How Does The Bulletproof Diet Work?

Did Dave Asprey really create an amazing plan with the bulletproof diet? How does it work? Just the name itself is great for catching attention.

Contents

The Bulletproof diet explained:

I didn’t look through the diet as much as I should have, but what is easy to understand is how it works. Basically this is what happens:

It’s a high fat diet with a mild addition of vegetables added to the mix and very low carbs. Some people compare this diet to the Paleo diet and there really a lot of similarities, except there is more focus on fat here than there is on Paleo. Aside from that, the same exceptions such as no bread or gluten (well it’s really just not suggested) are there as well.

Much of what you eat on this diet plan is going to revolve around protein rich foods. However most of the fat you’re going to get is going to come from oils such as coconut oil, avocados and other foods and ingredients. You’re also going to have to drink a special kind of coffee called “Bulletproof coffee” to help you get through a specific period (mornings) when you’re doing another part of the diet which is intermittent fasting.

Basically mornings aren’t going to have meals and it’s recommended that you don’t eat the night before, so through this diet, there is going to be a bit of a “starvation period”. The way to get through that is to go to sleep early so you can avoid experiencing the cravings and when you wake up, instead of having breakfast, you’re going to continue the fast, but to help you through it, you’re going to have to drink the bulletproof coffee as a substitute. After lunch, you’ll be able to eat again. 

This type of coffee isn’t just grounded beans. It’s actually going to combine other ingredients including oil. I’ve read that this coffee has over 400 calories alone, but don’t let the number fool you. 400 calories doesn’t include the satiety part which means in spite of having a high amount of calories, you’re still likely to become hungry after a short while. 

But the idea behind drinking is going to help you be more alert and focused, plus it’ll help you get through the last portion of your fast. The intermittent fasting varies, but you should do it several times a week. 

Also by not eating during the fasting period, you will be able to burn more fat through ketosis. This is really where the weight loss will occur. 

As for the eating fat portion of the diet, don’t let this freak you out. Specific fats are actually good for the body and health and rather than cause weight gain, they can do the opposite. The key is to eat foods that are grass fed to get the best results from this diet.

Side effects:

You may feel tired especially during the fasting periods but this is normal as is any other time you don’t eat for an extended period of time. 

Your LDL and HDL cholesterol levels will rise. Eating fatty foods will do that and this is really what I see as the biggest problem with this diet.

HDL is fine, but LDL levels are considered to be the bad cholesterol. I have read a blog post from one man who did this diet for over a year (the post). His LDL levels skyrocketed the first month, but as he continued going through the diet, they actually ended up being lower in the end than when he first started the plan. There may indeed be a lot of truth to Dave Asprey’s assumption on cholesterol that isn’t mainstream, but I would absolutely consult with a doctor if you’re considering this diet.

Is the bulletproof coffee really necessary?

When the topic of bulletproof coffee comes up, so do question on things like mycotoxins which are fungi found in mold that can exist in coffee beans that aren’t properly processed. Bulletproof coffee is said to have NO mycotoxins while other major coffee makers do. This is what Dave sells it as. 

I don’t know about the research, but I firmly believe if other types of coffee companies had this problem, there would be much more widespread complaints and health issues. What I think is happening here is Dave is just marketing his bulletproof coffee this way.

So is the bulletproof coffee itself a must? I really don’t know what to say on this topic, but I do know that it does coexist with the diet meaning you shouldn’t do one without the other, otherwise you won’t feel the same effects.

If you have tried this diet without the bulletproof coffee, I’d love to hear what you think!

Bulletproof diet score:

2.5 stars

2.5 out of 5 stars. The diet works, no doubt about it, but because it really goes deep into unorthodox approaches to dieting, there are safety concerns, especially when you talk about the rise in cholesterol.

bulletproofdietscore

See the only diet that ranked 5 stars.

 

Conclusions on the bulletproof diet:

Even though it was only rated 2.5 stars (50%), I do like that this diet does take a great approach to losing weight and that’s through dieting while eating fatty foods. I actually love that and I agree with it too.

But in experience, if you do too much of something, good or bad, it can end up being bad overall and with this diet, eating too many fatty foods (eggs, bacon, avocados, ect…) can really lead to much higher cholesterol  levels. I think there should be a balance with dieting. Eating healthy and exercising should also be included and carefully added into it. With this diet, eating vegetables is actually way less than 50%. Most of the diet (about 60%) is eating the fatty foods. 

I don’t know what that can lead to long term and I believe this diet will work differently for different people. I’m sure weight loss is going to happen, but it’s what happens months and years after being on this plan that I wonder what will happen to people. 

2 thoughts on “How Does The Bulletproof Diet Work?”

  1. I started reading about the bulletproof diet, but it only got 2.5 stars, so I read about the 5 star diet. A pound of weight loss a day sounds amazing. Do I have to buy anything special for the burn days? Any protein powders or mixes or boxed foods, anything like that? And, is the pound a day just on the burn day or on the feed days, too? I’ve been looking for a weight loss solution that doesn’t involve a lot of measuring, conversions or counting. It adds more prep time than I care for. Great review. Thanks.
    Alyssa

    Reply
    • The diet you’re talking about is called EODD. The foods you get on burn on and feed days are regular foods, not powder mixes. There isn’t really calorie counting unless you’re on burn days, but if you want a simpler diet which burns fat faster, try the 3 week diet Alyssa 🙂

      Reply

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