The iDip diet causes a 13 percent weight loss in one year: learn all about this diet

According to a new study, to effectively lose weight, the most effective way to achieve results is to eat more protein and fiber. The research, conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which developed the Individual Diet Improvement Program, followed at least 22 participants who followed the eating plan for two months.

The researchers said the volunteers increased their daily protein intake to 80 grams and fiber intake to 20 grams. Participants were also encouraged to limit their caloric intake to 1,500 per day, a marked decrease from the normally recommended intake of 2,000-2,500 calories. According to the results published in the journal Obesity: science and practice – More than 41 percent of iDip participants successfully lost 12.9 percent of their body weight.

Researchers said participants weighed themselves daily and attended dietary education sessions as well as one-on-one counseling meetings. “The iDip approach allows participants to experiment with various dietary iterations, and the knowledge and skills they develop while losing weight serve as a foundation for sustainable maintenance,” lead researcher Manabu Nakamura, a professor of nutrition at UIUC, told the New York Post.

How did the iDip diet work?

According to experts, about 59 percent of participants only lost a little more than 2 percent of their initial weight after one year. Researchers said those who ate more protein and fiber had the most significant weight loss.

Although rapid weight loss is associated with loss of muscle mass, iDip participants maintained most of their muscle mass. For those who lost more than 5 percent of their starting weight, 78 percent of the weight they lost was fat, the researchers said.

They attributed this to increased protein consumption, as protein helps the body retain muscle mass, which in turn improves metabolic function. The recommended daily protein intake is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (or 0.36 grams per pound for a 150-pound person), which is equivalent to 54 grams of protein per day.

How do proteins and fiber help in weight loss?

Nutritionists claim that higher protein intake increases levels of satiety hormones such as GLP-1, peptide YY, and cholecystokinin, while reducing levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. So, if you replace some of the carbs and fats in your diet with protein, you may experience less hunger and feel more satiated.

Additionally, after eating, the body uses the calories to digest and metabolize them, which is known as the thermic effect of food. By altering the levels of hormones that regulate appetite, protein helps reduce hunger and makes you feel fuller for longer, meaning you can eat fewer calories. The high thermic effect has a positive impact on resting energy expenditure and helps maintain lean muscle mass, which boosts metabolism. Protein also causes you to burn more calories throughout the day, even during sleep.

Similarly, fiber (a carbohydrate) contributes to satiety without adding more calories because the body doesn’t absorb it. It also slows down fiber, which in turn slows down the speed at which the body responds to carbohydrates. It also helps control blood sugar and insulin response to food.

Nutritionists say soluble fiber keeps gut bacteria healthy, which can promote fat loss by reducing appetite.