Losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can feel like a constant battle. With so much conflicting information available, it's hard to know where to start. This article analyzes effective weight loss strategies, drawing on scientific evidence and practical advice.
The Calorie Deficit Myth and the Power of Paleo
The fundamental principle of weight loss is consuming fewer calories than your body uses, creating a "calorie deficit." Eating just 10 percent more calories than we need on a daily basis can lead to significant weight gain over time. While many have argued that certain nutrients like carbs or fat are to blame, the simple truth is that we’re eating more than we used to. A lot more. Seemingly simple, this advice often fails because the brain has powerful mechanisms for overriding our efforts. When consciously reducing calorie intake, the body responds by lowering metabolism to match the reduced intake. As you purposefully consume fewer calories, your body finds ways to use fewer calories, all while ramping up hormones that increase your appetite and drive you to eat more at every meal in order to regain the fat you’ve lost.
The holy grail of reaching a healthy weight, then, is an approach that naturally and spontaneously leads to lower calorie intake-an approach that ensures you eat less without actually trying to.
Enter the Paleo diet, an ancestral eating plan that mimics the diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. The Paleo diet seems tailor made for weight loss. While my own clinical experience is enough to assure me that an ancestral, Paleo diet is the best choice for weight loss and one that I enthusiastically recommend, there is plenty of credible scientific evidence, much of which I’ve compiled here, to back up this claim and win over even the biggest skeptic. It emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods like lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, while excluding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. This approach naturally promotes lower calorie intake without conscious effort, making it a sustainable weight loss strategy.
Scientific Evidence Supporting Paleo for Weight Loss
Studies evaluating Paleo for weight loss have shown it to help a number of diverse populations shed pounds and improve their metabolic profile. Research consistently demonstrates the effectiveness of the Paleo diet for weight loss and improving metabolic health. What’s more, research reveals that it improves risk factors for metabolic syndrome, including waist circumference, better than other dietary approaches.
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- Improved Fat Loss and Reduced Abdominal Obesity: In a two-year randomized controlled trial of 70 participants, researchers compared a Paleo diet with a diet structured to meet the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). They found a Paleo diet to produce a greater loss of fat mass and reduction in abdominal obesity, as well as a greater reduction in harmful triglyceride levels, than the NNR diet.
- Significant Weight Reduction: Among those same study participants, researchers found the Paleo diet resulted in an average weight loss of more than 17 pounds at the end of the study period, compared with a conventional low-fat diet. After six months, weight reduction was more significant in those following the Paleo diet versus the low-fat diet.
- Reduced Liver Fat: Impressively, the study also showed that at six months and 24 months, a Paleo diet reduced liver fat in all of the study participants.
- Positive Impact on Postmenopausal Women: In another study, 10 healthy, non-smoking obese postmenopausal women were instructed to follow the Paleo diet. After five weeks, participants lost an average of roughly 10 pounds (a 5.3 percent reduction in body weight, with a 7.5 percent decrease in waist circumference), as well as experienced decreases in their diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, and other metabolic markers.
- Better Results Than Diabetes Diets: Compared to a “diabetes diet” generally recommended to patients with type 2 diabetes not treated with insulin, a Paleo diet was found to result in more weight loss and a greater reduction in waist circumference, as well to better improve glycemic control and risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as triglycerides.
- Improved Insulin Sensitivity and Glycemic Response in Diabetics: Additional studies have confirmed a Paleo diet’s ability to help followers with type 2 diabetes lose excess fat and improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic response. Of particular note is one study of diabetic aboriginal Australians, who agreed to return to the natural hunter-gatherer diet of their ancestors for seven weeks. All participants steadily lost weight over the study period, with an average loss of roughly 17 pounds, and experienced marked improvements in glucose tolerance, fasting plasma insulin concentrations, and blood levels of triglycerides.
- Benefits for Healthy Individuals: In one study of healthy men and women between the ages of 20 and 40, the Paleo diet produced decreases in weight, body mass index, and waist circumference, as well as systolic blood pressure and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, elevated levels of which are a risk factor for atherosclerosis.
- Superior Weight Loss Compared to Standard Dietary Guidelines: A recent Australian study of 39 healthy women with an average age of 47 randomized participants into two groups: a Paleo diet group and a group following dietary guidelines set by the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE), which is similar to the USDA’s MyPlate nutrition guide. After four weeks, participants in the Paleo group had lost significantly more weight than those in the AGHE group. They experienced, on average, a 4.3 percent reduction in body weight, along with a 3.8 percent reduction in their waist circumference.
