Question
Where do you come down on low calories vs low carbs? Which one will result in the most fat loss, and which one will preserve the most muscle??
Answer
Diets are on one hand a tough call, depending upon whether the individual oxidizes fats or carbs better.
On the other hand, ALL fat loss diets have at least one thing in common – low and/or steady insulin.
It’s easier for most people to cut carbs vs. counting calories, and if the person is new to it they’ll notice rapid weight loss from that dietary modification alone.
The ketogenic diet is extremely popular, and to tell you the truth I don’t see it going away – it’s always going to deliver rapid and reliable weight loss – especially to John Q. Public.
However, straight ketogenic diets are hell on strength and if taken too far, people can lose muscle as well.
On the other hand, low calorie diets are effective as well – until your metabolism slows down to match your energy intake.
The fundamental flaw in both diets then as I see it is being on them for too long.
It’s the same with over-feeding: The longer you go, the more your body will fight whatever goal it is that you have.
My ideal (and this is what I do) is to incorporate fast, aggressive cutting phases wherein I restrict calories, carbs and sometimes protein too.
And I can tell you this: We have the calorie formula and carb/protein thresholds down to a science (Famine Phase, which you’ll read about in Blueprint Basics).
So much so, that we routinely lose fat exclusively in our dieting phases (which is a real departure from the real muscle loss you see in long, low calorie or low carb diets).
All things being equal, you’ll probably lose less muscle on a low carb diet.
Bottom Line
Incorporate some form of caloric zig zags into your diet strategy, and don’t let your dieting phases last too long. Provided you can do that, you should be able to ditch fat vs. muscle in a 2:1 ratio.
