What you want to do by following a GI Diet is to regulate your appetite and the level of sugar (actually glucose) in your blood. Effectively, the two go hand in hand because eating high GI foods produces a high blood sugar level, which leads to an overcompensation by your body’s insulin output, which leads to excessively low blood sugar and then hunger pangs. At this point you eat more, and the whole cycle is repeated. Each time some of the blood sugar is converted to fat and you put on weight.

The GI diet aims to break this cycle, so if you want to lose weight, be healthier, be less prone to diabetes, and so on - the risks of a high glycemic diet are well documented - follow at least some of these tips to help you on your GI program.

The real heart of the problem

You will need to find a replacement for high GI foods. This is similar to the problem that alcoholics face when they give up alcohol: they must find a food substitute for all the alcohol they used to consume.. For them, large quantities of sweet fizzy drinks are the answer.

You must regard yourself as addicted to high GI food (such as white flour, potatoes, rice, and derivatives of them) and look for alternatives.

You are not necessarily seeking a low carbohydrate diet and you will need to be eating oat products (such as porridge), whole wheat bread, and beans and pulses. You might increase your fat and meat consumption, if you want and that would be alright so long as it did not lead to other problems such as high cholesterol.

Dealing with change.

I used to be a smoker, and finally cracked after many attempts to quit when I hit upon the idea of repeating to myself (when temptation set in)

“I’d love a cigarette just now, but unfortunately I don’t smoke any more”.

It works for forbidden foods too.

Avoid this short cut.

A quick solution is to use sweeteners and whiteners, and to have low calorie drinks. This is a cop out. If you get used to unsweetened drinks its much more easy to refuse other sweetened foods. It takes a little while to achieve, but a slow and relentless reduction usually works over a few week. Tea is particularly difficult, so try changing to China Tea. Your teeth will benefit !

Cut out the after dinner nap.

You will feel less somnolent after meals anyway, on a low GI diet because high blood sugar levels make you drowsy, but it is important to resist the post-lunch nap. If you instantly resume your day’s activities the rise in your blood sugar will be curtailed. Take a rest mid-afternoon well after your meal, if you need to.

Eat between meals.

Low GI foods only - oatcakes, most fruit, some dried fruits, nuts etc.. Small amounts will make your blood sugar decline less, and you not be tempted to overcompensate at your next meal.

Thirst makes you hungry

The oft repeated entreaty to drinks gallons of water every day has been discredited as a health measure, but you must remember that being thirsty makes you feel hungry.

The cardinal rule is never to pick at food unless you’ve slaked your thirst beforehand - always drink something before you take any food. You will often find that thirst was your problem in the first place.

The same applied with more force to alcoholic drinks - drink water beforehand.

Food Presentation.

Starting with unfamiliar foods (remember you are changing the habits acquired over many many years) is easier if you improve the way you prepare them.

I personally find the traditional English salad (which is some whole tomatoes, and coarsely cut cucumber hidden in a bed of lettuce) very unpalatable and go to some lengths to make salads attractive and easy to eat.

Porridge is boring but its promoted for its GI characteristics. In pre GI days it could be made palatable with loads of milk and golden syrup, but now you should be considering spicing it up with finely chopped and sliced ginger, serving it with yogurt, adding whole grains and seeds such as courgette seeds.

the last rule of all

Whenever you give up START AGAIN. Practice makes perfect.

Get started on your GI Diet by visiting GI Diets for all, with recipes, tips and facts about the Glycemic Index.