Glycemic Index Diet For Dummies

Meri Raffetto, RD, is the founder and developer of Real Living Nutrition Services, providing online weight loss programs to empower people to make small changes to achieve lasting results. Meri specializes in weight management and heart disease prevention and is a member of the American Dietetic Association.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Conventions Used in This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 2What You’re Not to Read 3How This Book Is Organized 3Part I: Exploring the Glycemic Index as a Weight-Loss Tool 3Part II: Switching to a Low-Glycemic Diet 3Part III: Overcoming Challenges and Obstacles 4Part IV: Cooking and Eating the Low-Glycemic Way 4Part V: Improving Your Overall Lifestyle 4Part VI: The Part of Tens 5Part VII: Appendixes 5Icons Used in This Book 5Where to Go from Here 6Part I: Exploring the Glycemic Index as a Weight-Loss Tool 7Chapter 1: Introducing the Glycemic Index and How to Use It to Lose Weight 9Getting to Know the Glycemic Index 9Measuring the glycemic index 10Introducing the glycemic load 11How Does the Glycemic Index Work for Weight Loss? 13Getting the 411 on blood sugar 13Understanding the role of carbohydrates 14Seeing how insulin plays a part 16Putting it all together 16Moving beyond Traditional Diet Plans 17Embracing lifestyle change and abandoning the temporary diet 17Tossing strict rules out the window 18Planning, cooking, and enjoying healthy meals 19Making exercise a part of your life 19Looking at Other Benefits of a Low-Glycemic Diet 20Better blood sugar and insulin control 20Disease prevention 21Increased energy 22Improved mood 23Chapter 2: All Carbs Aren’t Created Equal 25Distinguishing Friendly Carbs from Foes 25Measuring a Food’s Glycemic Index 26Comparing foods to pure sugar with human help 27Keeping a couple limitations in mind 29Defining Low-, Medium-, and High-Glycemic Foods 30Seeing How Fiber Fits into the Mix 31Fiber and blood sugar control 32Low-glycemic/high-fiber, a winning combination 33Chapter 3: Why and How a Low-Glycemic Diet Works for Weight Loss 37Regulating Insulin and Blood Glucose 37Keeping blood glucose levels down 39Controlling food cravings 40Keeping food addictions at bay 41Suppressing Your Appetite Naturally 43Feeling fuller with fiber 43Bumping up your fullness hormones with low-glycemic foods 43Combining Low-Glycemic Foods with Calorie Awareness 44Understanding why calories still count 44Knowing that low-glycemic doesn’t always mean low-calorie 46Keeping portion sizes under control 46Eating More of the Right Foods to Lose More Weight 47Choosing lots of fruits and vegetables 47Including healthy fats and protein 48Chapter 4: Taking Portion Size into Account with the Glycemic Load 51Going from the Glycemic Index to the Glycemic Load 51Calculating Glycemic Load 53Doing the math 53Figuring out what the numbers mean 54Factoring in portion sizes 54Embracing High-GI/Low-GL Foods 56Checking Out How Glycemic Load Varies among Popular Foods 58Chapter 5: Determining How Going Low-Glycemic Can Work for You 61Considering Your Weight-Loss Goals 61Defining healthy weight loss 62Taking a Close Look at Your Dieting History 63Evaluating types of diets you’ve tried 64Rethinking restrictive dieting 66Putting a stop to yo-yo dieting 67Asking yourself the right questions 67Reviewing the pros and cons of different approaches to weight loss 68Do You Have Insulin Resistance? 69Health conditions related to insulin resistance 70Characteristics of insulin resistance 71How a low-glycemic lifestyle can help 72Considering a Low-Glycemic Diet if You Have Kids or Are Pregnant 72Helping kids have a healthy relationship with food 73Managing weight and blood sugar while pregnant 74Part II: Switching to a Low-Glycemic Diet 77Chapter 6: Preparing Yourself for a Successful Weight-Loss Program 79Getting and Staying in the Right Mindset 79Creating your vision 80Turning your vision into an affirmation 82Using positive language 82Setting Goals You Can Actually Achieve 83Being realistic 83Making your goals practical 84Choosing “want to” rather than “have to” goals 84Strengthening your goals 84Focusing Your Choices with a Food Journal 85What to Expect When Starting Your Journey 86A shift in priorities 87An adventure with new foods 88New habits 88Feeling out of your comfort zone at first 