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South Beach Diet – Day 1

April 22, 2011 By GI Editor Dave Leave a Comment

OK, I couldn't take it any longer and almost on a whim I restarted the South Beach Diet (Phase 1) this morning.
I'm 40 and my mid section from the winter has steadily expanded.  I'm 213# (but I"m 6' 2") but just not liking the way I look.  I tend to keep my weight in my face (chin area and neck) and my gut — though when clothed you really can't tell.  Well, mostly.

None of that matters though — I'm feeling like a fat dude and worse, my energy levels have plummeted.  It didn't happen overnight but I sure went over the tipping point overnight. 
I've done South Beach successfully 3x since 2005, so I know what to expect.  Normally I gear up, do my up front food shopping to be ready, and wait so I'm not travelling, etc.  Not this time.  I need to strike while motivation is high.  Work and jobs are heavy right now, and I'm feeling pretty taxed — but hey, there's no time like the present.  I figure if I'm already bit angry I might as well channel that energy and turn it into something positive.
The first 2 weeks of South Beach (I know from experience) are tough.  But it works better than any other diet plan for me personally.  The weight literally sheds off of me, maybe become I'm a total carbaholic. 
So off I went to work this morning, had to be in the office early before 7am, and all I could grab on the [...] Continue Reading…

Filed Under Featured, South Beach Diet

Using Vitamin D to Control Blood Sugar

February 24, 2011 By GI Editor Dave 1 Comment

Vitamin D may have new support as a complimentary supplement for those looking to help control diabetic blood sugar levels (levels averaging a fasting blood glucose of > 126 mg/dL).  See our recent updated blood sugar chart information for a summary on blood sugar levels among diabetics, pre-diabetics, and normal blood sugar levels.
A new study published by the American Journal of Clinical Medicine indicates that study participants who received elevated amounts of Vitamin D showed a decrease in average blood glucose levels.  The study involved participants who we're already diabetic, monitoring their results over a 3 month period.
Participants received one of 3 sample meals fed twice a day.  Plain yogurt, vitamin D fortified yogurt (500 IU of Vitamin D), and one that had both vitamin D fortified (also at 500 IU) and calcium.  
After three months, the plain yogurt group saw an increase from 187 to 203 milligrams (mg/dL), while the both of the other vitamin D fortified groups saw blood sugar drop from 183 to 172.
We haven't see that many tests using straight fortified Vitamin D, and the yogurt twist made it recognizable.  Despite the relatively low sample size (and anybody but us find it odd that the research was done by a research group in Iran – the National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute), it's a worthwhile study worth taking note of.
There's some speculation that the vitamin D may be elevating tissue sensitivity to insulin, and may help stimulate the production (timely production that is) of insulin. [...] Continue Reading…

Filed Under diabetes, Glycemic Index, South Beach Diet

New Blood Sugar Chart Information

February 18, 2011 By GI Editor Dave Leave a Comment

One of the most popular requests we get is information on diabetes, high blood sugar, and how a low glycemic nutrition plan can be used for those who are diabetic or pre-diabetic.
Now you can review blood sugar chart information to see how blood glucose levels in normal, pre-diabetic, and diabetics interact.
What's most useful is for the large number of readers who are pre-diabetic.  Many don't realize how fine a line there is between the onset of diabetes and "normal" blood glucose levels.  This is because the fasting glucose levels for pre-diabetics and non-diabetics is almost the same.  This means that for many of us who get regular blood work, the glucose levels can appear 'normal', but you may actually be pre-diabetic or at risk.
The best way to check this is to have your blood monitored after a meal, then repeat the test if the results indicate pre-diabetic levels.  It's actually not difficult to do and can be a life changing discovery.
In the meantime, a low glycemic meal plan offers a lot of benefits well beyond weight management – specifically, a more relaxed and less pronounced spike in blood glucose and the resulting release of insulin.  This means a low GI meal plan helps you manage your nutrition and keep your system in natural balance, and can compliment your treatment plan.
We'll be adding to our hyerglycemic and hypoglycemic condition and diabetes awareness research shortly.  In the meantime, stay healthy and informed!

