Diet and nutritionCalorie counting — why does the diet that’s supposed to work almost never work?
Sources: 9 · Article: 7 895 characters
Prof. David Ludwig argues that calorie counting is not the key to lasting weight loss.
- Restricting calories may initially reduce body weight, but the body fights back.
- Thomas E. Levy considers calories important, but not the most important factor, and warns against restricting the wrong foods.
- Bracia Rodzeń describes calorie counting, calorie deficits and weighing meals as the former standard approach to treating obesity.
What the authors write
prof. David Ludwig
Calorie counting is not recommended as the key to long-term weight loss.
„The key to long-term weight loss isn’t counting calories; it’s eating in a way that lowers insulin levels, calms chronic inflammation and, by so doing, readjusts the body weight set-point to a lower level. That is the focus of the program in my forthcoming book, Always Hungry.”The key to long-term weight loss isn’t counting calories; it’s eating in a way that lowers insulin levels, calms chronic inflammation and, by so doing, readjusts the body weight set-point to a lower level. That is the focus of the program in my forthcoming book, Always Hungry.
prof. David Ludwig
Reducing calories can lead to weight loss for a while, but the body activates mechanisms that slow further weight loss.
„Cutting back on calories will cause weight loss for a while, which gives the illusion that we have conscious control of our weight over the long term. However, many bodily functions are within our temporary, but not permanent control. For example, many people can lower the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood for several minutes by breathing fast, but few can do so for much longer.”Cutting back on calories will cause weight loss for a while, which gives the illusion that we have conscious control of our weight over the long term. However, many bodily functions are within our temporary, but not permanent control. For example, many people can lower the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood for several minutes by breathing fast, but few can do so for much longer.
prof. David Ludwig
Restricting calories can increase hunger, slow metabolism and make it harder to maintain weight loss.
„With calorie deprivation, the body fights back in predictable ways — including increasing hunger, slowing metabolism, and secretion of stress hormones. These hallmarks of the starvation response make long-term weight loss by calorie restriction exceeding difficult to maintain.”With calorie deprivation, the body fights back in predictable ways — including increasing hunger, slowing metabolism, and secretion of stress hormones. These hallmarks of the starvation response make long-term weight loss by calorie restriction exceeding difficult to maintain.
prof. David Ludwig
Without advanced technology, it is difficult to accurately assess how many calories someone consumes and burns.
„Without advanced technology, not even the most expert nutritionist could accurately assess an individual’s energy balance to within 350 calories a day by assessment of diet and physical activity level. A daily overestimate 1/10th that magnitude would cause obesity in a decade.”Without advanced technology, not even the most expert nutritionist could accurately assess an individual’s energy balance to within 350 calories a day by assessment of diet and physical activity level. A daily overestimate 1/10th that magnitude would cause obesity in a decade.
Thomas E. Levy
Severely restricting calories can help you lose weight effectively, but restricting the wrong foods can harm your health.
„There is no doubt that a significant restriction of your calorie intake can be an effective way to lose weight. As the old saying goes, if you want to lose weight, "Eat less." However, if you restrict the wrong foods, you will also compromise your health in the process.”There is no doubt that a significant restriction of your calorie intake can be an effective way to lose weight. As the old saying goes, if you want to lose weight, "Eat less." However, if you restrict the wrong foods, you will also compromise your health in the process.
Bracia Rodzeń
Bracia Rodzeń describe calorie counting, calorie deficits and weighing meals as the former standard approach used to treat obesity.
„Just a few years ago, we were the doctors who used the classic, standard approach of counting calories, creating a calorie deficit and weighing meals to treat obesity.
We were the ones who, following what we had been taught at university and during our specialist training, repeated like a mantra that:
carbohydrates are essential for life,
breakfast is the most important meal of the day,
a diet must be balanced,
you have to eat every 2–3 hours, preferably 6 to 8 meals a day.”Jeszcze kilka lat temu to my byliśmy tymi lekarzami, którzy w leczeniu otyłości stosowali klasyczne, standardowe podejście liczenia kalorii, deficytu kalorycznego i ważenia posiłków.
To my, zgodnie z wiedzą, którą nam przekazano na studiach i w trakcie specjalizacji, jak mantrę mówiliśmy Wam, że:
węglowodany są niezbędne do życia,
śniadanie to najważniejszy posiłek dnia,
dieta musi być zbilansowana,
trzeba jeść co 2-3 godziny, najlepiej 6 do 8 posiłków dziennie.
Ewa Dąbrowska
A low-calorie diet is said to help reduce visceral fat.
