necessarily make it effective. After all, if you regain weight immediately after the diet finishes, what was the point?
Therefore, an effective fat-burning diet should put you in a caloric deficit, AND be sustainable. This may sound simple (and it is), but many people fail to realize this and subsequently fail at dieting.
Requirements For An Effective Fat-Burning Diet
1) It should put you in a caloric deficit (to lose fat).
2) It should be sustainable (to prevent the fat from being put back on)
A caloric deficit provides fewer calories than your daily energy demands. This will force the body to burn fat (and muscle) to meet its energy requirement.
A sustainable diet is enjoyable and provides a complete nutrient profile to sustain everyday life.
Any diet which meets the above requirements will set you up for long-term success. So next time a fad diet sparks your interest, come back to this page and make sure it meets these two requirements!
Alternatively, keep reading to find out how and why you should create your own diet plan rather than follow a fad diet.
Creating Your Own Personalised Diet Plan
Let’s make one thing clear. Dieting is a highly personal journey. We all enjoy different foods.
So why should we all follow the same diet plan and eat the same foods?
“Because it’s a diet and I just need to burn fat” is not an acceptable answer! A diet should not make your life hell, and it doesn’t have to.
This is why you should create your own personal diet plan.
There’s a reason why every personal trainer worth their salt will sit down with the client and tailor a specific diet for them. It’s because a diet should always be personalized to the individual!
This guarantees the largest chance of sustainable long-term success. After all, the more you enjoy something, the more likely you will stick to it right?
Making a personal diet plan is not hard. And once you have mastered the art, you are empowered to eat the foods you like, when you like, FOR LIFE!
It’s a skill that will stay with you forever!
We have already established the requirements for an effective fat-burning diet. It should put us in a calorie deficit, provide a complete nutrient profile, and be enjoyable.
Now let’s find out what foods to include. This is the fun part!
Choosing Foods For Your Diet Plan
To make your life easier, we have provided examples of foods you can include in your diet plan to ensure a complete nutrient profile.
As you can see, there are many dieting foods to choose from. Simply choose the foods you like from each section, and make sure your total daily calories put you in a caloric deficit (we will explain later)
In general, you should aim to follow these macronutrient ratios for your total calorie intake(7):
Eating more protein and fewer carbohydrates can be suitable for those looking to burn fat faster or looking to build muscle whilst losing fat. Check out our guide to building muscle and burning fat.
But don’t eliminate carbohydrates completely! And make sure the protein is a lean protein (fatty meats are calorie-rich!).
The Power Of Calorie Counting
How do we ensure the ingredients in our daily meals will put us in a calorie deficit?
Calorie counting makes it possible to determine the exact calories in all the foods you consume. Check out our complete guide to calorie counting to learn more!
It involves counting the exact number of calories in each individual ingredient. This is done by using kitchen scales to measure the weight of an ingredient. Combined with nutritional information on food packaging, it allows us to determine the calorie amounts.
Example: If 100g of chicken breast contains 165 calories. So 150 grams contains 247.5 calories (150 grams ÷ 100g x 165 calories = 247.5 calories).
Or….
Example: Aiming for 200 calories of chicken for lunch? Cook 121 grams of chicken! (200 calories ÷ 165 calories x 100 grams = 121 calories).
Be careful of hidden calories! Remember to account for calories in sauces, dressings, and frying oil.
Online Tools For Calorie Counting
If math is not your forte, food calorie calculators can be found on sites like WebMD.
If nutrition information is unavailable, nutritional databases such as Google (search “ingredient + nutritional info”) and Nutritionix hold data for millions of different types of food!
Now we know how many calories we are consuming, we just need to make sure it’s less than our maintenance calories (i.e. the number of calories to maintain body weight).
Maintaining a ~200 daily calorie deficit will ensure a steady weight loss without the major side effects associated with crash dieting(8).
Calorie counting will ensure you portion your foods correctly and it’s a valuable skill to learn in your weight-loss journey.
Conclusion
Finito!
Today we have explained why fad diets are ineffective, that the best diet to burn fat is your OWN personal diet, and how to create your own fat-burning diet.
Dieting to lose weight is not as hard as you think!
Many people are unsuccessful because they are not equipped with the right knowledge, so they rely on stressful fad diets. These diets deny the body vital nutrients and are often very bad for you.
So try creating your own personalized diet plan and lose weight by eating the foods that you like!
What foods will you include in your own diet plan? Let’s share with everyone!
Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions! You can find my details on the “contact us” page.
You may also be interested in the downloadable Kalibre Blueprint PDF which details exactly how I gained 40lbs of lean muscle (it’s 100% free!). It details the exact exercises and nutrition (with printable worksheets) I used to go from skinny to ripped!
Thanks for reading guys!
Peace Out,
Kal
(Biochemistry BSc, Biomedical Sciences MSc, Ex-Skinny Guy)