Filed Under diabetes, Featured, Glycemic Index Tagged With , , ,

Realistic Nutrition for the New Year

December 27, 2010 By GI Editor Dave Leave a Comment

Bring on the new year and realistic nutrition plans.
After eating my 10th chocolate peanut cluster that my grandfather brought on Christmas, reality came crashing back home. I've got to get back in gear and on a more structured nutrition and weight loss plan for the new year.

I'm not talking about fad diets, those awful gimmicky late night commercials pushing man girdles, diet in a pill 'burn' solutions, or ridiculous hang upside down exercise equipment.  Who do these marketers think we are anyway?  
No, I'm talking about realistic wellness plans.  Nutrition plans that teach you how foods affect your metabolism, the role your diet and digestion has on your blood sugar and energy levels (yes, even for those who aren't diabetic or pre-diabetic).  Having focused on heart health and realistic nutrition plans, especially for parents and working adults, two similar plans have consistently bubbled to top which present realistic plans that enable real weight loss.  
Low Glycemic Diet – Focuses on teaching you to select foods that are low or moderate on the glycemic index, controlling your blood sugar and digestion.  
South Beach Diet – Similar but includes a 2-week "rapid carb detox" phase that drives rapid weight loss, then reintroduces "good carbs" and focuses on blood sugar and digestion
If you're trying to find the right plan for your new year's resolution and are tired of the fad and gimmicks that are virtually everywhere, these are both great options.  You'll learn nutrition approaches that you can use the rest of [...] Continue Reading…

Filed Under Free Trial, Glycemic Index, South Beach Diet

Turkey Bacon and Eggs – South Beach Diet Style

November 6, 2010 By GI Editor Dave Leave a Comment

Losing weight on the South Beach Diet plan happens a lot easier when you're not starving yourself.

Whether you're on south beach diet phase 1, phase 2, or just a maintenance phase, my favorite and most basic approach was to find foods that I like but offer at least a little bit of variety.  Say hello to eggs and Turkey Bacon. 
I ate it for breakfast.  Sometimes for dinner.  And almost every day.  And I actually enjoyed it!
OK, the limited diet on South Beach during the first 2 weeks takes some work to get used to compared to a low glycemic diet or other plan.  I guess I can count myself lucky that I found a safety food that was acceptable during all the phases of South Beach that I actually liked.
If you haven't tried the low fat lean mix of turkey bacon, give it a try.  Combine it with seasoned eggs and enjoy!

Filed Under South Beach Diet, Uncategorized

Moving on to Phase 2 of South Beach

October 10, 2010 By GI Editor Dave Leave a Comment

Having completed the first 2 weeks of the South Beach diet, I'm overjoyed to move on to the 2nd phase.
If you haven't gone through it, take a look at the south beach diet phase 1 food list to see what you've missed.  In short, phase 1 is a brutal march of compliance and temptation (for me at least) but it's well worth the hassle, as I lost 13# and feel SO much more energetic.
To make matters a bit more tolerable, I not only am treating myself to phase 2 foods on south beach, but I'm also experimenting with some ways to make sticking with phase 2 easier — by going with a meal delivery plan.  Be sure to check out our updated diet meal delivery review, which includes pricing comparisons and menu samples from the leading companies.
The plan I have chosen to use and follow is Diet to Go, which has received great reviews from our readers and boasts a huge variety of fresh foods (not the reconstituted frozen fare done by Nutrisystem and others).

I love their choice of food, like the chicken wings shown above and the options shown below.  I am SO glad to be on to phase 2 so I can eat real food again, albeit within the phase 2 guidelines!

Filed Under South Beach Diet

Free South Beach and Glycemic Food List Widgets!