The Satiety Factor: Why Paleo Keeps You Full
Research shows that a Paleo diet is more satiating per calorie than other dietary interventions, including a Mediterranean-like diet and a low-fat diet. That means it’s more filling for the same number of calories than other popular diet methods. This is crucial for weight loss, since feeling full helps you eat less without fighting hunger or counting calories. As I mentioned before, if you’re constantly fighting hunger, your brain will respond by reducing your metabolic rate and increasing your appetite. Furthermore, studies suggest that a Paleo diet helps your body produce more of the hormones that keep you feeling full after eating versus promoting the hunger hormones that cause you to overeat, as calorie-restricting plans do. One reason it’s so satisfying? In general, studies of high-protein diets show that this way of eating can reduce appetite and increase metabolism, as well as effectively control hormones that regulate weight.
Just as important, a Paleo diet eliminates so-called “empty calories,” in the form of refined carbohydrates, highly processed foods, and added sugar. The science shows that eating empty calories results in “phantom fullness,” the enemy when it comes to weight loss. In fact, it appears that obesity rates have risen as consumption of processed junk and fast foods has increased.
This is why so many of my patients have lost 20, 30, even 60 pounds or more (I have patients that have lost upwards of 150 pounds!) on a Paleo diet, even when they’ve tried and failed with numerous diets before.
The Allure of the 75 Soft Challenge
If you’re looking for a way to make healthy lifestyle changes, you may have come across a few viral fitness trends, like the 12-3-30 walking treadmill routine. The 75 Soft Challenge is another to note, as it’s essentially a more manageable version of 75 Hard, a mental and physical fitness program designed by Andy Friscella in 2019. 75 Hard involves “a very intense schedule for people to get in shape and help out with mental toughness,” explains Jim White, R.D.N., A.C.S.M. Ex-P, owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios. “75 Soft is a less intense and less time-consuming fitness and mental health plan as opposed to 75 Hard. 75 Soft can allow for a better, less strenuous schedule. But also meet the same goals and receive the same results.”
The 75 Soft Challenge is an alternative to the 75 Hard Challenge. 75 Soft adapts some of the more intense rules found in 75 Hard to make it more manageable. While 75 Hard offers little to no wiggle room or margin for error, 75 Soft may be more effective for those new to fitness or those with busy schedules.
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75 Soft Challenge Rules
Below, find the most popular take on 75 Soft Challenge rules with advice from the experts.
- Follow a healthy eating plan: Like 75 Hard, 75 Soft encourages you to follow a healthy eating plan that works for you. However, while 75 Hard requires you to abstain from alcohol or “cheat meals” (deviations from your chosen healthy eating plan), 75 Soft rules denote that alcohol may be consumed on special occasions. Whether you choose to take on the 75 Soft Challenge or the 75 Hard Challenge, it’s important to make sure that you are eating well and eating the right amount. Consulting a dietitian or other nutrition professional “to make sure you aren’t under-fueling with the additional training load,” is advisable.
- Workout once every day for 45 minutes, with one active recovery day per week: 75 Soft rules reduce the amount of daily workouts from two to only one. “Many think they need to reach an hour and a half in the gym for it to be a ‘good’ session,” White explains, noting that long-term consistency is much more important than longer workouts for lasting results. “I would recommend finding multiple ways to be physically active because just one may not be sustainable, and add variety with solo activity in addition to working out with a partner or group,” says Teresa Behrend Fletcher, Ph.D., program director and professor of sport and human performance at Adler University. “I recommend trying at least one new activity every year to keep things fresh. The same goes for diet and self-improvement: Trying new things is how we learn and grow, so variety can prevent boredom and burnout.” Unlike 75 Hard, 75 Soft encourages taking one day of active recovery per week, which White explains is a term used for movement that is easier on the body-it allows your muscles to recover while still allowing for intentional movement like yoga, stretching, walking, or even massage therapy.
- Drink three liters of water per day: “Over half of our body is made up of water,” White says. “Water is needed to break down our food, assist with cell reproduction, deliver oxygen, regulate body temperature, and so much more. That’s a lot that needs to be replenished throughout the day so that we stay healthy.” Drinking more water will likely benefit almost everybody (it has been shown to help you live a longer life, after all). 75 Soft slightly lowers the required amount from 75 Hard’s one gallon per day to three liters per day.
- Read 10 pages of a book every day: 75 Hard specifies that the book you read each day should be non-fiction, which is meant to enhance your “mental transformation.” However, White, who has done both 75 Hard and 75 Soft, explains that for 75 Soft, “the type of book is completely up to you.” It’s all about building the habit of reading a few pages each day and taking the time to think and reflect. White says that some people doing 75 Soft will even replace reading with journaling or listening to a podcast. “Don’t just read for the sake of checking it off the list…make it meaningful to you at this moment,” says Behrend Fletcher. “It may take time to find the right source, but invest in making this activity meaningful.”
