The GOLO diet found its popularity in 2016 and continues to be followed by individuals. The diet is available in 30-, 60-, and 90- day format, and promises better results in weight loss and improved health without the hassles of counting calories and tracking macros.
As per the GOLO diet website, the GOLO diet plan was created by a team of doctors to help weight loss, support weight maintenance, increase metabolism, and to balance hormone levels. Given the newness of this diet plan, there isn’t much information available online. So we decided to list down everything that you need to know about the GOLO diet.
How It Works with Weight Loss
The idea behind GOLO is based on the low-glycemic diet. It follows that foods that do not spike insulin or blood sugar levels will help with fat burning, increased metabolism, and weight loss. Hence, the diet primarily focuses on keeping your insulin levels under check without eliminating any food groups.
GOLO promises weight loss as it helps boost metabolism by triggering the various hormones that are involved in hunger, weight management, and metabolism. Amongst these, GOLO keeps track of the insulin levels, which helps with blood sugar regulation.
According to the founders of the diet, when insulin is underutilized, it is unable to distribute sugar effectively throughout your body, which then stores it as fat. Following the GOLO diet makes efficient use of insulin and blood sugar, which ensures better metabolism.
[ Read: Dash Diet for Weight Loss ]
Benefits of GOLO Diet
It’s been established that the GOLO diet helps lose weight.
According to the GOLO website, you can enjoy the benefits by following the GOLO diet:
- GOLO encourages individuals to exercise regularly, which can reduce blood sugar levels(1) in diabetics and non-diabetics.
- The meal plan also eliminates processed foods and replaces them with minimally processed foods, which are more filling(2) and causes a less elevated blood sugar spike.
- It is easy to follow and comprises of ready-to-follow meal plans that combine portions of carbs, fats, proteins, etc. in a fixed proportion.
Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid
Following are a few GOLO foods and GOLO diet recipes that you must incorporate into your diet:
- Proteins: Eggs, poultry, meat, seafood, nuts, and dairy products
- Carbohydrates: Berries, yam, fruit, regular and sweet potatoes, butternut squash, beans, whole grains, etc.
- Vegetables: Brussel sprouts, spinach, broccoli, kale, celery, cauliflower, zucchini, cucumbers, arugula
- Fats: Avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and GOLO salad dressing.
If you are wondering how to include them in your meals, then it is easy. GOLO offers a GOLO Metabolic Fuel Matrix, which allows you to select food items from the food groups (called “fuel groups”). Consume 3 meals in a day and allocate 1 to 2 standard serving for every fuel group for every meal.
[ Read: Benefits of Paleo Diet ]
On the other hand, the following food items must be avoided, or at best, limited:
- Processed foods: Baked goods, crackers, cookies, potato chips, etc.
- Artificial sweeteners: Alitame, aspartame, maltodextrin, sucralose, saccharin
- Sugar-sweetened beverages: Energy drinks, soda, sweetened tea, vitamin water, sports drinks, juice.
- Red meat: Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb
- Grains: Wheat, barley, rye, oats, millet, and pasta or bread prepared using these grains
- Dairy products: Milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, ice cream
The first three groups of foods, that is, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and sugar-sweetened beverages are to be avoided at all costs. The next three food groups of red meat, grains, and dairy products can be limited or cut down for the initial period and later reintroduced in the GOLO diet.
The GOLO diet offers a short-term diet too that is called “Reset 7” and “7-day Kickstart” and are advertised as a quick and easy way to detoxify your system before adopting the GOLO diet in the long-term.
[ Read: Cutting Diet ]
GOLO Meal Plan
Here’s a rundown of a sample meal plan containing GOLO recipes:
Monday
Breakfast: Single-egg omelet served with sauteed broccoli dressed in olive oil and one whole apple
Lunch: Grilled chicken with a side of asparagus, couscous, and MCT or coconut oil
Dinner: Grilled or smoked salmon with stir-fried vegetables and boiled potatoes topped with olive oil
Tuesday
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs topped with steamed spinach, almonds, and blueberries
Lunch: Roast turkey sandwich in buckwheat bread, roasted bell peppers in olive oil
Dinner: Broiled flounder with a side of kale, grapes, and walnut salad
Wednesday
Breakfast: Hard-boiled eggs with bloomed chia seeds and overnight oats
Lunch: Tuna and baby spinach salad in GOLO salad dressing, and an orange
Dinner: Roast beef served with sauteed carrots and mashed potatoes
Thursday
Breakfast: Omelet topped with walnuts served alongside a grapefruit
Lunch: Pork chops with steamed spinach, oven-roasted yams, and toasted almonds
Dinner: Pan-fried salmon with olive-dressed Brussel sprouts and fruit salad
Friday
Breakfast: Poached eggs with toasted pistachio and a whole pear
Lunch: Baked chicken with cucumber, apple, and walnut salad topped with GOLO salad dressing
Dinner: Minced beef stuffed zucchini boats topped with coconut oil and sun-dried tomatoes
Saturday
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and arugula with fresh strawberries
Lunch: Baked cod with arugula and chickpea salad in GOLO salad dressing
Dinner: Stir-fried beef with broccoli and walnuts served over a bed of quinoa
Sunday
Breakfast: Hard-boiled eggs with oatmeal, hemp seeds, and sauteed zucchini
Lunch: Ground turkey over a bed of brown rice served with almonds and tomatoes
Dinner: Chicken breast with green beans and sweet potatoes cooked in olive oil
[ Read: Zero Crabs Diet ]
The Drawbacks of the GOLO Diet
Now that you have a broad understanding of the GOLO diet, here are a few potential downsides that you must also consider:
- The GOLO diet is expensive, especially with supplements like GOLO Release, which cost about $38 for 90 tablets.
- It substitutes easily available micronutrient sources of food with more expensive substitutes.
- For some individuals, the diet can seem to be restrictive, and the portion sizes may not seem like enough.
- The multiple factors like fuel values, fit points, metabolic rates, etc. can be confusing for laymen.
- Scientific research in the field of the GOLO diet is lacking, and the already available studies have been funded by GOLO creators.
Bottom Line
A lot is yet to be known or discovered about the GOLO diet. While it may be effective in boosting metabolism and losing weight, it can also be expensive and tough to follow. The efficacy of the supplements is inconclusive as researchers are yet to figure out whether the diet works due to the emphasis on wholesome meals or due to the GOLO principles.
FAQs
1. Does GOLO diet really work?
Research is silent on the efficacy of the GOLO diet. However, the official website of the GOLO diet claims to be highly effective.
2. Is GOLO a low carb diet?
No, GOLO is not a low-carb diet. It is a low-glycemic diet with special emphasis on balanced meals.
3. How long does it take for GOLO to work?
According to the GOLO website, the diet may take 30-, 60-, or 90- days to take effect and continue burning fats.
