"I lost 27 lbs in two months!"

When most people think “diet,” they think of eating fruits, veggies and lean protein. But Mark Haub tried something different. The professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University put himself on a “convenience store diet” made up of things like Twinkies, Doritos, Oreos and sugary cereals. 

I know what you are thinking, this has nothing to do with eggnog and Christmas cookies.  However, in essence, they are both the same in that they are calorie dense, low nutrient, high processed sugar, and saturated fats food.  So, I figured with holiday parties in full swing, what better way to grab your attention than with a diet of eggnog and Christmas cookies.

The twist with his “convenience store diet” or for those celebrating the holiday “eggnog Christmas cookie diet” he practiced caloric management.  Haub limited his caloric intake to 1,800 calories a day; regardless of food type.  In two months, Haub had lost 27 pounds.

Haub’s kind of diet isn’t nutritionally advantageous and by no means recommended. However, his diet shows that total calories consumed is the number one difference-maker in weight loss and why is the first rule (not the only rule) in the Hierarchy of Fat Loss here at My Fitness Kitchen.

Indeed, many doctors and nutrition experts agree that to lose weight, you need to do little other than reduce the number of calories you eat and increase the number you burn. 

This is true; however, the difficulty falls with the many variables that contribute to both how and what calories (energy) are consumed and what activity is performed (caloric expenditure) to create such a deficit.  

A study that validated the simplicity of this point was published in the New England Journal of Medicine — which divided participants into four groups, putting each group on a diet with a different make-up of fat, protein, and carbs but all with similar calorie counts — found that “reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of which macronutrients they emphasize.”

Although the total volume of calories trumps all with weight loss, one can't ignore the fact that all calories are not equal when it comes to our metabolism.  The true key is understanding how to manage and or leverage this inequality of type of calories to ultimately control the total volume relative to one's metabolism.  

The good news this process isn’t rocket science; however, it does require self-discipline and daily accountability and awareness which for most is difficult to do on their own. 

If you are looking to create your own “Diet” to lose weight look for a professional that can assist you with the following:

1. Calculate your estimate daily energy expenditure (metabolism).
2. Work with you to create a livable daily caloric deficit target based on your metabolism that will maximize fat loss while minimizing any loss of lean body mass (muscle)
3. Assist with your awareness of caloric management of YOUR FOODS.  This includes both the good and not so good foods.  You must be realistic, if you want any results to last unless you plan on giving up the foods you love, you must learn how to take ownership of your choices.
4. Will regularly monitor you (suggest weekly) to tweak your program targets to account for the changes (scale weight, % body fat, food selection, activity level, type of exercise, etc…) that are occurring over time.
5. Being Patient and Persistent.  Allow the coaching to personalize over time to ensure a routine of LIVABLE healthy behaviors that produce results you love.

The point of the so-called suggested Eggnog Christmas Cookie diet is to illustrate the top (not only) principle in losing weight is caloric management.  Only once this is understood can individuals better embrace how not all calories are created equal to make caloric management easier. A good professional coach will empower you on the differences in types of calories in the foods you enjoy.  This type of nutritional lifestyle coaching will help individuals create a LIVABLE lifestyle for results that last a lifetime.

Best of Success!