What Does the Galveston Diet Recommend? A Comprehensive Guide

December 19, 2025 •

3 min read

Created by OB-GYN Dr. Mary Claire Haver, the Galveston Diet was born from her own struggles with menopausal weight gain, emphasizing that a simple "calories in, calories out" model is incomplete for midlife women due to hormonal shifts. This program uniquely combines intermittent fasting, anti-inflammatory nutrition, and macronutrient adjustments.

Quick Summary

The Galveston Diet combines intermittent fasting and anti-inflammatory nutrition with a fuel refocus approach to manage weight and hormone shifts during menopause. It emphasizes whole, nutrient-dense foods while limiting processed items, refined grains, and added sugars.

Key Points

Three Core Pillars: The diet is built on intermittent fasting, anti-inflammatory nutrition, and a 'Fuel Refocus' approach to manage menopausal health.
16:8 Intermittent Fasting: The plan recommends consuming all daily food within an 8-hour window and fasting for 16 hours to help with weight loss and inflammation.
Anti-Inflammatory Focus: It prioritizes foods like berries, leafy greens, and healthy fats while limiting processed foods, added sugars, and refined grains to reduce inflammation.
Fuel Refocus: The diet shifts macronutrient intake to be higher in healthy fats and lower in carbohydrates, especially during the initial phase, to promote fat burning.
Designed for Menopause: Created by an OB-GYN, the program specifically targets weight gain and hormonal changes experienced during perimenopause and menopause.
Research-Informed Approach: While the branded diet lacks specific studies, its components—intermittent fasting and anti-inflammatory eating—are supported by independent research.

The Galveston Diet, developed by Dr. Mary Claire Haver, is a weight management and wellness program primarily aimed at women navigating perimenopause and menopause. It departs from traditional calorie-counting methods by focusing on three key pillars designed to work with hormonal changes and reduce inflammation: intermittent fasting, anti-inflammatory nutrition, and "Fuel Refocus".

The Three Pillars of the Galveston Diet

Intermittent Fasting (IF)

The diet incorporates the 16:8 intermittent fasting method. This means adhering to a daily 8-hour eating window and a 16-hour fasting period. For example, if you finish your last meal by 7 p.m., your first meal the next day would not be until 11 a.m.. During the fasting window, only zero-calorie beverages like water, plain coffee, and unsweetened tea are permitted. The practice of intermittent fasting can contribute to weight loss by naturally creating a calorie deficit and has been linked to benefits such as reduced inflammation and improved insulin resistance.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition

Chronic, low-grade inflammation is linked to various health issues, including weight gain, which is a particular concern during menopause. The Galveston Diet prioritizes foods with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to combat this.

Allowed Foods:

Healthy Fats: Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.
Lean Protein: Chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and lean beef.
Vegetables: A wide variety of non-starchy vegetables, especially leafy greens like spinach and kale, as well as broccoli, cauliflower, and bell peppers.
Fruits: Lower-glycemic fruits such as berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) and avocados.
Dairy: Full-fat Greek yogurt, cheese, and heavy cream in moderation.
Legumes: All types of legumes are allowed.

Foods to Limit or Avoid:

Added Sugars & Artificial Sweeteners: Found in sodas, candies, and many processed foods.
Processed Foods: Refined grains, processed meats (with nitrates/nitrites), and fried foods.
Refined Grains: White bread, pasta, and refined flours.
Inflammatory Oils: High-omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean and canola.
Excess Alcohol: While not entirely forbidden, alcohol is limited, and red wine is the preferred option in moderation.

Fuel Refocus

The diet guides participants to shift their macronutrient intake away from carbohydrates toward healthy fats as the body's primary energy source. During the initial fat-loss phase, macronutrient recommendations are typically around 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbohydrates. This ratio can be adjusted in the maintenance phase to be more balanced, such as 40% fat, 20% protein, and 40% carbohydrates. The goal is not ketosis, unlike the standard keto diet, but to retrain the body to burn fat more efficiently.

Galveston Diet vs. The Mediterranean Diet


Feature	Galveston Diet	Mediterranean Diet
Intermittent Fasting	Required (16:8 method is standard).	Not required; eating patterns vary.
Macronutrient Focus	Starts with very low carb (10%) and high healthy fat (70%); balances later.	Balanced intake with an emphasis on plant foods and healthy fats.
Carbohydrates	Limited, especially in the fat-loss phase, focusing on low-glycemic sources like berries.	Inclusive of more fruits, legumes, and whole grains.
Processed Foods	Discouraged due to pro-inflammatory nature.	Emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods.
Protein Source	Emphasizes lean proteins, including fish, poultry, and eggs.	Includes plant-based proteins, nuts, seeds, and fish, with less emphasis on lean meat.

Research and Effectiveness

While no specific, long-term studies have been conducted on the branded Galveston Diet itself, the individual components have supporting research. Studies show that intermittent fasting and low-carb diets can effectively aid weight loss and improve metabolic markers. The anti-inflammatory aspect is also widely supported, as inflammation is linked to various diseases. However, some critics note the restrictive nature may not be sustainable for all and that low-carb phases could lead to low fiber intake. It is important for individuals to speak with a healthcare provider before beginning this or any new diet, especially if they have existing health conditions. For further information on the broader context of menopausal health, Dr. Mary Claire Haver's book, The New Menopause, offers an excellent resource.

Conclusion

The Galveston Diet offers a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to weight management and overall health during the hormonal shifts of menopause. By combining intermittent fasting, a focus on anti-inflammatory nutrition, and a fuel refocus strategy, it aims to create sustainable lifestyle habits rather than just a quick fix. The emphasis on whole, nutrient-dense foods and the elimination of processed items provides a solid foundation for improved health. However, the restrictive nature and the lack of specific research on the diet as a whole are important considerations. For many, the principles of anti-inflammatory eating can be adopted without purchasing the official program. Consulting a healthcare professional is crucial to determine if this approach aligns with individual health needs and conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary goal is to help women address menopausal weight gain by focusing on reducing inflammation, balancing hormones, and shifting the body's fuel source rather than simply cutting calories.

The diet utilizes the 16:8 method of intermittent fasting, where all meals are eaten within an 8-hour window each day, followed by a 16-hour fasting period.

While it was designed for menopausal women, the principles of anti-inflammatory eating and intermittent fasting can be followed by men. The dietary principles are broadly beneficial for general health.

The diet highly restricts or recommends avoiding processed foods, refined grains, added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and certain inflammatory vegetable oils.

Both are low-carb and high-fat, but the Galveston Diet is less restrictive long-term and specifically focuses on anti-inflammatory foods and intermittent fasting rather than strict ketosis.

There is currently no specific peer-reviewed research on the branded Galveston Diet. However, its core principles, including intermittent fasting and anti-inflammatory nutrition, are supported by general scientific evidence.

While focusing on whole foods can be costly, adopting the core principles without purchasing the official program is possible. Some critics note the program and recommended foods can be expensive.