These look like the real deal
When slashing calories is the strategy, it puts people into a cycle of binging and in turn, more likely to pile on the weight again afterwards.
Using a tool called the food plot, participants were able to make sure they hit their targeted amount of protein and fiber each day.
Fiber is a bulky, essential nutrient. Given its structure, it doesn't get digested by the body and can help you to feel fuller for longer.
The iDip program differs from traditional low-fat or minimal-carbohydrate plans in that it doesn't eliminate or reduce food groups. Instead, it gives participants the information to make certain food choices.
Even more remarkably, those who lost weight with the diet maintained their weight loss—in some cases, up to 26 pounds (12 kilos)—one year later.
The amount of fiber and protein consumed by participants varied depending on their starting body weight and what they hoped to achieve with the program.
The Individualized Diet Improvement Program, known as iDip, helped almost half of its participants to shed 13 percent of their body weight in a new study.
To help people make changes that are actually sustainable in the long term, iDip's plan differs from other low-calorie meal programs.
A new, flexible diet is promising people seeking to lose weight that by focusing on two main types of food, they can reap the weight loss benefits.
If participants had been encouraged to just eat lower calories, they might have had success in the short term but a lot of the time people have trouble maintaining that goal weight once they reach it.
The authors of the study said in their findings that reducing calories alone isn't sustainable, as those kinds of diets lack nutrients.
By upping the protein and fiber content of meals alongside being mindful of calorie intake, the diet optimizes eating foods that will keep participants feeling fuller for longer.
The range of success among participants has shown researchers where they might need to tweak the plan in order to make it successful for more people.
The participants were also advised to eat high-protein foods including beans, fish, turkey, and chicken, which are also low in calories.
Overall, people ate a diet high in protein-dense lean meats including chicken and turkey, as well as fiber-rich oats, and fresh vegetables. But no food group was completely excluded.
Protein helps you to feel full. It's a macronutrient, similar to fats and carbohydrates, but the feeling of satiety from eating protein lasts much longer.
Diet participants were encouraged to eat foods that contain high amounts of fiber while being low in calories, including oats, apples, beets, and broccoli.
At the end of the iDip diet trial, 41% of participants had achieved significant weight loss. On average, these participants lost 12.9 percent of their initial body mass on average.
Unfortunately, not everyone experienced the same level of success with the plan. For some 13% of people, they only managed to lose an average of two pounds.
To contextualize the results: one year on from the experiment, someone who weighed 200 pounds before taking part was able to keep off the 26 pounds they lost initially by following the diet plan.
Interestingly, participants who experienced success in the first three months of the trial were the most likely to have sustained weight loss one year later.
In order to understand if the diet works on a bigger scale, it's also necessary to hold trials with a much bigger number of participants, as this one was quite small.
The Mediterranean diet encourages people to eat more fresh food and lean protein, without demonizing any particular macronutrient group.
With its focus on not excluding any food groups in particular, some people have drawn comparisons between iDip and the Mediterranean diet.
How iDip goes a step further than the Mediterranean diet by combining food advice with education and weighing to help keep people on track.
The flexibility and personalization offered by the plan are designed to keep people on track after the initial weight loss journey, helping to encourage a new mindset about the best foods to eat to feel fuller for longer.
Many adults don't get enough fiber in their diet, even though it helps to regulate blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol levels, and helps to maintain bowel health.
Fiber also feeds good gut bacteria, helping to maintain a healthy gut microbiome, reduce inflammation, and improve digestive health.
While more research is needed to understand if iDip works on a larger scale, there are many years of research-backed studies linking a fresh, whole-food diet with better health and longevity. Choosing a diet rich in fresh foods and good macronutrients will help to support your body.
Sources: (Daily Mail) (The New York Post)
See also: What happens if you eat salad every day?
Staying in shape can be a headache. For some, following a plan is a simpler way to keep track of what foods can support their weight loss goals in the long term. Research has found the new iDip plan—aka the Individualized Diet Improvement Program—has been shown to support 13% weight loss over the course of a year. It claims to help people lose weight in a sustainable way, with fiber consumption being a key component.
Curious? Click through the gallery to get the skinny on the iDip plan.
How iDip helps people lose weight
The food plan focuses on fiber and protein
FOOD Diets
Staying in shape can be a headache. For some, following a plan is a simpler way to keep track of what foods can support their weight loss goals in the long term. Research has found the new iDip plan—aka the Individualized Diet Improvement Program—has been shown to support 13% weight loss over the course of a year. It claims to help people lose weight in a sustainable way, with fiber consumption being a key component.
Curious? Click through the gallery to get the skinny on the iDip plan.