CICO Diet Lose Weight—at a Cost in 2024

The CICO diet may not be a novel concept, even if this is your first encounter with it. In fact, supposedly groundbreaking diets that claim to be “new” often lack a foundation in cutting-edge research, including popular ones like Keto.

In reality, the most recent trends in weight loss merely present a veneer of distinctiveness. Those promoting diets (yes, there are marketers for diets) strive to establish a unique identity through specific rules, forbidden foods or food groups, and/or daily restrictions on certain nutrients.

However, the underlying truth is that the majority of diets function on a similar principle: calorie reduction. Whether it’s Whole30, Paleo, or Keto, the primary objective of these dietary plans is to prompt (or even demand) a decrease in overall food intake, ultimately leading to weight loss.

While this strategy can be effective—as we’ve discussed extensively in the past—it often yields results only in the short run. Failing to adhere to a diet may result in regaining weight, a phenomenon commonly referred to as “yo-yo dieting.” In essence, fad diets prove ineffective in the long term.

Understanding CICO: Calories In, Calories Out

Now, a rising dietary trend known as “Calories In, Calories Out” (CICO) has entered the scene, placing the calorie-counting approach to weight loss at the forefront. The CICO plan operates on the principle that weight loss occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body expends in its daily functions.

“The fundamental concept of calories in and calories out is undeniably central to weight loss,” explains Bethany Doerfler, M.S., R.D.N., Clinical Dietitian at Northwestern University. “However, metabolism and weight loss involve a level of complexity beyond this basic premise.”

Therefore, before you enthusiastically embrace the CICO trend, it’s crucial to grasp essential aspects of how your metabolism and body function in the context of dieting and weight loss.

The Basics of CICO

“The CICO Diet doesn’t follow a specific regimen,” explains Dezi Abeyta, R.D.N., a Men’s Health nutrition advisor and author of The Lose Your Gut Guide.

Surprisingly, that lack of a defined plan is not a drawback.

On the CICO Diet, the basic principle is to intake fewer calories (referred to as “calories in” or “CI”) than you expend (known as “calories out” or “CO”) daily. Frankly, any diet—whether it’s keto, paleo, Whole30, or another—can be viewed as a complex approach to achieving a caloric deficit. CICO aims to simplify the process.

Factors to Consider

Achieving weight loss involves consuming fewer calories than your body requires to maintain its activity level. This is where CICO comes into play.

Does the CICO Diet Work?

The effectiveness of a diet depends on the definition of “work.”

Abby Langer, R.D., notes that it is widely acknowledged that most diets succeed by creating a calorie deficit. So, if we’re discussing the CICO diet in terms of short-term weight loss, it can indeed be effective.

Considerations for Long-Term Success

However, the concept of calories, as we understand them, is somewhat arbitrary,” Langer points out. “The calorie was devised a long time ago and may not precisely reflect how our bodies metabolize each specific food. We are continually gaining a better understanding of how calories are absorbed.

Is the CICO Diet Healthy?

According to Doerfler, counting calories isn’t inherently problematic, but there are exceptions.

Monitoring your food intake with apps like MyFitnessPal can be a helpful tool. A study published in the journal Obesity in February 2019 found that people who spent just 15 minutes a day logging their food lost about 10 percent of their body weight in one month.

Abeyta suggests that if you find yourself excessively restricting indulgences or skipping meals in pursuit of CICO, it’s a warning sign.

Strict diets fail to account for life’s celebratory occasions, such as birthdays, emphasizing that people aren’t robotic. According to Doerfler, even if someone needs 1,200 calories a day to lose weight, most people won’t adhere to that strictly.

In the end, the most effective diet is one that doesn’t dominate your every thought. Langer emphasizes that dieting becomes problematic when you deny yourself food despite being hungry. She encourages a more intuitive and relaxed approach, urging individuals to listen to their body’s natural hunger cues and abandon the dichotomy of labeling food as “good” or “bad.” Instead, she advocates simply enjoying the act of eating