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 ö 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 +treatÐ item once or twice each week, maybe an occasional
dessert after a light dinner. As long as these +badÐ 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
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.
http://www.weightlossforall.com/glyemic-list-breadcereals.html
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