„A low-calorie diet helps reduce particularly dangerous visceral fat, which produces adipokines—hormones that cause metabolic syndrome. This makes it possible to reverse diseases such as:
type 2 diabetes and its complications”Niska kaloryczność diety sprzyja redukcji szczególnie niebezpiecznego tłuszczu trzewnego, który jest źródłem adipokin hormonów powodujących zespół metaboliczny. Dzięki temu możliwe jest odwrócenie takich chorób jak:
cukrzyca typu 2 i jej powikłań
Research from PubMed · Europe PMC
We selected 1 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.
Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 26.
In the study, calorie restriction led to greater weight loss, which was better maintained after 18 months than with fat restriction.
Aim of the study: Recent evidence suggests that dietary fat intake may be more strongly associated than total energy intake to the development and maintenance of obesity. The objective of this study was to determine whether dietary fat restriction would promote more favorable changes in body weight, body composition, resting metabolic rate (RMR), eating behavior, and dietary adherence than calorie restriction.
Results: There was a significantly greater decrease in percent body fat and RMR for the LC group with only percent body fat still significantly lower at 18 months. Subjects in the LC group consumed significantly fewer calories, less carbohydrates, and the same amount of fat as those in the low fat (LF) condition, however, calorie and carbohydrate intake were decreasing for LF subjects by the 12- and 18-month assessments. There were no long-term differences in most measured predictors of dietary adherence. Dietary fat restriction did not prove to be superior to calorie restriction, thus strengthening the public health message that calories do count.
Money for the studygovernment, public institutions · NCRR NIH HHS, PHS HHS
Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated
Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown
Type of studystudy with random allocation to groups (RCT)
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
Perspectives and opinion materials
The content below presents the authors’ opinions, interpretations and hypotheses. It is not treated as equal to scientific studies and systematic reviews.
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„Jason Fung, M.D.: Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss A Canadian nephrologist who is getting diabetics off insulin and helping them lose weight by the ton. His videos are worth watching because he advances the Keto diet into Intermittent Fasting, which some believe helps to jump start the Keto diet. [14] In summary: Most of us are born sugar addicts. The tricks of some devilishly brilliant (but unassigned to a level of hell by Dante, [15]) sugar marketers have made you think fat is worse than sugar all your life, "but, It ain't so".”Jason Fung, M.D.: Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss A Canadian nephrologist who is getting diabetics off insulin and helping them lose weight by the ton. His videos are worth watching because he advances the Keto diet into Intermittent Fasting, which some believe helps to jump start the Keto diet. [14] In summary: Most of us are born sugar addicts. The tricks of some devilishly brilliant (but unassigned to a level of hell by Dante, [15]) sugar marketers have made you think fat is worse than sugar all your life, "but, It ain't so".
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„For every kilogram of weight loss on the VLCKD, vitamin D levels increased by 0.39 ng/mL, compared to only 0.13 ng/mL per kg lost on the standard diet (104). The KD appears to alter vitamin D metabolism through several mechanisms, including changes in macronutrient intake, status of other fat-soluble vitamins, weight loss, hormonal changes, and effects on gut microbiota (32). Mechanisms of Action: The potential mechanisms through which low-carbohydrate diets enhance vitamin D status include the production of ketone bodies, which may influence the metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin D.”For every kilogram of weight loss on the VLCKD, vitamin D levels increased by 0.39 ng/mL, compared to only 0.13 ng/mL per kg lost on the standard diet (104). The KD appears to alter vitamin D metabolism through several mechanisms, including changes in macronutrient intake, status of other fat-soluble vitamins, weight loss, hormonal changes, and effects on gut microbiota (32). Mechanisms of Action: The potential mechanisms through which low-carbohydrate diets enhance vitamin D status include the production of ketone bodies, which may influence the metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin D.
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„(2024) Calorie restriction increases insulin sensitivity to promote beta cell homeostasis and longevity in mice. Nature Communications 15:9063. PMID: 39433757 103. Prokopidis K, Daly R, Suetta C (2025) Weighing the risk of GLP-1 treatment in older adults: should we be concerned about sarcopenic obesity? The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging 29:100652. PMID: 40819408 104.”(2024) Calorie restriction increases insulin sensitivity to promote beta cell homeostasis and longevity in mice. Nature Communications 15:9063. PMID: 39433757 103. Prokopidis K, Daly R, Suetta C (2025) Weighing the risk of GLP-1 treatment in older adults: should we be concerned about sarcopenic obesity? The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging 29:100652. PMID: 40819408 104.
Pisaczek does not judge who is right. It shows what was written and where to read it. Every sentence above has its source.