Diets A-Z: The iVillage Gi plan: energise me now!

Our plan is all about losing those extra pounds, eating healthily and feeling great. Best of all, you'll regain your energy

The iVillage Gi plan It's always tempting to turn to chocolate for comfort. Yet the result is short-lived and turning to sugar or carb-loaded foods can leave you feeling worse in the long run. What you need is a diet plan that gives you energy, avoids sugar rushes and energy dips, and helps you beat the 3pm slump. What you need is a plan that follows the principles of low Gi eating.

Gi - what's it all about?
Gi is all about how the foods we eat impact on our blood sugar levels. You might be familiar with the sugar rush feeling you get when you eat chocolate. But once that ends, you may find yourself looking for another hit.

You feel that way because the glucose released into your blood stream is rapidly stored in fat cells by the action of the hormone insulin. The craving you feel is your body's way of trying to correct that dip in blood glucose levels.

How can you break the cycle?
The Glycaemic Index (Gi) is a way to rate carbohydrate foods to indicate how quickly they're broken down and the impact they have on our blood sugar levels. High Gi foods cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels, followed by an equally rapid drop as insulin does its job. Low Gi foods have a much more gradual effect, being broken down more slowly and avoiding the glucose roller-coaster. The great thing about lower Gi foods is that they're filling, satisfying and healthy.

This plan is about stabilising blood glucose and insulin levels, beating cravings, feeling full, losing weight - and having more energy.

Getting to know Gi
Glucose and white bread are used as the standard and they both have a Gi of 100. All other foods are then measured against these two.

Low Gi foods have a value of 55 or less
Medium Gi have values of 56 to 69
High Gi have a value of 70 or more

This plan will give you a mixture of these foods, with low Gi choices being given where possible. The good news is that having a low Gi food along with a high Gi treat will lower the overall Gi of that meal, making it easier for your body to cope. A diet of low Gi only foods could quickly become dull, so we've added some favourites in here to make things easier.

The Gi rules

Calories still count
Portion sizes given on this plan can be vague - for example, a handful of this, a spoonful of that. This is done deliberately for two reasons: to save you using the kitchen scales every time you want a bite to eat, and to give you control over how much you eat.

Eat slowly to allow your brain to register when you're full - and then stop. Leave the table feeling you could eat just a little bit more. Remember low Gi foods aren't 'free foods' - they still have calories.

Get your FREE Gi diet profile now

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Diets A-Z: The iVillage Gi plan: energise me now!