The GOLO Diet: Is It The Right Eating Plan For You?

Written by Ahmed Zayed Helmy, MD, on October 28, 2020

Obesity is no longer just a concern, but rather considered a public health problem. Worldwide, the rate of obesity is continuously increasing. As of 2016, 39% of the adult population is overweight. An additional 13% are obese (1). Even among children, the statistics are alarming. In 2017, health experts decided to classify obesity as a disease (2).

With an uprise in obesity statistics, we are also seeing new dieting methods being introduced today. While the keto diet was once the talk among people trying to lose weight, there is a craze in the market – the GOLO diet.

The GOLO diet has become a highly searched topic on the internet since the year 2016. There are three program options available and it is sold by a commercial brand. The primary idea behind this diet is to follow an eating plan while using a specific supplement.

Is this diet really good for you? What are the benefits and disadvantages? And will you lose weight? If these are the questions you have in mind, then read on to discover more about the GOLO diet.

What Is The GOLO Diet?

The GOLO diet is essentially a combined program that focuses on giving you the tools and education you need to lose weight. It is essentially a commercialized diet program, as the company behind the plan advises people to use the official GOLO Release supplement.

When you sign up for the GOLO diet, you have three different program options to choose from:

The 30-day program
The 60-day program
The 90-day program

The primary difference between each is the period during which you will follow the diet. The diet claims to help you lose weight more effectively, without the need for calorie counting, which most people find inconvenient because it makes the process of dieting more tedious.

According to the official creator of the GOLO diet, it has several specific benefits that can help with weight loss. These include an increase in your metabolism, which is expected early on during the program. The company also claims that following the diet will provide higher levels of energy and assist in balancing various hormones in your body.

Several professionals in the healthcare industry were involved in the development of the GOLO diet. The official website that represents it claims that both pharmacists and doctors worked on the program. The goal was to offer a program that offers sustainable weight loss that is not too fast, but with good, real results.

The entire program is based on helping to reduce the frequency of blood sugar spikes. The foods included in the meal plan comprises mainly of low GI foods. This keeps blood glucose levels from increasing. The diet is backed by scientific evidence, which adds to its authenticity.

How Does The GOLO Diet Work?

The GOLO diet works by reducing the glycemic content of foods you eat during the day. This is the primary goal of the diet.

With this in mind, we can already see that the diet is based on studies. The evidence-based approach is one reason why many people have decided to give the GOLO diet a try – as the company behind the program is able to back up their claims with links to studies.

Let’s take a look at some of these studies:

In one study (3), participants were provided a low-glycemic index diet over a period of five weeks. The effects on cardiovascular health were noted, along with the impact that the diet had on weight. There were noticeable improvements in cardiovascular risk factors among those who consumed lower glycemic index foods. Weight loss was also more common in these individuals.
Another study considered the effects of a diet that includes foods with low GI level on fat oxidation (4). The goal was also to determine if this type of diet would yield benefits to body composition. Fat oxidation was improved with the use of a low GI diet, which led to the conclusion that lower glycemic index foods could assist in reducing fat content in the body more efficiently.
Yet another study is referenced by the creators of the GOLO diet. In this study (5), GI content of breakfast among subjects was reduced. This provided an effective reduction in the glycemic load obtained through food consumption. In turn, a thermogenesis effect was noted. A higher core temperature was produced upon physical exercise, resulting in more effective fat loss.

An increase in metabolism is another important goal of the diet. With a faster metabolism, the creators claim that you can eat more compared to traditional diet plans and yet still lose weight faster.

What Is GOLO Release?

If you plan on getting on board with this diet, then you will be advised to take a very specific supplement known as GOLO Release. In fact, you will see references for this supplement at various areas of the dieting program.

According to the manufacturer, this is a plant-based supplement that complements the effects of the meal plan. The three primary goals of the GOLO Release supplement are:

To balance your hormones
To help with glucose control
To enhance the optimization of insulin

The manufacturer also claims that the supplement will act as an appetite suppressant while boosting your energy at the same time.

There are three minerals included in the GOLO Release supplement and these are:

Zinc
Chromium
Magnesium

Apart from these, a proprietary blend is used, made from several plant extracts. This is where the primary potential of the supplement lies as the manufacturer claims to have carefully selected the right natural extracts to aid weight loss.

