Planning to start your fitness journey and confused about what kind of diet you want to consume? This is the question that most beginners face and so, two identical twins, set about to answer the question. Hugo and Ross Turner, 36, professional adventures who live in the UK, were asked by their followers to understand whether a low-carb or low-fat diet was “better” for strength, fitness, and aesthetics.

To determine the outcome as scientifically as possible, sports scientists at the University of Loughborough were involved who monitored the duo. The 12-week programme saw Ross take on a strict carbohydrate diet while Hugo stuck to a fat meal plan.

Prior to the experiment, both of them balanced carbs and fats in their diets, and for the real deal, they ate about 3,500 calories each day, 2,500 from three meals and two snacks from a food delivery service called Frive. There was only a 500-calorie difference between the twins’ allowance, with Hugo eating 500 calories from fat and Ross getting his final calories on the board through carbs.

Hugo’s low-carb diet included high-fat foods such as olive oil, butter, nuts, eggs, and avocado while Ross’ “balanced” meal plan had high-carb foods such as pasta and rice, while avoiding high-fat foods.

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Study findings

The study results published last month showed that Hugo’s strength increased by 59 per cent thanks to the fat-rich diet while Ross’ increased by 56 per cent. Additionally, Hugo gained 3 kg of muscle compared to 1 kg gained by his brother, Ross.

Despite gaining more strength and mass, Hugo told Business Insider that he performed “worse and felt more fatigued during intense exercise”.

“I just never felt good. I was eating at least six times a day and never felt full or satisfied, hence I was constantly hungry. But equally, I didn’t have the crashes that I would probably associate with a higher-carb diet,” said Hugo.

Meanwhile, Ross on his high-carb diet lost a little more fat but performed better in cardiovascular tests. As per research, fat contains nine calories per gram whereas carbs (and protein) contain four. So you can eat more carbs for the same number of calories as a smaller portion of high-fat food.

Based on the study results, the Turners said although a balance of balance of protein, carbs, and fat was required for day-to-day activities, tweaking the diets before particular expeditions going forward could also be beneficial.

The brothers cited that upping carbohydrates ahead of high-intensity activities that raise the heart rate, such as cycling, running, or kite skiing should work fine while a higher fat diet can work while going on a walking expedition or something slower-paced.