Weight loss and the GI Diet

I thought this was a great article and it reminded me how simple things can make a difference.

The G. I Diet and Benefits For Losing Weight by: Wayne Mcgregor

The glycemic index diet or G.I. diet is gaining a reputation as a healthy way to lose weight. Although more of a way of eating rather than a diet, more and more people following the G. I way achieve their weight loss goals. Many health experts agree that the Glycemic Index diet, if followed correctly, can be a great way to weight loss success, especially for those who struggle with conventional low calorie diets or dieters who have trouble controlling their appetite.

The G.I diet is similar to the low carb diet but it is not as strict and targets the types of carbs rather than the quantity of carbs for each meal. There is also a focus on the correct timing of the two basic types of meals – a carb or protein meal. The science behind the timing and types of meal makes G.I dieting a potent way to help lose fat stores, safely and relatively quickly.

The G.I diet is all about Insulin and controlling blood sugar levels. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate our blood sugar; actually it lowers blood sugar levels by stimulating cells to absorb any excess sugar from the blood. The problem with Insulin is it also causes fat cells to take up excess fatty acids from the blood. Often we ingest a meal which includes both sugar and fats so if any meal includes foods which have a high Glycemic Index then the fat from that meal can be easily stored on the hips.

There is an established theory that if one can control insulin levels then one can control how much fat the body will store from each and EVERY meal. Fat can only be stored when Insulin is present, and Insulin is only released when blood sugar levels become elevated. What raises blood sugar? Carbohydrate in foods will raise blood sugar if it is absorbed too rapidly. The types of foods which cause rapid absorption of sugar are all those with a high G.I index rating. The basics of the G.I index The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrate foods by assigning them a number ranging from 0 to 100. The number indicates the rate at which the food raises blood glucose levels during its absorption. The higher the value the quicker the sugar is absorbed. A high Glycemic index food has a value of 70 and above. A G.I value of 56-69 is considered medium and any foods lower than 55 are considered a low Glycemic index food. Foods with a low G.I are best as they digest more naturally and help provide a steady supply of energy over the course of several hours, it also makes us feel fuller for longer.

Is the G.I Diet simple? The diet sounds simple because foods are generally chosen from the low G.I food list, but it gets complicated when you create a meal made up of many different food items, each with a unique G.I value. The idea is to make sure most items which make up every meal have a low Glycemic index, thus the overall G.I of the meal stays within the low to medium range. Gaining complete nutrition There are some foods which have a high G.I rating but are considered a healthy nutritious food. In these cases healthy high G.I foods can be combined with low G.I foods to maintain low-medium G.I value, plus help create a complete nutritional intake. An example is baked potato (high G.I) topped with baked beans (low G.I). There are also low G.I foods which should be limited. Fresh meat and poultry contains no sugar so the G.I. will be very low, however, they do contain lots of fat and protein so the energy content will be high. Remember calories do still count!

One positive point about the G.I meal plan is it’s possible for dieters to enjoy the odd “treat” item once or twice each week, maybe an occasional dessert after a light dinner. As long as these “bad” items are NOT eaten alone it should not ruin the diet plan. Benefits of G.I. way of eating: 1. Enjoy tasty foods but limit storage of fat 2. Enjoy some favourite foods AND still lose fat 3. Increased energy level and wellbeing 4. Control of blood sugar 5. Less hunger feelings 6. Less craving for sugary foods 7. Less bloating feeling after meals 8. Ability to eat more food if desired 9. Less risk from diabetes and other diseases 10. No strict calorie reductions

About The Author
Wayne Mcgregor has written hundreds of articles on effective ways to lose weight. His website provides tons of free weight loss information and help, including lists of G.I foods.

Weight Loss During the Holidays

I don't know about you, but I find myself out of control trying to lose weight during the holidays. I am eating everything. This year, more than any year, we are getting all kinds of of sweets which does nothing for my weight loss efforts. Yesterday alone, we received five pounds of chocolate and a big box of cookies. Of course, I am eating everything!

So today, and three other days prior to Christmas, I am going to eat only protein shakes and salads to help me with my weight loss focus. I am not going to let the weight take over. By alternating days that I eat sweets, I believe this will allow me some amount of control over my weight loss endeavor.

Maybe in taking some control now, this will allow me to gain control later. I am also going to put alot of my holiday goodies in the fridge to enjoy them later this year!!!

Peace and know that you can take control. What you put in your mouth is the only thing in life that you do have control over!!!

Weight Loss and Eating Better Quality Food

I am reading this great book about the weight loss benefits of eating a diet rich in whole foods. I have always thought this is better for you because I know that the majority of our diets are too processed. Here is a little more information to swing you a little more to this way of thinking for weight loss and better health in general:

- whole foods have more natural, disease-fighting ingredients to keep us healthier
- whole foods force our bodies to work harder to break down food -- this activity keeps our digestive system at peak function, causes less insulin production (insulin production makes us fat) and forces our bodies to use more of the food rather than flushing it out
- whole foods have more vitamins and nutrients that satisfy you faster so you are not craving unhealthy food so much -- this is key to weight loss as many times we eat as our bodies are craving a nutrient it needs
- organic foods (particularly meat and diary) have fewer antibiotics for your body to become immune to plus, if the animals are plant-fed you are getting even more nutrients
- organic foods have fewer pesticides that cause illness and break down our bodily functions

When you eat better quality food (not sugar and white flour), your bodily systems work better helping you to feel fuller, crave food less and eliminate food more efficiently to keep your body in balance and help you lose weight.

Weight Loss and Great Tips - the last part!

Wait out those cravings
Right now, I am craving macaroni and cheese. Yikes. This will do nothing for my weight loss efforts. Use this plan when you are fighting a huge craving:
- immediately drink a glass of water (9 times out of 10, you are just thirsty) and then
- brush your teeth
You simply do not want to put food in your mouth after you have brushed your teeth. Everything tastes awful after tooth paste. This is a magificent weight loss tool!

If you can wait out a craving, you will typically stop thinking about that food and be back on your weight loss focus.


Manage your stress
Stress causes us to do lots of different things - lash out at the postman, eat a pile of chips or donuts! Keep to your weight loss plan by helping to manage your stress. Get a massage or manicure, watch stupid TV or read a book. Control your stress and manage your weight.


Recognize your small successes
Allow yourself a reward after you reach a small goal. Patting yourself on the back can be the best weight loss plan of all. You are doing a great job and you should recognize it. Don't be so hard on yourself. It is a lot of little successes that lead to the big ones.

Happy weight loss success!

Weight Loss and Some Great Tips - Part 2

The next couple of weight loss blog entries will have some fabulous tips to get you focused in the right direction.

Visualize Your Success
You have to see success first in your mind's eye before your brain can actually put in place ways in which you can achieve the behavior. See it, think it and do it. Make a conscious decision to do the correct behavior. It will be so much easier to accomplish after you have visualized making the right decisions.

Don't Allow Yourself To Get Too Hungry
You can not make good decisions when your brain is focused on the terrible hunger you are feeling. We tend to have one focus at a time.
- know when you are moderately hungry, then eat
- know when you are beginning to get ful, then stop
It is that simple. If you can master this behavior, you can control your eating for the rest of your life. It is not easy, though. You have to focus and make good decisions like a person who is control of their weight loss.

Happy weight loss!