CICO means “calories in, calories out”. Unlike keto, Whole30, paleo, and any other diet, CICO aims to simplify everything. You just lower your calorie intake in comparison to the calories you burn.
On the CICO diet, you track how many calories you usually consume by using online calculators and then you try to consume a smaller amount than that in a day. So if the calorie you need to eat in a day is 2,800 you then attempt to consume 2,500 calories daily to lose weight.
The basis of the CICO concept is simple and although some people have claimed that it worked for them, calorie counting is hard and it may be challenging for people who are not that meticulous with the numbers.
Does the CICO diet help you lose weight?
A lot of diets produce results because of calorie deficit, so yes, the CICO diet will help you lose weight. Even so, a hormone that drives hunger which is ghrelin is higher when people eat processed foods compared to eating a balanced diet.
With that being said, if you’re still consuming junk foods and argue that it is okay because you are not crossing your calorie limit for the day then you are only looking at the short-term result of weight loss and not your long-term health.
Is the CICO diet safe?
Counting calories is not problematic but there are exceptions. We must not overlook the effects of this diet from a mental perspective. Counting calories can feel like a chore which will lead to obsessive behavior and worse can start binge eating.
Focusing too much on numbers may lead to stress that can trigger eating disorders. If you find yourself
skipping meals just to follow your CICO diet plan then that’s a red flag.
