When it comes to weight loss, we're often made to feel like there are only two options: eat healthily all the time, or enjoy the foods we love and fall off track. But what actually matters most?
We know that, thanks to the laws of thermodynamics, a calorie deficit is essential for fat loss. But how much do you really need to clean up your diet to achieve it?
Two YouTubers, The Buff Dudes, put that question to the test by eating nothing but pizza for an entire week. Here's what happened.
The Challenge
For seven days, the pair could only eat pizza, no protein shakes or snacks. They also had to stay within a daily target of 2,700 calories, while aiming for 200g of protein, 250g of carbohydrates and 100g of fat. Finally, they challenged themselves to spend less than $200 across the week.
'We thought it would be a great challenge because pizza is sometimes vilified as a cheat food,' they explain. 'We wanted to prove that you can almost eat anything as long as you stick within your calorie and macro range.'
The experiment wasn't without its hurdles. Takeaway pizzas quickly became expensive, and the pair found it difficult to hit their protein targets while staying within budget. By the end of the week, homemade pizzas proved to be the clear winner, allowing them to control both their ingredients and macros more effectively.
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The Results
'It's not so much what you're eating, it's how you're designing what you're eating,' they concluded. While that doesn't make pizza a health food, it does reinforce an important nutrition principle that no single food determines whether you'll lose weight.
It's a good rule to follow: if you want to stay lean, all you really need to worry about is staying in a calorie deficit and eating enough protein to support your goals. If that's the case, there's room for the occasional slice – or even a few more than that.
Prioritise a diet that mainly consists of whole foods while leaving some room for enjoyment, and you'll manage to stay consistent without feeling deprived.
If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.
Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.
Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.
