It has been learned that it is impossible to predict impact on blood glucose levels by certain foods, instead people are fed carbohydrate foods and response measured.

This response is known as Glycemic Index (GI), it is a measure of how quickly carbohydrate foods are digested and absorbed, and ranks carbohydrate foods according to their impact on blood sugar (glucose) levels: as indicted by elevated blood glucose.

Foods with a high GI are absorbed quickly into blood stream and cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels. While foods with a low GI are broken down more slowly over time and keep blood glucose levels more stable (Remember that low is slow!).

Some carbohydrate foods will maintain your energy levels for hours, while some may cause your blood glucose to rise and fall. Different types of carbohydrate can also affect feelings of fullness in stomach and this can influence hunger and your ability to control your body weight.

Why is GI important?

When our blood glucose levels are stable we have plenty of readily available fuel for brain and muscles. If our blood glucose levels drop too low (hypoglycaemia) we feel tired, dizzy and generally unwell. If our blood glucose levels rise too quickly a rapid drop usually follows this.

Include low glycemic index foods in meals and snacks to slow release of glucose into bloodstream. A low glycemic index snack a few hours before exercise will help maintain your energy levels for more effective training.

After high intensity exercise (strength training) a high glycemic index snack should be consumed within 30 minutes. This will help to replace energy and start recovery process.

Low-GI foods take longer to digest and help delay hunger pangs that little bit more and thus promote weight loss. So please choose your carbs carefully as this will lower your insulin levels and burn more fat. The secret is to swap high GI foods with low GI foods.

Simple steps to a low GI diet.

Step No 1

Start with a healthy, well balanced and varied diet based on a good nutrition program. The diet should be low in fats, moderate in carbohydrate and protein. The program should be high in fibre and contain a varied amount of foods to provide required amount of vitamins and minerals.

Step No 2

Look at type of carbohydrates that you consume during day. Look at carbs that you eat most, as these will have most dramatic impact on your diet.

The sad fact is they do not work, they just provide more suffering in your efforts to lose weight, only thing you lose is your hard earned money.

Firstly we will look at latest fad diets on scene at moment, their pros and cons and then you will be shown how to save your time, money and unnecessary suffering by pointing you in right direction for permanent weight loss.

The latest studies show that 90 per cent of fad dieters regained everything they had lost and even gained more within eighteen months.

The Atkins Diet.

The body burns carbohydrates and then fat for energy. This diet recommends limiting intake of starchy, high carb foods so that fat is burned first. So by eating meat, cheese and eggs and keeping bread and potatoes to a minimum, fat is lost.

Pros: Steak with cheese topping, Chocolate mocha ice cream and pork scratchings.

Cons: Studies show high protein diets lead to increased risk of heart disease, colon cancer, bad breath (halitosis) and constipation. Consuming more carbohydrate that can be used by body will store this excess in fat cells.

The Zone Diet.

This diet claims to decrease hunger and boost energy by keeping your bodies eating habits in zone or at its peak. This is done by keeping all your meals and snacks in ratio of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30% fats.

Pros: Being a low calorie diet, you can't help but lose weight.

Cons: Very difficult to adhere to strict regime diet requires. Will experience metabolism slow down because of low calories and will lead to starvation response which will eat away at muscle tissue while retaining fat.

The Blood Group Diet.

By having a blood test and determining your blood group, this then tells you how you can absorb nutrients, thus you can plan your diet accordingly. Different blood groups can eat different food groups.

Pros: Another calorie restricting diet so weight will be lost.