89Chapter 7: Raising the Bar on Your Metabolism 91Understanding Basal Metabolic Rate 91Measuring your metabolic rate 92Using your metabolic rate as a weight-loss tool 93Looking at metabolism influences that are largely out of your control 94Simple Strategies for Increasing Your Metabolic Rate 95Building lean muscle mass 95Getting your heart rate up 97Sprinkling in small activities 98Eating low-glycemic resistant starches 99Avoiding Behaviors That Lower Your Metabolic Rate 100Skipping meals 100Eating too few calories 101Chapter 8: Presenting Foolproof Healthy-Eating Strategies 103Tips for Choosing Low-Glycemic Foods 104Get acquainted with the glycemic index list 104Pay attention to portion sizes 104Keep the glycemic load of your meal at or under 25 106Changing the Balance of Your Meals 107Understanding different nutrients’ roles and the benefits of balance 108Using the “tapas” method for meal planning 109Putting it all together with sample menus 112Finding Moderation with Medium- and High-Glycemic Foods 114Defining moderation 115Balancing your glycemic load for the day 115Chapter 9: Navigating the Grocery Store 117Being a Savvy Low-Glycemic Shopper 117Planning meals to create your grocery list 118Knowing the best aisles to visit 120Comparing fresh, frozen, and canned produce 122Checking ripeness 123Reading Nutrition Facts Labels 124Examining the nutrition facts label 124Using the ingredients list 126Stocking Up for Success 127Pantry basics 128Freezer-friendly favorites 129Weekly refrigerator staples 129Part III: Overcoming Challenges and Obstacles 133Chapter 10; Guidelines for Dining Out 135Choosing Wisely 136Basing your choices on how often you eat out 136Requesting low-glycemic substitutions 137Watching your portion sizes 138Picking Low-Glycemic-Friendly Restaurants 142Presenting the Best Low-Glycemic Food Choices for… 143American restaurants 143Chinese restaurants 144Fast-food restaurants 144Italian restaurants 145Japanese restaurants 146Mexican restaurants 148Middle Eastern/Greek restaurants 149Thai restaurants 150Chapter 11: Navigating Special Occasions 151Overcoming the Challenges Posed by Vacations, Holidays, and Parties 151Avoiding the all-or-nothing mentality 152Discovering moderation with high- glycemic, special-occasion foods 154Creating balance for the day 155Finding the Meal Items That Work for You 157Being prepared for almost anything 157Volunteering to bring a low-glycemic side dish 158Presenting the Best Low-Glycemic Food Picks for Special Occasions 159Holidays 159Vacations 161Parties 161Chapter 12: Dealing with Weight-Loss Pit falls 163Coping with Food Cravings 163Low-glycemic foods to the rescue 165Timing is everything 166Strategies for Defeating Emotional Eating 166Discover your triggers 167Find new healthy behaviors 168Become a mindful eater 170Breaking Through Weight-Loss Plateaus 171Evaluating your weight-loss goals 172Tracking consistency 174Switching up your exercise routine 176Chapter 13: Finding a Support System 179Knowing When to Seek Help from a Professional 179When you have a challenging health condition 180When you’re having trouble making changes 181When you need accountability and support 181Enlisting the Right Friends and Family Members 182Knowing which friends to involve 182Avoiding saboteurs 182Creating your own support group 184Surfing the Web for Information, Motivation, and Support 184Exploring educational websites 184Getting involved with group forums and message boards 185Approaching the web with caution 186Attending Glycemic Index Programs 187Group classes 187Professional conferences 188Part IV: Cooking and Eating the Low-Glycemic Way 189Chapter 14: Getting Back into the Kitchen 191Checking Out How Whole Foods and Convenience Foods Stack Up 191Taking a closer look at convenience foods 192Creating more control in your daily glycemic load 193Finding the best convenience foods when needed 194Making Whole-Foods Cooking Easy 195Getting back to the basics 196Prepping made easy 197Using flavor combinations to add more pizzazz to your meals 198Showing some easy throw together meals 200Chapter 15: Low-Glycemic Cooking Tips and Techniques 203Evaluating and Modifying Your Favorite Recipes 204Recipe modification tips 204Recipe makeover examples 205Cooking Grains and Pastas 208Presenting your whole grain cooking guide 208Exploring low-glycemic pastas 