The Glycemic Impact Diet Plan Encourages You to Eat Low GI Foods

The Glycemic Impact Diet™  is based on the Glycemic Index (GI). You can learn more about using the Glycemic Index for Weight from Lucy Beale's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Glycemic Index Weight Loss and by reading the Glycemic Index section of our site. eDiets has introduced their version of the GI diet in their popular on-line format.

What Is the Glycemic Index Diet?

The Glycemic Impact Diet™ (GI Diet) is a healthy nutrition plan you can easily follow for life. It balances unrefined complex carbohydrates with lean protein and healthy fat to help you stabilize blood sugars and increase energy while losing weight. Feel fuller longer and avoid those nasty sugar "highs" and "lows."Diets based on GI index encourage you to eat foods with a low GI value and avoid those with a high GI value.

Understanding the Glycemic Index Better

The GI shows how carbohydrates are absorbed, and how they affect blood sugar. It turns out that some foods made from simple sugars actually raise blood sugar more slowly than some complex carbohydrates. One way to categorize foods by how rapidly they increase blood glucose levels, causing insulin to be released. This can be a useful tool in evaluating foods, especially for people who have insulin resistance. Low Glycemic Index foods are considered healthier because the energy released is slow and does not stimulate a quick release of insulin that stresses the body. However, foods are not usually eaten by themselves; they are eaten along with other foods, which affect how quickly that food is digested. Therefore, the GI diet takes into effect other food sources, so that High GI foods can be included.

Foods You Can Eat

All meal plans on the Glycemic Impact Diet come from the following principles: Approximately 40% of calories are from unrefined, complex carbohydrates, including whole grains and whole grain breads and cereals, and whole pieces of fruit instead of juice. About 30% of calories are from lean protein (fish, chicken and the occasional beef and pork) with vegetarian options that include soy protein, tofu, and textured vegetable protein. About 30% of calories are from healthy fats, including nuts, fatty fish, avocado, and olive oil.

Foods You Can't Eat

Simple sugars like candy, cookies, and cake are significantly reduced.

Support

The GI Diet is self directed, with no outside structure or support. However, eDiets now offers assistance with numerous food plans and also provides weekly meal plans, a virtual fitness trainer, member chat rooms, online support and counseling from Registered Dietitians and Registered Dietetic Technicians, and 24/7 access to nutrition, exercise and motivational information.

Exercise Recommendations

No special exercise regimen is required, although with any eDiets program you can create a personal fitness profile, select which days of the week you want to work out, and identify your access to exercise equipment.  What you get: a day-by-day workout program with a cardio component and 10 to 12 toning moves.

Our Conclusion: The Glycemic Impact Diet is an excellent diet that considers the insulin impact of different foods.