Low-Carb Diet Plans

The Go-Diet

Plan's name: The Go-Diet

Book(s): : Go-Diet : The Goldberg-0'Mara Diet Plan, the Key to Weight Loss & Health Eating by Jack Goldberg Ph.D & Karen O’Mara D.O.

About the author: Dr. Jack Goldberg is a practicing Ph.D. clinical biochemist and research scientist. His interests are primarily in nutrition and especially cholesterol metabolism. He invented and patented the first commercial diagnostic kit for HDL cholesterol. Dr. Karen O'Mara is a specialist in intensive care medicine. As a teacher and intensivist she deals with the disasterous end product of unhealthy eating on a daily basis. Author of many scientific articles, she brings special insights to the GO-Diet.

Basic Philosophy: The authors tell us that they are clinicians who became frustrated that the advice they were offering their patients on weight loss was not working. They undertook an in depth review of the scientific literature on weight loss as well as looking at all the popular diets. The aim was to find evidence for a method of consistent weight loss without ill effects on the body. This book, they say, is a result of taking the best evidence from the literature; the most rational data and creating an eating plan that works. The diet was then tested in a formal study, which is described.

By the numbers: : 

Method:  The Go-Diet emphasizes low carbohydrate, no calorie counting, normal amounts of protein, high monounsaturated fats with reduction in saturated fats and encourages increased fibre and natural nutrient intake. Allowance is 50 grams carbohydrate with no more than 12-15 grams net at each meal. Fiber grams are deducted to produce net carbs. Monounsaturated fats should constitute at least 50% of the daily fat intake. They transition you onto the plan in three stages:

1. Days 1-3 Induction. Cut carbohydrates to 50 grams and eat only those foods listed.
2. Days 4-7 adds more variety and increases monounsaturated fats and
3. The rest of your life: balances nutrients from natural sources and increases fibre aiming for 25grams a day. Expanded list of permitted foods.

Pro's: Well written, short and to the point. Research findings described and some referenced. No calorie counting, counts only net carbs, lots of recipes, exercise is not compulsory! Research based. Will appeal to people who are put off by lots of ‘real life’ examples and the hype and/or size of some diet books.

Con's: Evidence that eating saturated fats is bad for us and that high lipid levels are likely to lead to heart disease and stroke is not conclusively proven and is disputed by many. That the Go Diets accepts it without question or even mentioning that it is disputed is surprising.

Misc: Ketosis is explained and considered to be safe and normal. The use of Ketostix is not advocated because, they tell us, the sticks measure only one of the types of ketone body and that one constitutes less than 1/5th of the ketones being burned in weight loss. (This explains why some people never test purple)

• Breakfast: Two large eggs scrambled in butter/olive oil mixture and topped with 1 oz of Swiss cheese; 1 cup of kefir artificially sweetened 
• Lunch: Tuna salad made with real mayonnaise and pickle relish and hard-boiled eggs. Tossed salad with olive oil vinaigrette
• Dinner: Pork roast, acorn squash with butter and garlic, collard greens or creamed spinach; melon.
• Snacks: nuts and seeds, kefir or yoghurt smoothies, chicken wings dipped into low or no carb condiments, salami, cheesecake (artificially sweetened, no bake kind) high fibre crisp bread with peanut butter or cream cheese.

Emphasis: Reducing carbohydrates and saturated fats, increasing fibre, increasing natural nutrients such as nuts, seeds, wheat bran and especially the fermented foods yoghurt and kefir.

Unique Fatures: None really, except perhaps that there is a focus on achieving over all good health by reducing saturated fats increasing fibre, which is not strictly necessary for weight loss alone. It gives useful information about yoghurt, which visitors to this site will have heard before but which is new to most people. That is that the yoghurt bacteria consume 8 grams of carbs. for every cup of yogurt. So even though listed on the pack those carbs need not be counted.

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Summarized by: Eebee