CICO Diet – Why Should You Avoid It?

Hello All!!!

Fad diet alert!!! Have you heard about the latest fad diet? CICO – ‘calories in, calories out’ is the latest craze and it is based on the concept that you can lose weight by eating what you like as long as you burn more calories than you consume.

Sounds too promising? Experts say that this may help you lose weight but it is definitely not healthy.

Here are 10 reasons to say no to this diet,

1) You may suffer from nutrient deficiencies

All calories are not the same. The number of calories in two oreo biscuits are equal to that present in an apple. But apple has fibre, vitamins and minerals to offer. This eases digestion and helps in keeping insulin levels in check. Biscuits provide nothing but empty calories. So, you can’t get the required nutrients by blindly following the CICO diet and eating junk.

2) There may be less of protein in your food

If you gorge on fries and ice cream, there are more chances of missing out on protein. You need protein because it helps in repairing tissues, absorbing nutrients, fight hunger pangs and boosts up the body’s metabolism.

3) You will get less of good fats

You need healthy fats for the brain and the heart. With the calories in and calories out diet, you are likely to miss out foods that have healthy fats like nuts and ghee and thereby deprive your body of good fats.

4) You would overload with carbs

You might be loading your plate with a lot of sugary desserts and this can lead to carb overloading. With consumption of lots of added sugars and refined flour, there can be weight gain and dips in energy.

5) You will be low on energy

With the CICO diet you might reach out for a cup of coffee too often. Too much of refined carbs with less amount of fibre and loads of sugar can wreck havoc on your energy levels.

6) It is not sustainable

Eating noodles in place of healthy veggies may sound fun but it is not the right way to lose weight. You won’t get the desired health benefits and CICO diet is not sustainable.

7) You will not be full

Foods lacking fibre, protein and healthy fats will not fill your stomach. Therefore, you will tend to overeat them and this way keeping tab on calories will be difficult.

8) Digestive system will get affected

Lack of whole foods can take a toll on your digestive system. Only a diet rich in fibre and lots of water intake will help you in regular bowel movements.

Not eating a balanced diet can affect your metabolism. Those who eat food that is processed and made out of refined grains suffer from a sluggish metabolism.

A diet should not focus on calories alone. Nutrients matter too. A diet high in processed foods can lead to inflammation over time. And chronic inflammation can cause a lot of health issues.