GI Diet - opinions

[Samantha_84]

If there is anyone out there on the GI plan can you let me know your opinion and if it worked for you??

It's something i've been looking into and today I ordered a GI book to find out a bit more about it. I'm looking to stablise my blood sugars and lose 3 stone of weight. I have amended my eating habits but i'm still getting spikes with my blood sugar readings and i'm not losing any weight so i'm going wrong somewhere. I do 4 workout sessions a week at the gym also but it's not helping. So i'm hoping the GI process can help my blood sugar and weight.

So any and all opinions, experiences or whatever else you have to say on the matter of GI would be greatly appreciated!

 

[jaykay]

How long have you been doing the diet. I found when I started low carbing and exercising it took a couple of weeks for anything to start shifting. Also low G.I. doesn't seem to work for me. Anything that is marked low GI but still high carbs still bumps up my bg unless I have the smallest portion. For example, works for stuff like wholemeal basmati rice, as long as I keep it to under 1oz.

 

[Samantha_84]

I actually haven't started it yet . I'm waiting on my book arriving to tell me what to do.

Although I have started cutting out the carbs and not eating as much bread and definitely not eating any white bread :evil:. I'll have to keep a careful eye on the carbs that are in the low GI foods then!

 

[cugila]

I lost 5 1/2 stone using the Gi diet - however I find it much more effective when coupled with the Glycaemic Load. Small portion sizes allow me to eat many of the things denied to me when I first used a Low Carb diet. I still eat reduced carbs - between 60-80g per day. Suits me well and has allowed my Bg levels to be 98% on target. I eat a certain amount of fats but nothing like a dedicated low carber would. My choice and it works for me. I am never hungry eating only 2 main meals and hardly ever snack over the day.

It requires commitment and willpower to stick to it. Something I have always had. It also helps if you can do about 1/2 hrs exercise each day. The weight comes off, bg levels drop and blood pressure remains low.

I can thoroughly recommend it. .

 

[Sid Bonkers]

It worked for me Samantha and is still working, I lost 4 stone and stopped using insulin. I have not had an HbA1c out of the 5%'s since starting it.


I do control the portion sizes of my meals as well, one or two tablespoons full of basmati rice instead of the plateful I used to eat pre DX. I just eat less of everything and choose low GI where ever possible.

As JayKay said anyone who thinks they can choose low GI foods and eat loads is never going to loose weight, or control their diabetes, it really is all about portion control.

The single most important thing I did to help myself was to start using smaller plates

 

[Samantha_84]

Well my book has arrived! Going to sit down tonight and disect it, page by page! It's wonderful to hear the success stories and the weight loss, makes me more determined to stick at it .

As JayKay said anyone who thinks they can choose low GI foods and eat loads is never going to loose weight, or control their diabetes, it really is all about portion control.

The single most important thing I did to help myself was to start using smaller plates

Now this is where I might have a problem......i'm literally a bit addicted to food, so if I find something that I can eat I go way overboard and eat huge portions. I will need to be strict and use a smaller plate.

Thanks.

 

[noblehead]

Good luck with the book Samantha! Much like the others who have responded, I use the gi method to help control my diabetes, and although my weight has stalled for the time being, I did lose 16lbs since adopting this approach together with a moderate carb consumption of 120g a day. I'm due for another check-up at my clinic next week, so am hoping for a small reduction in my a1c as a reward for my endeavours.

Portion control is hard at first, but in time the body does adapt, the good thing about a low-gi diet is that the foods release there energy more slowly, so this tends to keep you fuller longer as opposed to a high-gi diet which leaves you hungry 2-3 hours after eating. Best wishes!

Nigel.

 

[robertconroy]

Samantha, I lost 51 lbs. so far using the low GI method and it's the best i've found. The GI number of a food is a good relative reference, but the glycemic load is more realistic as the GI represents 50 grams of a food that may not be a realistic portion. The glycemic load is more a realistic portion. Take fruit for example, the glycemic index might look moderate but in reality the amount you might acually eat might have little effect on your blood sugar. Most fruits are surprisingly low, long as you don't eat too much. The cool thing you will learn is foods like wine, nuts, etc. will not spike your blood sugar. You can actually lower your blood sugar by eating foods like wine, vinegar and oil salad dressing, grapefruit, lemon juice, etc. If you eat a salad with vinegar and oil dressing before your meal, this can lower the glycemic load for the whole meal by 1/3. This is huge for your gycemic control! When i get too high, I just go out and eat a greek salad and this plummets my blood sugar reading. Try cinnamon and tea. Cinnamon increases glucose metabolism 20 times and tea 15 times.

