Energy balance
During weight-loss maintenance, a very low-carbohydrate diet preserves resting and total energy expenditure significantly better than a low-fat or low-glycemic index diet, thereby mitigating the biological drive for weight regain.
If you have lost weight and are struggling to keep it off, switching to a very low-carbohydrate diet (limiting carbs to ~10% of calories) may help your body burn more energy at rest compared to a standard low-fat diet. This metabolic advantage might counteract the biological urge to regain weight, though it requires strict adherence to carbohydrate limits.
Compared with the pre–weight-loss baseline, the decrease in REE was greatest with the low-fat diet... intermediate with the low–glycemic index diet... and least with the very low-carbohydrate diet... The decrease in TEE showed a similar pattern.
Why this rating
High-quality randomized controlled crossover trial with controlled feeding, though limited by short duration (4 weeks per diet) and small sample size (n=21).
Source
Effects of Dietary Composition on Energy Expenditure During Weight-Loss Maintenance
Cara B. Ebbeling et al. · JAMA · 2012
DOI 10.1001/jama.2012.6607
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