75 Soft vs. 75 Hard
In a nutshell, 75 Soft is a more practical and realistic version of 75 Hard. Compare the key differences below:
75 Soft
For 75 days:
- Follow a healthy eating plan of your choice
- Consume alcohol only on special occasions
- Workout once every day for 45 minutes, with one active recovery day per week
- Drink three liters of water per day
- Read 10 pages of any book each day (may substitute 10 minutes of a podcast or journaling)
75 Hard
For 75 days:
- Follow a healthy eating plan of your choice
- Consume no alcohol
- Workout twice every day for 45 minutes each, with no rest days
- Drink one gallon of water per day
- Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book each day
- If you fail any of the above rules on a given day, you must start over from day one
75 Soft draws on the same principles as 75 Hard but requires less time each day and offers participants more grace-especially for those who “fail” one or more of the rules on a given day. Part of what makes 75 Hard so intense is that it requires you to start over from day one if you don’t adhere to all of the rules one day-whether you’re on day two or day 74. “As a doctor of physical therapy, exercise physiologist, and trainer, I think there’s a very slim percentage of the population who can get through 75 hard uninjured, or without experiencing burnout,” explains McDowell. “The 75 hard schedule is extremely demanding, and unless you are going into it uninjured and well-trained, it’s likely going to be a disaster. Asking folks who aren’t conditioned to take on twice-a-day workouts without a rest day doesn’t really honor any of the principles of exercise physiology that are required for healthy adaptation.” However, McDowell says that 75 Soft (while still demanding) is a much more doable way to embark on the challenge.
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The 75 Soft Challenge is easier to follow and offers more flexibility, but it still offers clear, tangible guidelines. “It is structured and presented as a list that can be checked off as you complete each task. This leads to feeling a sense of accomplishment [and] in this sense, is a great incentive and provides some individuals with exactly what they need to kickstart their lifestyle changes,” explains Behrend Fletcher. “These changes are difficult and require structure, discipline, commitment, and intrinsic motivation-and this program may provide this for some people.”
Expert Opinions on the 75 Soft Challenge
Experts agree that for most individuals, 75 Soft is a much more healthy and realistic way to introduce lifestyle changes than 75 Hard. However, there are still a few things to be mindful of when beginning any fitness challenge to protect your mental and physical health.
Before starting either challenge, Behrend Fletcher suggests beginning with “some honest reflection” about what you’d like the outcome to look like and how you can best set yourself up to achieve those goals. Assess your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to diet, exercise, and self-care-and build in ways to find joy in the challenge to avoid burnout.
It’s also important to prepare yourself for delayed gratification. “Lifestyle changes need to be maintained over a long period of time and be adapted to life circumstances,” Behrend Fletcher explains. “People need to be realistic and understand that this program will not fix anything in 75 days, it is only meant to initiate the change process and provide some structure for doing something differently.”
Lastly, know that once the 75 days are over, you should still work toward the healthy lifestyle you envisioned for yourself on day one. “The overall benefit of 75 Soft includes building habits,” White says. “Keeping them consistent even after the 75 days is over is the most important part.”
Who Should Consider the 75 Soft Challenge?
If you’ve ever been curious about trying 75 Hard but found the rules and guidelines too challenging for your schedule, 75 Soft might be an option for you. White acknowledges that 75 Hard is more doable for a person with a remote work schedule and fewer obligations, while 75 Soft offers a way for those with longer workdays and commutes to challenge themselves similarly. Experts agree that the ideal candidate for a challenge like 75 Hard or 75 Soft is a person who already has some healthy lifestyle habits in place. “If you already eat a healthy diet, then sticking to that diet with minor modifications is not going to be terribly taxing,” Behrend Fletcher says. Similarly, if you already work out regularly, scheduling a 45-minute session each day likely won’t be too drastic.
Who Should Avoid the 75 Soft Challenge?
While Fletcher explains that beginning a challenge like 75 Soft may be appropriate for someone experienced with regular workouts and other healthy lifestyle habits, the challenge is unsuitable for someone brand new to these habits. “For someone in the beginning stages of change and who must be educated about diet and exercise, this [challenge] may be too much,” Fletcher says. Instead, gradually learn what works best for your body and slowly build healthy habits before beginning a regimented challenge that may cause you to feel burned out or discouraged if you can’t adhere to all the rules.
Similarly, McDowell emphasizes that you should be in a healthy place mentally and physically before starting the challenge. If you have any injuries, have little to no fitness baseline, a poor or erratic sleep schedule, or mental health concerns, McDowell says you may not be a proper candidate for 75 Soft. And, it’s always best to consult a physician before starting any new fitness regimen.
The Importance of Balance and Individuality
The reason I’ve been able to keep a level head about my body and what goes into it is because I’m all-inclusive. And perhaps that doesn’t work for everyone. Perhaps it shouldn’t work for everyone, either. There is similarly nothing wrong with having Skinny Cow ice cream bars in your freezer beside organic frozen vegetables. The point of this post, as always, is to let you know that there’s middle ground. And also that I don’t want this blog to exclude anyone who’s hungry.