One of the easiest ways to lose weight is the CICO diet, which stands for "calories in, calories out." But because of how simple this popular diet is, it does not take into account some important aspects of long-term weight loss and health. Read further to learn about the CICO diet.

What is CICO Dieting?

On a CICO (calories-in-calories-out) diet, it does not matter what kind of food you eat. The only thing that is taken into account is how many calories are consumed. The idea behind CICO is very simple: if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. The point of this diet is to get the body to burn more calories than it takes in. So, the body needs to burn fat stores to get the extra energy it needs. This causes weight loss. Bodyweight only changes when the energy balance (how many calories you take in versus how many you burn) changes. For CICO to work, the amount of energy used must be more than what is taken in. Exercise and your resting metabolic rate both use up energy.

Most people forget that your weight is not the only way to tell how healthy your body is as a whole. The only goal of the CICO diet is to cut the number of calories you eat. On the surface, it really does not take into account what the body needs to stay healthy. Even though losing weight can help with health problems caused by being overweight, it is very important to think about how different kinds of food affect your body as a whole. If you want to lose weight with CICO, you should talk to a doctor or nutritionist to make sure you don't lack any important nutrients.

How CICO Dieting works?

Every cell needs energy in order for our body to function. The body's reactions and operations are constantly powered by this energy, which can be measured in calories. The body gets its energy from food and fat that has been stored. Fat is stored as a result of any excess energy in the body. This is a simple equation: calories in, calories out. A calorie is a unit of energy that is consumed in the form of food or beverages. Calories-in refers to the amount of energy that the body uses up during physical activity and inactivity. Overconsumption results in fat storage being consumed as a source of energy.

Calories-out is another name for how much energy you use in a day. When your TDEE goes down or when you eat more, you may start to gain weight. CICO is based on the idea of an energy imbalance. In CICO, the amount of energy you get each day should be less than TDEE. When you consume fewer calories than you burn, it results in weight loss. The most common way to lose weight is to cut back on how many calories you eat. To lose 1 pound of fat, the body needs to burn 3500 calories.

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Benefits of CICO Dieting

The simple way CICO enables people to lose weight can be very helpful for obese people who are having health problems because of their weight. When calorie deficits and nutrient intake are in balance, the CICO diet is thought to be safe. Work with your doctor or a nutritionist to come up with and follow a healthy, well-balanced CICO diet. This will help you avoid nutrient deficiencies and other possible side effects.

Drawbacks of CICO Dieting

The CICO diet is based on having fewer calories than you burn, but it does not tell you how to do that. Weight loss can be done in both healthy and unhealthy ways. CICO diets could hurt your health if you do not do them right. If you do not get enough food, energy, or exercise, you might have problems. If you just cut calories without eating enough essential nutrients, you could end up with nutrient deficiencies. Lack of energy can make you tired, which makes you less likely to exercise and puts your health at risk in other ways. Work with your doctor to come up with a healthy CICO diet to avoid these possible risks.

Unhealthy Calories

The lack of food limits on the CICO diet may be an attraction for some people. In order to maintain their calorie deficit, these individuals may resort to consuming a diet that is high in fat and sugar. Some people, on the other hand, may be under-consuming calories. Even if you lose weight as a result of doing this, it is not good.

Makes it difficult to exercise

Even though a diet may help you lose weight, the best and healthiest way to lose weight is to combine a healthy diet with exercise. In addition to helping you lose weight, exercise has a lot of other good effects, such as lowering your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and treating osteoporosis, among other things. Some people find it hard to exercise regularly while on a diet. But the effects of caloric deficits (tiredness, stress, and lack of motivation) make it even harder to exercise often. Also, when people don't get enough calories, their bodies adapt by using less energy (total daily energy expenditure). Since the amount of energy burned while resting (RMR) does not change much, people won't have as much energy left to use for exercise (EEPA).

Nutrient Deficiency

Some popular diets have a high rate of nutritional insufficiency in their followers. People who are on the CICO diet should be aware of this possibility. Cancer, DNA damage, and heart disease can all be caused by nutrient deficiencies.

Takeaway

Losing weight is a goal for many people. However, it is important to do it in a healthy manner. The CICO Diet, just like any other diet, has its own pros and cons. If you want to follow this diet, just make sure that you are consulting a doctor and following a healthy diet.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What should we eat in CICO dieting?

A. There is no restriction on eating in this diet. However, it is necessary to eat foods that are high in nutrition. 

Q. How many calories do I need to eat in a day?

A. The no. of calories depends upon your activity rate. However, women generally need 1600-2400 calories a day. Whereas, men need 2000 to 3000 calories.

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