GOLO Diet: What Is It, Benefits and Foods to Eat and Avoid

There is no shortage of diets that promise fast weight loss results, and the GOLO Diet is just one more weight loss program to add to the list. But the GOLO Diet isn’t just a way of eating.

The GOLO Diet is a prescriptive weight loss plan created by a team of doctors and pharmacists in 2009. It requires the use of a daily supplement and recommends significant calorie restriction. The idea behind the diet is that insulin resistance causes increased hunger, cravings, and unwanted weight gain. 

The GOLO Diet says it reverses insulin resistance, improves metabolic health, and changes how your body metabolizes stored fat, leading to sustainable weight loss over time. If it sounds too good to be true, you might be right. Keep reading to learn more about the diet and whether it’s right for you. 

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What Is the GOLO Diet and How Does It Work?

The GOLO Diet promises to promote optimal insulin levels and support weight loss. 

According to the GOLO website, the plan was developed by a team of pharmacists and doctors and aims to regulate hormone levels and boost metabolism, promising sustainable weight loss results.¹ 

The eating plan includes whole, nutrient-dense foods and limits processed foods. Recommended meals include lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables. Low-glycemic index carbohydrates are encouraged to promote healthy insulin levels and better blood glucose control. 

The diet also promotes a dietary supplement called GOLO Release, which has a proprietary blend of plant extracts, including “7 natural plant-based ingredients and three key minerals. GOLO Release supposedly improves insulin sensitivity, naturally stimulates GLP-1 hormone production, improves energy levels, and helps manage stress and anxiety. 

Ingredients include: 

• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Chromium
• Rhodiola extract
• Inositol
• Berberine extract
• Gardenia extract
• Banaba extract
• Salacia extract
• Apple extract

While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally recognizes these ingredients as safe, little to no peer-reviewed research suggests they do what GOLO promises. 

According to its creators, the supplement, along with a whole-food diet and exercise, can “effectively control sugar cravings and hunger and minimize muscle loss as you lose weight, allowing you to feel good and inspired to reach your goal weight.” 

What Are the Benefits of the GOLO Diet?

The GOLO Diet has some health-promoting principles, like increasing the intake of whole foods, reducing processed foods, and participating in regular exercise. A whole-food diet and daily movement may result in several health benefits, including weight loss and improved blood sugar. 

• Better Insulin Sensitivity

The GOLO Diet encourages eating more whole, nutrient-dense foods and eating fewer processed foods. Research shows that a diet rich in whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, and raw fruit supports better insulin sensitivity in people who have insulin resistance.^{2, 3}

• Lower Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes (t2d) and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

According to a study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, eating a mostly plant-based diet that consists of whole foods can reduce the risk of developing diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.⁴

• Less Inflammation

Many nutrient-dense whole foods are high in anti-inflammatory compounds. Since the GOLO Diet promotes eating more of these anti-inflammatory foods, decreased inflammation could be a benefit of following the diet.⁵

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GOLO Diet: Foods to Eat

After purchasing the GOLO Release supplement, you receive a free booklet of foods you can eat on the diet. These foods include whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods like the ones listed below:

• Lean proteins, including lean cuts of beef, chicken, eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt
• Fresh fruit
• Green vegetables, for example, asparagus, broccoli, zucchini and kale
• Healthy fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, chia seeds, hemp seeds and flax seeds
• Legumes like black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans and white beans
• Nuts and seeds, including almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, and peanuts
• Other vegetables, including potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash
• Seafood
• Whole grains, such as brown rice, oatmeal and quinoa

Foods to Avoid on the GOLO Diet

The GOLO Diet encourages reducing the intake of processed foods that are high in added sugar and saturated fat. Some foods to avoid when following the GOLO Diet include:

• Processed foods like cookies, crackers, potato chips, and baked goods
• Fatty cuts of beef, lamb, and pork
• Sugary beverages like soda, sports drinks, lemonade, and sweetened tea
• Artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose

Potential Downsides of the GOLO Diet

While the GOLO Diet claims to produce sustainable weight loss results, the significant calorie restriction raises some red flags. A calorie deficit of no more than 300-500 calories per day is typically recommended for safe, sustainable weight loss. Diets that significantly restrict calories can lead to nutrient deficiencies and other health complications. 

The GOLO Diet recommends restricting calorie intake to 1300-1500 calories per day, which is generally not considered safe for adults unless under direct medical supervision. Severe calorie restriction and chronic dieting are associated with weight regain and disordered eating habits. While the GOLO Diet claims that it isn’t a fad diet and it claims to end the cycle of chronic dieting, the calorie restriction requirements indicate otherwise.⁶ 

Another potential downside is the portion sizes recommended by the GOLO Diet plan. Sometimes, reducing portion sizes can lead to increased hunger and cravings, which often leads to overeating later in the day. If you find it difficult to eat smaller portions, you may want to learn more about the Volumetrics Diet. The Volumetrics Diet consists of low-calorie, high-fiber, and high-water-containing food that helps you feel full and satisfied without eating as many calories. 

Another potential downside of the GOLO Diet is the need to take a daily supplement. Not only are supplements cost-prohibitive for some, but the effectiveness of the GOLO Diet’s supplement Release has been minimally researched, and available studies may be biased, as they have been funded and conducted by the creators. Other studies suggest that weight loss supplements like Release might be harmful to health.⁷

Is the GOLO Diet Good for You?

As a dietitian, I don’t encourage restrictive diets that drastically reduce calorie intake. While restrictive diets may result in short-term weight loss, they can cause unhealthy eating patterns and weight regain in the long run.

Instead, I recommend eating balanced meals with complex carbs, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fiber. Diets like the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet are heavily researched and shown to provide myriad health benefits including blood sugar management, reduced risk of heart disease, improved digestive health, and weight management.⁸ 

I would rather encourage one of these evidence-based dietary patterns over the GOLO Diet. Eat more fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats. These high-fiber and high-protein foods increase fullness and satisfaction, which can help reduce cravings and overall calorie intake.

In addition to eating habits, lifestyle changes like regular movement and activity, stress management techniques, and adequate restful sleep are also important for health and weight management. 

If you’re in good health and the GOLO Diet would suit your lifestyle, give it a whirl. Eating a whole-food diet and exercising more often may result in short-term weight loss and other health benefits. 

You should always talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before starting a new diet or exercise plan, especially if you take medications that alter your blood sugar. 

Learn More About How to Improve Blood Sugar Health With Signos’ Expert Advice

Along with proper diet, exercise, and other healthy lifestyle choices, medications can play a significant role in diabetes and weight management.

Signos CGM empowers you to improve your health by keeping track of your diet, exercise, sleep habits, and blood sugar. Knowledge is power, and a CGM can give you specific information about how your habits affect your health. 

Signos has a team of health experts who compile evidence-based nutrition information to help you improve your health and wellness. Check out the resources here.

Find out if Signos is a good fit for you by taking a quick quiz.

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