Does anyone do a low glycemic diet? My doctor is encouraging it, and I have family members who have done well on it, but I don't really want my mom and crazy aunt giving me advice on what to eat if you know what I mean....ain't nobody got time for that drama!! Any tips? Is it similar to low carb or South Beach?
I don't know that term, but two years ago, I got sick and tired of being fat and tired...and cut out sugar and flour....started walking around the block (albeit in tears) and lost 80 pounds in 11 months. I eat flour in small amounts now...oh how I love tortillas and an occasional sweet binge but it has stayed off! I walk 3 miles a day, do body pump now and love my energy and life so much!
Anne! That's so awesome! What an inspiring transformation! Love seeing your before and after pictures I've been low glycemic for many years. I started watching my sugar when I started having unexplained hypoglycemia issues. (which I know now have been caused all this time by a leaky gut and candida infection that I'm currently fighting) Low-glycemic is similar to low-carb and South Beach in the sense that the focus is on carbs - reducing them and choosing the right ones. Eating "low-glycemic" means eating foods that are low on the glycemic index which is a tool that tells you how fast the sugars from a particular food are absorbed into the blood. When sugar is absorbed quickly, it's not healthy. Your insulin spikes (and btw insulin is a fat-promoting hormone so you definitely don't want that if you're trying to lose weight!) All your hormones are adversely affected, your cholesterol is affected, and so many bad things happen. Not to sound overly dramatic but there's a lot of research coming out that is showing that sugar is basically the root of all disease lol And the problem is that people tend to think of "sugar" as that granular white stuff you sprinkle in your coffee but you can get into a lot of trouble with even healthy things like fruits and certain starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. They may be healthy in that they contain vitamins and minerals, but when they are eaten they are broken down into sugar in your system and are very high glycemic. They will send you on a blood sugar roller coaster just the same as a candy bar would. But back to your original question . . here are some tips! #1 most important thing in my opinion: Whenever you eat a carb, and especially if it's a bad one, always eat another food with it that is a fat or a protein. This is crucial to controlling blood sugar! Fats and proteins help to slow down how fast the sugar is absorbed. So for example, if you're going to eat an apple, have some peanut butter with it. If you're going to have a handful of pretzels, mix in a handful of nuts. Never, ever, ever eat anything sweet alone on an empty stomach. As for choosing the right carbs . . . . Fruit should be eaten in moderation. I've found berries are the safest. I also eat sour green apples and hard, unripened pears (something about when they're ripe makes them sweeter) I've heard peaches and cantaloupes are ok too. Whatever you do avoid bananas, dates, figs, grapes, mangoes, dried fruits, etc. Legumes are good, slow-burning carbs. Quinoa is another good one. Everyone is different but for me I've found that I can eat butternut squash, frozen green peas and raw carrots in moderation with no problems (they aren't the lowest on the glycemic index but still not bad) Definitely avoid potatoes, corn, anything "white" like white bread, pasta, etc. Stuff like whole grains, brown rice, etc. are ok in moderation I think, but they are still starchy so depending on whatever your particular health situation is you might want to consider dropping them too, even if just for a few weeks to "detox". (I went grain-free for all of 2013 and it felt great! Not as hard as you would think) Hope that helps! Good luck on your journey! Feel free to PM me anytime if you have more specific questions. I didn't want to write a novel here to bore everyone lol
Thanks so much for your tips! Do you have an app or website that you use that is especially helpful in determining what foods are high and low on the glycemic index?
The book I used to use to check values was called the "Glucose Revolution" - I think this is the current version of it: http://www.amazon.ca/Shoppers-Guide...qid=1389055009&sr=8-1&keywords=glycemic+index I never used any websites or apps, sorry I started eating this way before apps existed so I'm out of the loop lol!
Hi All, I second everything Michelle wrote (WOW) and wanted to add that the "Dreamfields" brand of pasta is designed for people who need to keep their sugars down (my nutritionist recommended it). I ate it for a treat when I had gestational diabetes (twice) and we continue to enjoy it as a family. I cannot taste a bit of difference between Dreamfields and "real" brands of pasta. It's packaged in black boxes so you can find it easily in the pasta aisle. The only other tip I will offer is to stay on the outside of the aisles at the supermarket. All the dangerous stuff in within those aisles. On the outside edges of the market, you'll find the produce, meats, seafood, etc. If you must venture into the bread section, Pepperidge Farms makes a CarbStyle bread that my nutritionist also recommended. It's much lower than other breads and tastes delicious. Good luck! Hope you have the same results as Anne (another WOW).
Liana Thanks! Those are great tips! As I'm learning and trying things, I'm finding that consistency is the key. When I'm consistent, I have better results. Appreciate your ideas! Sarah
http://cleananddelicious.com/ is a fantastic website. She is mostly about eating clean, but will occasionally do vegetarian or gluten free. She even has information on there about preparing, picking out foods - I learned how to pick out and open an avocado!! 2 recipes I make all the time b/c they are so quick and filling (she talks about the glycemic index with both of them in fact) are : 1. brown rice quessadilla - heat up a whole wheat tortilla, flip it. Add some cheese (she gives the measurements, but I make this so much, I just eyeball it), brown rice, broccoli, garlic powder and salt and then a little bit more cheese. Fold over tortilla and smoosh down. Flip over for about 20 seconds. I eat one of these over about 2 cups of spinach....YUMMM and filling 2. Brown rice - 1 cup, add 1 cup black beans (strained & rinsed). 2 tsp of coconut oil. 1/2 an avocado and 1/2 tomato....you get 1/2 the serving - YUMMM and again fast, delicious and super easy another thing I make all the time is chicken and kale soup. Since seeing the recipes on her website I've been eating kale or spinach every day and have noticed all my gas issues are GONE! I make it a little different each time, but it is always really good, filling and easy. *olive oil - about 1 tbsp - sautee 1 - 3 lbs of chicken breast (while sautee - sprinkle kosher salt and tastefully simple season salts on top) I cut up the pieces pretty sure. Once all the liquid/ oil is gone and chicken is cooked I add in 2 boxes of chicken broth or stock low sodium along with 3 -4 beef boillon cubes. after it boils I add in one cut up yellow onion and a couple of chopped carrots. Also any other veggie you want - i've put in cauliflower, broccoli, sweet peas, bring it to a boil and add a can of diced tomatoes, tomatoe paste and either tomatoe soup or sauce (one can). After that boils I throw in about 4 cups of kale (i've also put in small cubed potatoes to keep my husband happy). I let that cook at a simmer for about 2 hours.
Um, it may be a big change for you, as implementing a LG diet, or any restrictive/elimination plan at first means more prep steps when meal planning, cooking. If you can, budget extra time for prep and planning or try to find a quick and easy recipe you like first for when you are pressed for time or tired, and make sure you have enough supplies to make that meal several times. Find a short-term reward and tape a picture of it somewhere eye-level - your pantry, fridge, monitor - and get it for you when you follow the plan for your short-term period. Then get another. Change is hard, whatever you can to make it easier... you can do this!
I had to stop wheat last Jan and Pinterest lead me to many great websites/blogs with recipes that fit my new eating needs. I bet if you search there you will find some for Glycemic Index too! Good luck! The other tip I'd give is to avoid packaged foods and go for more clean eating - real food. I believe in doing so, I've gained tons more energy and health. Also, it gets much easier as the weeks go by. You'll be feeling like a pro in no time!
