The Galveston Diet is a weight loss program designed primarily for middle-aged women experiencing menopause. Instead of focusing solely on calorie restriction, this diet emphasizes when to eat, what foods to eat, and what foods to avoid to reduce inflammation in the body. This approach combines a 16/8 intermittent fasting regimen with a high-fat, low-carb diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods.
Overview of the Galveston Diet
The Galveston Diet was created in 2018 by Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board-certified OB-GYN, to address weight gain associated with perimenopause and menopause. She developed the diet after struggling to lose weight herself, realizing that the traditional "calories in versus calories out" model was insufficient. The diet is based on the principle that hormones, influenced by the quality of food consumed, significantly affect weight. Therefore, the Galveston Diet prioritizes the quality and timing of food intake over strict calorie counting.
Core Principles
The Galveston Diet incorporates three main components: intermittent fasting, anti-inflammatory nutrition, and "Fuel Refocus." It encourages high-fat, low-carb, antioxidant-rich, and anti-inflammatory foods while discouraging processed foods, added sugar, and alcohol.
The Galveston Diet Program
The Galveston Diet offers two main programs: the Signature program for middle-aged women aiming to lose weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle, and the Galveston Prime program, a nutrition-based wellness program for young adults. The diet program also offers dietary supplements and an exercise regimen called the Move Mini-Course, all at an additional cost.
Program Options
- Signature: This program includes educational sessions, videos, resources, shopping lists, five weeks of meal planning and recipes, lifetime access to online material, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Gold: This level includes everything from the Signature package, plus a guide, the Move Mini-Course, a daily recharge journal, and a recipe collection.
- Platinum: This level costs even more and includes even more services.
Intermittent Fasting (16/8 Method)
The Galveston Diet recommends intermittent fasting, specifically the 16/8 method. This involves eating all daily calories within an 8-hour window, followed by a 16-hour fasting period. During the fasting window, only zero-calorie beverages like water, unsweetened tea, and coffee are allowed. This approach helps reduce overall calorie intake, promoting weight loss. Intermittent fasting has also been linked to reduced inflammation, improved insulin resistance, and decreased heart disease risk factors.
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Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition
The diet emphasizes foods that combat inflammation. Chronic inflammation is associated with various health conditions like obesity, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. A study in 20,337 people tied low-grade chronic inflammation to a 44% higher risk of all-cause mortality over 5 years. The Galveston Diet encourages consuming vegetables and fruits rich in plant compounds that help fight inflammation.
Fuel Refocus
The Galveston Diet is essentially a high-fat, low-carb diet, similar to the keto diet in its macronutrient distribution. While the average American diet consists of about 35% fat, 16% protein, and 47% carbs, the Galveston Diet recommends approximately 70% of daily calories from fats, 20% from protein, and 10% from carbs. This "Fuel Refocus" aims to shift the body's primary energy source from carbs to fat. Under low-carb conditions, the body breaks down fat for energy.
Foods to Eat and Avoid
The Galveston Diet encourages the consumption of:
- Fats: Olive oil, coconut oil, MCT oil, butter, ghee, avocado oil, and sesame oil.
- Proteins: Lean ground beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, lean pork, salmon, trout, tuna, and shellfish.
- Fruits: Avocado, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
- Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, lettuce, dill, and mustard greens.
- Other Vegetables: Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, and carrots.
- Nuts: Cashews, pistachios, almonds, and peanuts.
- Seeds: Pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, flax, and chia seeds.
- Dairy: Heavy cream, cheese, sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, and nut milk.
- Tea: Black, green, oolong, and chamomile teas.
- Fresh Herbs: Ginger, garlic, parsley, thyme, and basil.
Foods to limit or avoid include:
- Sweeteners: Added sugar and artificial sweeteners.
- Food Additives: Artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
- Alcohol: Beer, wine, and spirits.
- Processed Foods: Refined grains, fried foods, and processed meats.
- Vegetable Oils High in Omega-6 Fats: Soybean, sunflower, safflower, and corn oil.
- Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Sweet tea, colas, soft drinks, and juices.
Does the Galveston Diet Work?
While there is no direct scientific evidence that the Galveston Diet specifically helps middle-aged women lose weight, studies have shown that its individual components, such as intermittent fasting and low-carb dieting, are effective for weight loss.
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- A 3-month study in 40 people showed that a 16/8 intermittent fasting diet reduced belly fat and waist size by an average of 2.1 inches (5.3 cm).
- A 40-week study in 36 men with obesity found that the intermittent fasting group experienced 53% more weight loss than the calorie-restricted group and was more successful at maintaining weight loss.
- A study in women with overweight showed that those following a low-carb 5:2 intermittent fasting diet were 18-25% more successful at achieving significant weight loss than those who restricted calories.
- A 4-month study in 20 people with obesity showed that a very low-calorie, low-carb diet led to an average weight loss of 44 pounds (20 kg), with almost 81% being fat loss, while preserving lean muscle mass and metabolic rate.
Potential Health Benefits
Beyond weight loss, the Galveston Diet may offer additional health benefits:
- May Fight Inflammation: Intermittent fasting can reduce inflammatory markers and protect blood vessels from plaque buildup. Low-carb diets may also help reduce inflammation and combat inflammatory conditions.
- May Reduce Disease Risk: Intermittent fasting and low-carb diets have been shown to protect against lifestyle illnesses like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and insulin resistance. They are also associated with a reduction in visceral fat, fasting insulin, and insulin resistance.
- May Promote Healthy Blood Sugar Management: Studies have shown that very low-carb keto diets can improve blood sugar management in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Potential Drawbacks
Despite its potential benefits, the Galveston Diet has some drawbacks:
- Potentially Low in Fiber: Very low-carb diets can be low in dietary fiber, which is essential for regular bowel movements, heart health, and gut health.
- Restrictive Nature: The extremely low-carb nature of the diet may be difficult for some people to maintain long-term.
- Lack of Research: The Galveston Diet itself has not been specifically studied, so there is a lack of evidence to support its long-term health benefits or safety.
Considerations for Menopausal Women
During menopause, women are more prone to abdominal weight gain due to hormonal shifts that cause fat stores to relocate to the body's central parts. Abdominal obesity increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. While the Galveston Diet may help address this issue through intermittent fasting and low-carb eating, further studies are needed to examine its effects on hormone balancing among menopausal women.
Comparing the Galveston Diet
The Galveston Diet shares similarities with other popular diets, such as the Mediterranean and Keto diets.
Galveston Diet vs. Mediterranean Diet
- Both diets focus on reducing added sugars, processed foods, and refined grains.
- The Galveston Diet emphasizes lean protein, while the Mediterranean diet emphasizes legumes, whole grains, and nuts and seeds as healthy fats.
- The Galveston Diet is more restrictive, allowing only low-glycemic fruits like berries, whereas the Mediterranean diet includes most fruits.
- The Galveston Diet is gluten-free, while the Mediterranean diet allows whole grains, including whole-wheat pasta and whole-wheat bread.
Galveston Diet vs. Keto Diet
- Both diets are high in fat and low in carbs.
- The Galveston Diet incorporates intermittent fasting and emphasizes anti-inflammatory foods, which are not always prioritized in the keto diet.
Real-Life Experience
Diana Johnson, a 57-year-old from Galveston, Texas, experienced positive results with the Galveston Diet. She was experiencing hot flashes and knee and hip pain due to weight gain associated with menopause. After adopting the Galveston Diet, she began seeing results within a month, experiencing less pain and inflammation. She lost 25 pounds and felt significantly better overall.
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Costs
- Program: A one-time fee that includes access to all course material, meal plans, and educational videos.
- Platinum Coaching: A monthly subscription that includes everything in the basic program plus ongoing coach support, live coaching sessions, a downloadable workbook, progress tracking, and weekly bonus content.