The Ideal Protein Diet: What You Need to Know

Potential Benefits of the Ideal Protein Diet (and Why They May Not Last)

If you’re looking for fast weight loss results, this diet will probably deliver — and that’s the main benefit. By drastically cutting your calories and pushing your body into ketosis, the pounds tend to drop quickly in the beginning.

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Potential Benefits of the Ideal Protein Diet (and Why They May Not Last)It May Promote Rapid Weight Loss It May Improve Blood Sugar and Lipid Levels It Takes the Guesswork Out of Eating Why the Benefits May Not Last

It May Promote Rapid Weight Loss

Because the plan limits you to fewer than 50 grams of carbs a day, Ideal Protein really does kick-start fat loss.

In a three-month study of 192 people, those on the Ideal Protein diet lost approximately 17.8 pounds more than those on a standard, low-fat, low-calorie diet.

Notably, the group on the Ideal Protein diet was eating hundreds of fewer daily calories than the other group, which likely explains the difference in results. It’s also worth highlighting that the company behind the diet funded the research.

It May Improve Blood Sugar and Lipid Levels

Another 12-week study found that people with type 2 diabetes on a similar plan saw long-term improvements in their blood sugar levels. In fact, a one-year study follow-up found that nearly 46 percent of them were able to stop taking their blood sugar–lowering medications entirely.

Again, though, take these results with a grain of salt — the study was funded by the company itself, and participants were eating only 850 to 1,100 calories a day.

It Takes the Guesswork Out of Eating

Consuming mostly preportioned, premade meals reduces the time you need to spend shopping, planning, and cooking.

Why the Benefits May Not Last

The biggest challenge comes when you stop the diet. “The hardest part for most is the transition stage,” says Montz. “Moving back to cooking and planning meals after spending the last few months eating prepackaged meals with controlled portions can be very challenging.” Because this program is built entirely around meal replacements, it may be hard to build balanced meals on your own once the built-in structure disappears.