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Chapter Four THE PLAN – HOW TO EAT

Time and time again we’ve seen diets burst on to the scene that promise miraculous weight loss but seem to overlook the body’s basic need for a balanced diet – to achieve not only a healthy weight but also a healthy mind. We believe passionately that any lifestyle plan for weight loss should be a lifelong commitment to eating a healthy, balanced diet and being more active. However, we also understand that in the real world some people just want to drop a dress/clothes size before they go on holiday or for a special event. Either way, for any diet to get the thumbs up from us, the route to weight loss has to be sustainable, safe and enjoyable.

The GL Diet isn’t just about switching to low-GL foods; it’s also about making healthier choices whenever possible within the framework of a balanced diet. This is where we get down to the nitty-gritty. By following these guidelines you can be sure you’ll get all the good nutrition you need to stay healthy and to lose any excess weight.

The GL Diet Guidelines

These are the things we think are important to focus on for a balanced diet and lifestyle, and we know they will work for you:

• Eat three meals per day plus two snacks.

• Don’t go longer than four hours without eating.

• Eat no more than you can fit into your cupped hands at each meal.

• Swap high-GL carbs (like white bread) for low-GL carbs (like soy and linseed bread).

• Aim for two to three protein-rich foods each day – variety is the key.

• Base your snacks on low-GL fruit and vegetables.

• Try to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

• A moderate intake of fat is fine. Aim to eat mainly the healthier mono- and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil and olive oil-based spread, vegetable and nut oils. Read labels and avoid harmful hydrogenated/trans fats hidden in many food products. Some foods are now labelled as containing ‘non-hydrogenated fats’, which is great.

• Be aware of salt hidden in many processed foods and don’t add it to recipes or at the table.

• Drink six to eight glasses of fluid each day – water is best.

• Try to be more active and make it fun – aim for 30 minutes each day.

Most of us know the basics of healthy eating. However, choosing the right foods can be daunting, so we often put our heads in the sand and carry on regardless. But you can relax – our recipes and food lists take care of all that so you can get on with your life, look and feel great and still enjoy fabulous food.

Sometimes understanding a few of the facts behind the healthy eating guidelines we suggest can make it a bit easier to see why we should all be making some changes, so this chapter explains why the guidelines are important. If you feel confident that you understand good nutrition and just want to get started, skip this section and go to Chapter 5 for the 10-day starter plan.

Three Meals and Two Snacks

Eat something when you wake and then every four hours. This helps to get you into a regular routine with eating. You won’t go hungry, and meeting your nutritional needs is much easier.

Eat Low-GL Carbs at Each Meal

Low-GL carbs include vegetables, fruit or whole grains. These help you to feel fuller for longer, so you’re less likely to get hunger pangs and reach for the biscuit tin. They are also good sources of insoluble fibre to keep your bowels healthy, and regular and soluble fibre which help lower cholesterol and promote healthy gut bacteria.

People who regularly eat whole grains have a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Whole-grain carbohydrates like oats and pearl barley have a low GL (see GL food lists in Chapter 11.)

It’s the Carbohydrate-rich Foods that Make the Difference

If a food contains little or no carbohydrate then it will have a zero GL and no effect on your blood glucose levels. If your portion size of carbohydrate-rich foods is bigger than the one we recommend in the GL food lists, the GL will be higher.

Swap High-GL Foods for Low-GL Foods

This is where you can make a big difference. Low-GL foods will even out your blood glucose levels, helping you feel fuller for longer and reduce cravings for carb-rich, sugary and starchy foods. Fewer hunger pangs mean you’re much less likely to overeat and put on weight.

You’ll get the greatest benefit from swapping foods that contain the most carbohydrate and have the highest GL like white breads, sugary breakfast cereals, overcooked white pastas, sugar-laden cakes, pastries, biscuits and sweets, white rice and large white potatoes.

Make it a Way of Life – Keep It Simple Sweetie (KISS)

Making your diet and food complicated just adds to the stress of the whole thing, and that is not what the GL Diet is about at all. Following the plan should be a breeze. All the recipes in Chapter 10 take 10 minutes or less – and they are so easy to make! You don’t need a Michelin star to have a go and you certainly won’t be slaving over a hot stove for hours! They are just simple ‘back to basics’ recipes that taste great.

Think Natural

We’re passionate about cutting back on highly processed foods as many are full of sugar, salt, additives and unhealthy hydrogenated/trans fats.

If you cook with natural ingredients from scratch you know exactly what goes into your body; you’re in complete control with no hidden ‘nasties’ to worry about. By making your own meals you can increase the variety of foods you eat and have more ‘cheats and treats’ using alternative, low-GL ingredients.

We wanted to recommend some healthy, natural, low-GL treats for you to buy but sadly we couldn’t find any that came up to our exacting standards – so we made our own! Look out for the diet freedom range of natural ‘guilt-free’ treats, from brownies to flapjacks, cheesecakes to carrot cake and ice cream, coming soon to a store near you! See www.dietfreedom.co.uk, our online health and diet club, for our latest product launches.

Eat until You’re Satisfied, not Stuffed

Eat slowly and listen to your body. Stop eating at the first hint of feeling satisfied. Don’t feel guilty about leaving food. Following our portion guides closely will help you not to put too much on your plate in the first place. Aim to finish all your vegetables/salad and leave the carb-rich food until last.

• Only eat as much as you can fit in your cupped hands at each meal.

• Try to be consistent about the amount of food you eat at each meal time and never skip meals.

• Use the Angels and Demons guide to the goodies and baddies (see Chapter 6).

• Don’t be a slave to the kitchen scales – you might want to weigh a recommended portion size once to see what it looks like but that’s it. There’s absolutely no need to weigh everything you eat!

Enjoy Your Food

Plan your week and you won’t get caught out. Look at your work and social diary for the week ahead, and try to plan for potential meals out, long working days, social events and so on. Go shopping with a list and stick to it, and have a selection of meals to choose from for the entire week so you don’t get tempted to forget the plan when you haven’t got the right foods in.