GL - counting by numbers?

[LincsBren]

I'm curious about the logistics of a GL diet. It all makes perfect sense to me, and actually I sort of did my own version (without knowing it) several years ago and lost a lot of weight. What I actually did was start on Atkins, but then introduce low GI carbs only.

The thing with Atkins, or calorie counting, or WW etc is it's all done by numbers - max 20g carbs a day, or max 1200 cals a day, or max 25 points a day and so on. I'm quite comfortable with this as a guideline when you're starting a new diet and need to keep tabs on what you're actually putting in your mouth!

Currently I'm on lipotrim total food replacement, and intend to stay on it until I reach my goal. However, I feel it's really important to start planning ahead for what I can eat to maintain my loss for life. My current intentions are to stay low carb, try and be gluten-free (I have a slight intolerance anyway) and avoid sugars. However, I do want to be able to have some kind of rice occasionally for example - I love my meat, fish and veg but sometimes it's nice to have some kind of accompaniment! This has lead me into looking at GL.

Are there any guidelines or 'rules' about GL? For example, if I had 80g carrots (GL 2), 80g peas (3), 80g sweetcorn (9), 120g tuna steak (0) for lunch (totalling GL 14) would I have a specific 'allowance' for the rest of the day? Surely if I had a cheese and ham omelette for breakfast (GL 0) I'd be allowed a higher GL evening meal than if I had eaten a bowl of porridge (for GI 17)?

I think numbers make sense to me, so I was hoping there was some kind of limit / guide dependent on BMI!

 

[skerry]

There are differing opinions about this. Patrick Holford, who is the nutritionist behind a lot of the low GL books, advises 40 GLs a day for weight loss. Nigel Denby, who is the other main writer (a dietician), is not so strict (I think he says up to about 80 GLs, but advises against really counting them as this is supposed to be a lifetime change in eating).

I am not a lover of counting, so am trying not to be obsessive about how many GL's per meal. You get to know which carbs are the better choices, and as long as you have good quality protein with each meal, you should be ok.

The Patrick Holford Diet made Easy is very good at listing how many GLs there are and what sort of portion size you should be eating.

HTH

 

[LincsBren]

That's great, thank you. As I say, I'm hoping to be at goal by the time I stop lipotrim, but if I feel I need to come off it earlier then I may be trying to lose some more on my 'lifetime' diet. I'll try and read the Patrick Holford Diet made Easy book - I think portion size is definitely key.

 

[irish molly]

Yep, Holford says 40 gls a day plus 5 gls for drinks/pudding during weightloss phase and up to 65 once in maintenance. I think you should go with what you know worked well for you before which effectively was your own version of a GL plan.
I have not been obsessive about counting GLs and have adapted it to suit me.
I drastically cut back bread/potato/pasta/rice. I have mainly veg that grows above ground and almost cut out red meat.
Instead I have fish, chicken, beans, lentils, quinoa, rye crackers and oatcakes. In addition to having these low GL options I keep an eye to overall calorie intake, again not obsessively, but it helps keeps portion sizes in check.
I also think it is very easy to adapt to this following TFR as old habits and tastes have already been broken.
I am almost wheat free as well as I found whilst on TFR my occasional IBS disappeared so reckoned some food was the root of the problem and it would appear to be wheat.
Your cheese and ham omelette would be fine for brekkie, porridge is good too at 7gls for a 50g portion.