**NOTE: This post is part of the Low-Calorie Diet Introduction Series.  This series is designed to give dieters a basic understanding of the principals of a low-calorie diet and to help answer any basic questions a beginner might have.  This series lays the foundation and provides some basic information to jump right in and start losing fat with your next meal.

 
Is a low-calorie diet proven to be effective?
Yes, in fact, the only way to lose weight is by lowering your calories.  It doesn’t even matter what type of diet plan you choose, low carb, low fat – it all boils down to low calorie.

Study after study have proved that you must burn more calories than you take in to lose weight.  One such study, published in the Feb. 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine compared varying diet plans to see which was most effective.  The conclusion?  Any plan that causes one to consume less calories will be effective in losing weight.

“This study has a very practical, useful message. It doesn’t really matter much the specific type of diet — see what suits you best. The focus should be on reducing calories. That’s what really counts,” said the author of the study Dr. Frank Sacks, a professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at the Harvard School of Public Health.

So you must eat less (or exercise more) to lose weight.  But for overall health, you must get a good variety of foods, including all three macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats.  Any diet that cuts out one of these is not healthy in the long term, which is why we stress healthy eating, as well as lowering calories as the two main ingredients to a successful and healthy low-calorie diet.

What is a low-calorie diet? – Previous    |    Next - How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

• What is a low-calorie diet?
• Are there any dangers with a low-calorie diet?
• How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
• Should I follow a low-carb diet?
• Low-Calorie Food That Fills