i.e. Doctor Atkins Diet back in the 70s, too but did we not have amazing bodybuilders eating high carb, high protein diets in the 90s? Trends in diets have shifted back and forth over the decades. I think what matters most is to eat the proper number of calories, get enough protein and avoid cholesterol.
Perhaps the high fat diet comes into play where your body determines which of its own tissue it will consume to compensate for the reduction of calories you must have to reduce your own weight. If reducing caloric intake by eating carbs causes your body to consume its own lean mass more readily than eating fat does, I can see how eating fat could be more productive. The trick would be to find out which high fat foods are low in cholesterol. I do not believe there are many of those.
Bodybuilders bulk up in the off season while training for a competition. High everything.- as many calories as they can get in.
Then 16- 12 weeks before they compete they cut down on everything. very low carbs very low fat and high protein. Plus very high amounts of diuretics, steroids and growth hormones combined with insulin(which just got introduced in the early 90s!). all that helps tremendously with weight loss in a very short time frame. They are a bad example for that matter!
I wasnt saying that I support a high fat diet like keto at all. I think it is VERY unhealthy to mostly eat fat (saturated) and high amounts of protein. Too much protein is linked to cancer in the long run and saturated fats are responsible for everything heart and artery related... it makes no sense whatsoever.
People want a fast solution to loose weight. Most of them dont care how they get there. Or just follow the broad and what is "in" right now. You are right and all that stuff comes and goes.
My take on weightloss was simply that you achieve better results with cutting out carbs rather than fat. And it is for the reason you explained above very well! " If reducing caloric intake by eating carbs causes your body to consume its own lean mass more readily than eating fat does, I can see how eating fat could be more productive."- But is that healthy? hell no!
The bottom line is that EVERY single diet has its disadvantages and does NOT work in the long run. Especially if you go back to eating "normal" again or if you want to have a good quality life lol.
Balanced food intake is the key. Aswell as having control over what you put in your body. Cook fresh, dont eat pre made garbage, dont eat out all the time. My goal was always to eat relatively healthy for 6 days with mostly fresh ingredients and cheat one day a week and do and eat whatever you like.
That is simply to best and only way which works in the long run!