Why Do Diets Only Work For Some People?

Buckle up, because today we are going into the nitty gritty of weight loss. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of tried and tested diets out there. Keto, Paleo, Carnivore, Vegan, Intermittent Fasting, and Atkins all have multitudes that swear by them. Yet, all have just as many people who have failed to lose, and even have managed to gain weight on these diets. So what gives? The key is understanding how diets cause weight loss in the first place.

Our bodies use a certain amount of energy to function each day. This energy comes in the form of calories, as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Consuming less calories than you need forces your body to use up stored fat as fuel. Do that for long enough and you lose weight. There are 3500 calories in a pound. So eating in a deficit of 500 calories per day will equate to one pound per week of fat loss.

So, all diets work by creating a caloric deficit. When you barely eat carbs on a keto diet, there are no cakes, cookies, candy, or chips to munch on. Less food to eat means less food is eaten, and wala- a deficit is achieved. When you only eat during a short window of time while intermittent fasting, there is no opportunity to snack throughout the rest of the day. Less time to eat equals less food eaten- bam- caloric deficit. Going Carnivore means all you can eat is meat, which will fill you up quickly. If you are full you will stop eating - boom- weight loss will happen. This is why many people have seen great success dieting without counting calories.

But, there are some things these diets fail to account for. For one, some people just have enormous appetites. Maybe they can slam down tons of snacks and drinks in just a short window of time. Maybe they can easily eat two steaks and reach for a third. But worst of all, maybe they cannot cut themselves off from all the delicious nosh that lines every store shelf and kitchen counter. So, they resort to a cycle of yo-yo dieting. They get inspired and drop a few pounds. The hunger and cravings build up over a few weeks or months of unsustainable dieting, until it’s all over. Knee deep in the snack pantry, they promise to go back on track tomorrow.

If this is you then fear not, for there is another way. Simply calculate your maintenance calories and eat a few hundred less than that figure each day. With this method you can still have a treat a few times a week, or even daily, and still lose weight. There will be far less diet fatigue, and you will finally be able to shed those stubborn pounds. While calorie counting sounds intimidating, with the right resources and a good mindset, it will quickly become second nature.

Moshe Orbach was born and bred in Kew Gardens Hills. Moshe is a product of our yeshivah system and yearns to give back to his community. Fitness and health are Moshe's longtime passions. Moshe wants everyone to lead their daily life energized, and aware of their body's potential, no matter their age. Moshe can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

By Moshe Orbach