209Livening up your grains and pastas 211Experimenting with Vegetables 211Preparing low-glycemic vegetables 212Boiling versus other cooking methods 212Introducing Beans, the Truly Magical Fruit 212Pointing out what you should know about canned beans versus dried 213Preparing and cooking both kinds of beans 214Chapter 16: Breakfast Recipes to Star t Your Day Off Right 217Understanding Why Breakfast Is So Important 218Reviewing the health benefits of breakfast 218Feeling fuller for longer with the right balance at breakfast 219Going on the Run with Grab-and-Go Starters 220Chowing Down on Cereals 220Getting a Quick Start with Smoothies 223Preparing Ahead for a Week’s Worth of Fast Breakfast Choices 227Cooking Eggs for Breakfast When You Have More Time 231Chapter 17: Luscious Yet Easy Lunches 237Preparing Healthy Lunches for the Week Ahead 238Sensational chicken and tuna salads 239Tasty timesaving casseroles 243Making Lower-Glycemic Lunches on a Weekday-to-Weekday Basis 248Powerhouse salad entrees 248Speedy south-of-the-border options 252Chapter 18: Delicious Dinner Recipes 257Purely Delectable Poultry Recipes 257Beef, the Low-Glycemic Way 263Fabulous Seafood Recipes 267Vegetarian Variations 273Chapter 19: Healthy (And Yummy) Snacks and Desser t s 277Introducing Snacking Saboteurs 278The negative effect of mindless grazing 278The problem with waiting too long to eat 279Planning Out Healthy Snacks: A Top Weight-Loss Strategy 280Making Low-Glycemic Snacks at Home: Recipes for Success 282Choosing and Preparing Lower-Glycemic Treats and Desserts 286Part V: Improving Your Overall Lifestyle 291Chapter 20: From Goals to Habits: Making True Lifest yle Changes 293Making Lifestyle Changes Rather Than Going on a Diet 293Knowing the difference between lifestyle changes and dieting 294Focusing on what you can eat, not what you can’t 295Understanding the downfalls of being on and off a diet plan 296Strategies for Stepping into Change 297Committing to a new approach 297Looking for the positives 298Dealing with setbacks 299Making Change a Family Affair 302Talking with your spouse 302Developing healthy habits for your kids 303Transitioning your family to a low-glycemic lifestyle 304Chapter 21: Incorporating Exercise into Your Life 307Exploring the Many Benefits of Exercise 308Your natural body shape — revealed 308Increased energy 308An improved mood 310A lower risk of developing chronic diseases 310Better bone health 311Reduced stress 312Creating an Exercise Plan You Can Stick With 312Dealing with exercise resistance 313Finding what you enjoy 314Starting with small steps 315Making exercise a priority 316Including cardio and strength training 318Fueling Your Exercise Routine with a Low-Glycemic Diet 319Chapter 22: Not Just for Weight Loss: Battling Disease 323Managing Existing Health Problems 323Colon cancer 324Diabetes 325Polycystic ovary syndrome 326Hypothyroidism 327Heart disease 328Metabolic syndrome 329Hypoglycemia 330Wellness and Disease Prevention 331Lowering your risk of chronic diseases 332Fighting free radicals with antioxidants 333Factoring in phytonutrients 335Part VI: The Part of Tens 339Chapter 23; Ten My ths about the Glycemic Index. 341Carrots Are Pure Sugar 341Watermelon Is Bad for You 342You Can Never Eat a Potato 342You Should Never Eat High-Glycemic Foods 342High-Glycemic Foods Will Make You Gain Weight 343You Can Eat as Many Low-Glycemic Foods as You Want and Lose Weight 343High-Glycemic Foods Cause Type 2 Diabetes 344Low-Glycemic Foods Are Always Nutritious 344All High-Glycemic Foods Have Little or No Nutritional Value 344Low-Glycemic Foods All Have Low Calories 345Chapter 24; Ten Real-Life Strategies to Lighten Your Daily Glycemic Load 347Eat Rice Wisely 347Switch Added Sugar on Cereals with Low-Glycemic Fruit 348Add Veggies to Everything 348Find the Best Breads 349Swap Out Starchy Foods for More Beans and Lentils 349Ditch the High-Glycemic Breakfast 350Decrease the Sugar in Your Baking 350Go for the Mini Sizes 350Cook Your Pasta al Dente 351Add a Little Vinegar 351Part VII: Appendixes 353Appendix A: The Glycemic Load and Common Foods: An At-a-Glance Guide 355Bakery Treats 355Beverages 356Breads and Snacks 357Breakfast Items 358Dairy Products 359Fruits 360Grains 361Legumes 362Meat Products 363Sweeteners and Candy 364Vegetables 364Appendix B: Metric Conversion Guide 367Index 371