October 7, 2010 By GI Editor Dave Leave a Comment

We're pleased to announce the launch of our new 100% free food list widgets!
Wanting to add our popular glycemic index food list or south beach diet food list to your website or blog?  Now you can with a couple of clicks!
We've added support for both of these widgets.  Click below for details:
South Beach Food List widget for websites/blogs
Provides a list of acceptable foods for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet plan.
Glycemic Index Food List for websites/blogs
Provides a scrolling list of our comprehensive glycemic index food list.

Filed Under Glycemic Index, South Beach Diet Tagged With , , ,

GI News—October 2010

October 2, 2010 By Scott Leave a Comment

‘Cruise instead of spike and crash’ with low GI foods says Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe‘Wholegrain’ hype: is it time to redefine ‘true’ whole grain foods? Prof Jennie Brand-Miller opens the debate Focus on food not nutrients – Dr David Ludwig challenges ‘dietary guidelines’ orthodoxy The scoop on desserts with Emma Stirling Renaming HFCS as corn sugar. Dr Alan Barclay investigates8 new GI values from the USIt’s Good Food Month here in Sydney, so it seems timely to think about enjoying good low GI food for real satisfaction and good health. To show you what we mean and give your tastebuds a treat, we are sharing a recipe from Bistro Moncur chef Damien Pignolet’s new book, Salades. In his introduction Damien gently reminds us that the role of salads in the French kitchen is quite different from the bowl of green leaves that ‘tends to pass for a salad in Australian and British cooking’. Try his ‘Rustic Salad of chickpeas, prosciutto & preserved artichoke and garlic and anchovy vinaigrette’ in this issue and I think you will agree c’ést delicieux. And low GI too!Good eating, good health and good reading.Editor: Philippa SandallWeb management and design: Alan Barclay, PhD
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Filed Under Glycemic News Tagged With ,

Family, Football, and Starting up the South Beach Diet

September 25, 2010 By GI Editor Dave Leave a Comment

This week brought the 1st official day of Fall.  The leaves on the trees are changing.  Football for my kids and my fantasy football league are rolling.  And I officially started Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet today too.
My friends know this is my favorite time of year.  My 9 and 11-year old both play tackle football – it's quite a rush to see them galloping around the field, hyping themselves up, and running around crashing into hapless opponents and teammates!
At home, it only took me 2 weeks to settle in to my chair and become fully entrenched in the games.
My poor wife…  She gets subjected to college and pro games now.  Even fantasy games!
Unfortunately, my diet had rapidly deteriorated as well.  It seems my stomach was fully wanting to jump right into tailgate mode along with the rest of me.  In truth, I had let things slide I'm sad to say for the past several months.  So much to do in the summer, from fishing, work, writing, and tending to our farm.
Time to Jump into South Beach
I've been a fan of the South Beach diet for years.  It does have a lot of similarities to the glycemic index diet but it is structured differently in several ways.  For one, it's more of a "diet" in many ways than the GI plan, which is more focused on an overall wellness and health approach.  If you're interested in more rapid weight loss, I know from 1st hand experience that South Beach [...] Continue Reading…

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South Beach Food While Travelling

September 23, 2010 By Irene 1 Comment

We we're travelling the other day and realized just how hard it is to stick to a meal plan while on the road.
It's not just the fact that we we're finishing up the phase 1 of south beach, it's a little tougher to follow any plan when you're on the road.  Your routine is messed up, your focus is distracted, and you usually just don't have as much time to prepare as you would like.
We we're up in Canada and the usual far of fast food confronted us at nearly every turn.
Sometimes it's just the way it goes.  We had stopped upon entering Canada to pick up some travel money, and I had a big case of the munchies.  
The kids are non stop eating machines, and so even though it's easy to say "bring your own food and prepare" in reality convenience sometimes wins.  I was strong, went ahead and got a burger and tossed out the bun and salvaged what I could.  But it was still tough.
None of this is really new — but take it from us, we know Phase 1 is tough.  Stick with it — you have company in your solitude!

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