The plant-based ingredients found in the proprietary formula include:

Inositol
Gardenia Extract
Salacia Extract
Rhodiola Extract
Banaba Extract
Apple Extract

A press release by the manufacturer of the GOLO Release product claims that several studies have been conducted on their formula. The results that have been gathered claim the following benefits:

An average 17.6% reduction in cholesterol levels
An average 12.5% reduction in blood pressure levels
Triglyceride levels may be reduced by as much as 33.9%
Approximately 67% of respondents were able to reverse a pre-diabetic condition
When compared to a placebo pill, there was a 206% higher loss in waist circumference
The use of GOLO Release provided 79.9% more weight loss among people who used this product, compared to a placebo weight loss pill

The company does offer a page that gives you links to the studies that were done on their products. These studies primarily combined the use of the GOLO diet plan with the GOLO Release supplement.

In one study (6), there was a significant improvement in glycemic control when the combined plan was used by individuals who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The effects on obesity were also positive, as there was a reduction in weight too.

A randomized, placebo controlled study with a double-blind design was also conducted (7). The participants in the study were divided into groups – with one group taking the GOLO Release supplement, as well as following the weight management plan offered by the company. The other group were provided with a placebo program and supplement.

The results prove the efficiency of the GOLO program. Weight loss among those individuals in the GOLO group was much more significant compared to the placebo group. It was also shown that the Release supplement might help to enhance the effects of the weight management plan offered by GOLO, as only some people were offered these pills.

The Advantages Of The GOLO Diet

There are definitely some advantages to the GOLO Diet. Taking a look at the pros will give you a better idea of what you should expect from the program. It also makes it easier to determine if this program is right for you.

Here is a review of the top benefits that you may enjoy from the GOLO diet:

The major benefit is the fact that there are scientific studies that have been conducted on both the ingredients used in the supplement, as well as the program itself. Studies have shown that the combined use of the weight management plan and the Release supplement is effective for weight loss.
The GOLO diet is generally considered safe for people with diabetes. There are studies that have been done on diabetic patients and no serious side-effects were noted.
A personalized plan is provided with the purchase of the GOLO Release supplement. This takes into consideration your unique needs, including your current body composition, weight, and specific goals. With a personalized approach, you may find that you are able to reach your goals faster.
The GOLO diet has a focus on providing sustainable weight loss results. This means the experts behind the program want to help you lose weight and keep it off, unlike some diets that quickly lead to weight gain after finishing with the program.

What Are The Drawbacks?

While there are benefits to the diet, overlooking the possible drawbacks can lead to a big disappointment. Understand what the drawbacks are.

The consistent promotion of the GOLO Release supplement may become an irritation, especially to people who do not want to use it along with the weight management program.
The use of the GOLO Release supplements can become quite expensive if you are trying to lose weight over a long term.
There are some limitations in terms of availability. The Release supplement primarily ships to USA and Canada addresses only. If international shipping is required, then additional fees will apply to your order. These fees can sometimes be higher, further adding to the expenses you’ll have when following this diet.
Some people say that this can be difficult to follow the diet at times as some information in the package can be confusing.

How Much Does It Cost?

A lot of people skip out on the GOLO program because it involves regular use of a supplement known as GOLO Release. With this in mind, taking full advantage of the program means you have to commit to buying the supplement on a regular basis. You obviously want to lose weight over a long period of time and not give up on your efforts after the first month, so it’s going to be a long-term process.

The pricing depends on the package you choose. The packages offer a supply for 30 to 90 days. Here is the average cost of the GOLO Release supplement:

1 bottle: $49.95
2 bottles: $79.90
3 bottles: $99.90

Shipping does not incur additional charges on your order but with these prices, you may have a big expense to look forward to every month or at least once every quarter.

Do take note that a money-back guarantee is offered by the company that makes the GOLO Release supplement. You get 60 days to test out the supplement. If you are not happy with the supplement, then you can request a refund on your order. This at least provides better value for those who find the GOLO Release supplement ineffective for their weight loss journey.

Conclusion

The GOLO diet might have become a trending topic, but there are concerns that need to be addressed. The diet involves a specific meal plan, along with a supplement created by the author of the diet. It can be relatively expensive, making it less ideal for people with limited budget. Some people also find this diet confusing at times.

Overall, the GOLO diet has received some positive reviews, which means it might have some potential. For people who can stick to the meal plan and afford the monthly supplements, it might be worth a try.