I spent this past weekend in Lobos (a quiet city 90 minutes from Buenos Aires) celebrating a friend's birthday.

I saw some people I haven't seen in a while, including a friend whose boyfriend wants to lose weight.

He went and saw a nutritionist, whose recommendation was to...

Eliminate carbs.

I never offer my two cents unless it's explicitly asked for (nobody likes that guy), but internally, I felt like this:

How is this still a thing?

Here's how low carb diets play out 9/10 times:

• Knowingly or not, you drastically reduce calories by avoiding an entire food group (i.e., how all diets facilitate weight loss)
• Your body retains less water, since water attaches to stored carbs ("glycogen") in your body, and you're depleting those stores
• Between this massive deficit, and water loss... you see a quick, often large drop on the scale
• Since nobody distinguishes between weight loss and fat loss, you think low carb is effective. When in reality, you've lost a little fat, a ton of water, and probably some muscle, too
• You can't keep up with this long-term, eat carbs again, and gain the weight back

You'd think people ditch low carb after this.

But because of the rapid scale drop, and people's lack of understanding of the scale... you think your low carb diet "worked," and that you just needed more discipline.

But how are we defining "worked"?

Temporary scale change?

Or sustained fat loss loss, specifically?

I'd much rather have us go with the latter.

If I were working with her boyfriend, here's what I'd recommend instead:

1. Use a calorie range that puts you in a moderate, reasonably sustainable deficit
2. Make sure you're getting enough protein and fiber for hunger management, digestion, metabolism, and overall health
3. Let your fat and carbs fluctuate based on personal preferences

You won't see the same rapid scale change, but again: what's your goal?

Manipulating the scale for a little while?

Or losing fat, specifically, and actually keeping it off?

Let your answer dictate your approach.

Sam

P.S. If you want me to set up these targets for you, and more importantly: help you stick to them no matter what's on your calendar... I have a few spots on my client roster opening next week.

​You can submit an application here if you want to have a no-pressure chat about how things work, and whether we're a fit.

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