How To Get Started On The Low GI Diet Plan
If you are presently on a healthy eating plan, you might be doing all sorts of things humanly possible to avoid eating carbohydrates. Everybody close to you is also telling you that carbs can utterly mess up your diet. The reality is carbs are not made similar. If you have some common understanding on dieting, you would have probably heard about high and low glycemic index. If you want carbs in your diet then the low GI diet plan is for you.
What on earth is the Glycemic Index?
The Glycemic Index (GI) is an index which measures the ingestion rate of carbs in your body system. And why is glucose important? Our body uses glucose to power its daily vital functions. Without having glucose your body will not be able to function optimally.
Learning what is High GI
Ever heard of the term ‘Sugar Rush’? It is when you get all hyper and full of energy from consuming foods high in sugar but it makes you feel rather spent immediately after Eat too much food with high GI and you will experience this. This is one energy source that does not last very long.
High GI foods:
a) Hamburger buns
b) Doritos
c) Jelly beans
d) Wafer biscuits
e) Cornflakes
How Low GI carbs have an affect on you
Boring but healthy. You won’t be getting a ‘sugar rush’ from foods that are low GI. This leads to a sustainable and good energy source. Try to include more fruits, vegetables and legumes in your diet.
Some examples of low GI foods:
a) Low fat yogurt
b) Whole grain bread
c) Cherries
d) Carrots
e) Broccoli
So now that we have armed ourselves with all this knowledge, how do we go about fitting this easy glycemic index diet that helps with weight loss?
1. A Good Breakfast Is Key
Many people fail to realize that what you eat for breakfast is very vital. Don’t go stuffing your plate with high GI food. You will feel the effects of a sugar rush which will make you lethargic. Make sure you eat good low GI carbs to kickstart your breakfast.
2. Learn To Eat Smaller Meals
Splitting up your 3 main meals into 5-6 smaller ones go a long way when it comes to managing blood sugar levels. If you are a working professional, trying to eat 5-6 times during office hours can be frustrating. You can prepare your meals the night before and bring it to work. One good thing is that you won’t get really drowsy after lunch.
3. Include more Nuts, Beans And Greens In Your Diet
Do not exclude the above food types from your diet. These foods are low GI and have numerous other important properties.
4. Do An Anti-Snack Check
Time to say goodbye to your chocolate bars, candies, and whatever else that gives you the tingle when you imagine yourself eating it. Don’t stray from a low GI diet plan and soon it will be second nature to reach for a healthy snack.
5. Paste the Glycemic Index Chart Someplace Noticeable
This does not mean stick it and abandon it. Having a list close by allows you to quickly compare the GI between foods or deciding what to fill your grocery bags with.
Advantages Of a Low GI Diet Plan
Are there any benefits from stuffing ourselves with oats and greens? A low GI diet can bring you quite a few health benefits.
a) Lose and manage weight
b) Reduced chance of getting heart diseases
c) Lower cholesterol levels
d) Regulates your hunger pangs and keeps you full longer
e) Diabetes management
You don’t need to be an expert dietitian or nutritionist to begin on the low GI diet plan. One difficulty which you might have to deal with is carb selection for your meals. I have to admit that trying to distinguish good from bad carbs can get challenging. Cooking at home was easy. Crunch time came when I had the cafe menu in my hands. Everything unhealthy seemed so good. But I knew I had to stick to my guns and go with the healthy low GI food
As much as I agree with the low GI diet plan, eating low GI food can get gloomy after awhile. Having to sacrifice all the yummy food is something I’m not doing anything soon. But moderation and some discipline is needed to keep your blood sugar in check.
As a qualified dietitian and also a nutritionist, Kelly Kims enjoys sharing her passion for nutrition and healthy eating beyond her career as a clinical dietitian. In addition to her focus on nutritional intervention for disease management, she is a strong advocate of healthy home cooking and enjoys sharing her self-created diet recipes with her patients, clients, family and friends. Besides counselling patients for better health, she works closely with athletes to help them improve their performance through proper sports nutrition. In her own time, she regularly posts articles about healthy diets on her website which she is also a co-owner of.
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