 

[carty]

I have been reading this thread with interest but is anyone using this diet whilst trying to put on weight ?.I need to put on another half a stone but at the same time keep my bgs under control I dont think small portions is going to work for me .Any ideas gratefully recieved
CAROL

 

[cugila]

Carol.
Have you tried upping the calories. One member I know did just that to increase her weight for a while.......then managed to maintain it using GI/GL methods.

I have also noticed that a person who is a staunch low carber seems to have great difficulty in losing weight......I sometimes wonder if it is the high fat consumption that is to blame although I must admit it seems improbable ? :?

 

[carty]

Thanks Ken
Yes I am stuffing myself with calories that are not high in carbs cheese butter cream ,full fat every thing :!: The weight is going on very slowly I am taking a product called C alogen as prescribeed by GP on advice of dietician and have almost reached 7 stone but I am still like a stick insect with wrinkles
CAROL

 

[jaykay]

I'm always a bit dithery about this high fat stuff but have to say that decades of a low fat diet did nothing for my weight!Since low(ish) carbing I have lost loads. The only 'high' fat I eat on purpose is double cream on fruit ( as a treat ) and mayonnaise or olive oil on my salads and coconut milk . Never have liked fat on meat or such. On this diet, I have been losing 2 or 3 lbs a week since May and continue to do so, so like the best advice, will not fix what 'aint' broke!

 

[cugila]

Thanks Ken
Yes I am stuffing myself with calories that are not high in carbs cheese butter cream ,full fat every thing :!: The weight is going on very slowly I am taking a product called C alogen as prescribeed by GP on advice of dietician and have almost reached 7 stone but I am still like a stick insect with wrinkles
CAROL

Carol.
Stick insect with wrinkles.......... :shock: OMG.

The picture I had of you is much more complimentary........ :wink:

 

[hanadr]

GI alone, takes no account of portion size, so may not work. As already said GL is more helpful.
It didn't for me, but using GI tables has made low carbing easier.
Hana

 

[cugila]

I'm always a bit dithery about this high fat stuff but have to say that decades of a low fat diet did nothing for my weight!Since low(ish) carbing I have lost loads. The only 'high' fat I eat on purpose is double cream on fruit ( as a treat ) and mayonnaise or olive oil on my salads and coconut milk . Never have liked fat on meat or such. On this diet, I have been losing 2 or 3 lbs a week since May and continue to do so, so like the best advice, will not fix what 'aint' broke!

Me too.......the 'healthy' low fat diet did nothing for me either. It was only when I coupled it with a reduction of carbs and proper portion control (GI/GL) that I finally lost over 5 1/2 stone.

I love single cream in my coffee at times and always have strong full fat Cheddar Cheese. One of my indulgences, but not too much as too much fat does NOT agree with me.

 

[robertconroy]

Actually, most studies I've read say if you substitute high fat for high carbs, you'll actually lose weight. Cream Cheese is the highest saturated fat animal food after butter. When you eat high fat, you are lowering your insulin levels which can make you lose weight like crazy. Fat calories are very high, so how does this work? Insulin is the fat storage hormone. When it's high, all the carbs. you eat are stored as fat rather than burned, within two hours. So to raise your insulin all you have to do is eat a few high glycemic foods and bingo - you gain weight, but this can raise your blood sugar too. Dairy, especially yogurt, causes an insulin response without raising your blood sugar much. Any farmer will tell you to put weight on an animal all you have to do is put it in a pen and feed it grains.

 

[bowell]

More news

Fatty foods might trigger type 2 diabetes by mimicking the inflammation normally caused by bacteria, viruses and harmful substances such as asbestos.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20369-junk-food-inflammation-may-trigger-diabetes.html

 

[carty]

Hi robert
You have caused me deep depression I am a very skinny type 2 eating double cream ,butter full fat yoghurt ,cream cheese and any other high fat low carb food that I can find and now you say I may be causing myself to lose weight HELP.
CAROL

 

[cugila]

Carol.
If it is working well for you then TBH I would continue with what you are doing........

 

[Patch]

I agree with Ken. (Wait - WHAT?!? :wink: )

If you are concerned about losing (more) weight, then you should do the opposite of what is advocated on The Atkins Diet.

While in the weight loss phases of Atkins, you're encouraged to find your CCLL (Critical Carboydrate Level (for weight) Loss).

Sounds like you need to find that threshold, and exceed that value in order to stop losing weight.

This won't be easy, as you'll need to balance your BG levels, and your weight gain. You might (MIGHT) want to run your BG a timy bit higher for the purposes of weight gain...