any help?

[tenney73]

I am doing maintenance on ll at the moment and have been toying with the idea of following the GI diet afterwards as it sounds really sensible. The only thing is alot of the Gi recipes I have found have told me they are low Gi but not given any indication to the calories of that meal. Do I still need to take calories into account or is it just enough that I know it's a low Gi meal. I'm sorry if I sound thick but I just don't want to end up back at square one with my weight. Has anyone done LL and then maintenance and found a way of healthy eating without putting the weight back on?

 

[Karen]

gosh ive no idea but i follow high protein and still calorie count as well. no harm in just checking the packets of ingredients as u make each recipe. xxx

 

[KD]

The only thing is alot of the Gi recipes I have found have told me they are low Gi but not given any indication to the calories of that meal. Do I still need to take calories into account or is it just enough that I know it's a low Gi meal

I think this depends on what sort of food issues you may still have. Following a low GI plan will help keep you full for longer, and with most people that would mean they picked less. So do you only eat because you are hungry, or do you eat because the food is there? If it’s the 2nd, then personally I would calorie count too…at least until I felt confident that all was well.

It is a great way to go if you can follow it, but I found it too complicated for my little brain. It’s not just a case of eating low GI foods. Some foods that are low GI still shouldn’t be eaten in great quantities as they can be full of unhealthy fats, so you could end up eating a low GI diet that was totally void of essential vits and minerals.

Likewise, the are some high GI foods that are healthy and it’s a shame to avoid them for the rest of your life.

Also the GI value can change depending on how you cook it or even on how ripe fruits are etc You also need to take into account that if you eat a mixture of items in a meal, it can change the GI value.

I think most nutritionists like the basic principles of the diet though and if it’s followed with sense it can be a very healthy way to go.

When I first started maintenance I decided that I would calorie count, but would be aware of GI values foods and if possible went for the low GI option (when I felt like it anyway )

Best of luck and hope you find a way of eating that you feel you can do forever

 

[tenney73]

Thanks that's reall good advice. Might try calorie counting, how didi you start it? For instance did you go on a particular site and how do you know how many calories to have? Thanks, sorry for all questions.

 

[KD]

I used WLR Weight Loss Resources to count the cals. It was excellent.