Benefits and Risks of the CICO Diet
Any diet that involves reducing the number of calories you consume will lead to weight loss in most people.
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But it’s not always so simple. Everyone’s bodies are different. Even if everyone ate the exact same meals and worked out in the same way, our bodies would still vary. That’s because several other factors outside of calorie intake play roles in weight. These include your metabolism, the types of food you consume, your overall gut health, your hormone levels, and even underlying health conditions you may have.
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However, practitioners of the current CICO diet focus on calorie reduction without regard to the balance of nutrients they take in, and they find that it works. That said, malnutrition is a real risk with the CICO diet if it revolves around junk food or nutrient-poor choices. “If we’re eating nothing but Twinkies all day, we’re missing essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber — probably lacking protein, probably lacking healthy fat,” says Salter.
“That is not ideal for our overall functioning, both cognitively and physically. If we go one step further, a lot of people misunderstand the fact that each nutrient — carbohydrates, protein, and fat — behaves differently in the body.”
He provides the example of complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole-grain products, which are notoriously missing from a junk-food diet. “What makes them so beneficial is not only the vitamin and mineral content, but the fact that they have fiber, which slows down digestion, keeps energy levels steady, and appetite under control for the next few hours after a meal.”
A closer look at Haub’s experiment reveals an attempt at nutritional balance. While two-thirds of his diet was junk food, he also took a daily multivitamin pill and drank a protein shake. Plus, he typically ate a can of green beans or three to four celery stalks on top of the snack food. The nutrients those additions provided may have affected his results.
Junk food aside, obsessing over calorie counting has a downside, says Amanda Goodwin, RDN, a registered dietician. Don’t get so giddy about eating sweet treats every day while you lose weight that you neglect to take in enough calories. That can backfire in the long run.
“You have to make sure you’re getting enough calories at each meal and in between meals to sustain your metabolism and also your energy level so that you’re not ready to binge by the time the office snacks come around at 3 p.m. or by the time you’re resting on the couch after dinner,” Goodwin cautions.
In fact, Goodwin doesn’t give her clients calorie restrictions at all. She says that she has seen too many diets derailed because a fixation on calories left a client feeling deprived, making their regimen unsustainable.
