Glycemic Index (GI) & Weight Loss

With the advent of the modern life style, more and more people seem to be getting obese.  Perhaps the main reason is because of the fact that modern life style teaches us to live with too little activity and too much fast food.  All of this coupled with higher stress will create a vicious cycle in which you will have hard time breaking and freeing yourself.  In the end, you will be one of the countless Americans who will be spending time, money, and effort to lose the weight that you have gained.  However, one of the most important concepts in a weight loss program that you need to know is definitely glycemic index and its effect on weight loss.

So what is Glycemic Index?  In essence, Glycemic Index is an index of foods that show how they interact with your blood sugar level after being absorbed by your digestive system.  As a rule, pure sugar or glucose is rated as a Glycemic Index of 100.  Any other foods are based on this index and they are given a rating between 1 and 100.  The higher the Glycemic Index, then the higher will be the effect of foods on your blood stream and your insulin levels.

If you are eating foods that are high in G I, then this will cause you to gain more weight as these foods will release their calories in to your blood stream very fast.  In addition, foods with a high GI will cause you many problems associated with diabetes.  Now, foods with a Low G I will help you control yourself in a weight loss program.  The reason for this is the fact that foods with a low GI will usually give you a feeling of fullness and thus you won’t go craving for foods.  In fact, foods with high G I will give you energy on the spot but their effects will be short lived.  This means that although you eat foods with a high Glycemic Index, you will not feel full after a short time.  However, eating foods with a low G I will cause the blood sugar levels to be elevated slowly and thus for hours you will fell full and sated.  This can be quite effective in a weight loss program, as it will allow you to control your cravings and urges.

So you may wonder which foods rate high on the Glycemic Scale.  As stated above, the biggest figure is 100 and it is represented by pure glucose.  Some other foods that rate high on the Glycemic scale are:

 Now in contrast, you may wonder about foods that have a low Glycemic Index content.  These foods will help you in your weight loss program.    The foods that rate low in the Glycemic Index are (below 55 on the Glycemic Index scale is rated as low G I)

 So as it can be seen from the samples provided above, Glycemic Index is a very complicated thing and foods like Bread rate high on the scale, while milk rates low.  Also any kind of Lentils or Legumes will always have a low Glycemic Index value and they will also be beneficial for your weight loss program due to their low calories.  Also surprisingly, eating a slice of water melon will raise your blood sugar level much faster than eating a bitter chocolate bar.  This means that you have to be careful and you have to plan your eating in such a way that your blood sugar levels will not sky rocket.

Of course, the figures provided above are not set in stone.  The amount of blood sugar reaction that will take place will depend on variety of factors such as the other foods that you ate along with your age, your physical condition, your exercise level etc.  Thus, the list provided above is only a general list and it should give you a general guideline against foods.  The Glycemic Index by itself will not be a diet that you can use as a standalone solution. (Of course, if you are a diabetic then the situation changes and Glycemic Index becomes your whole world.)  You will need to combine your diet with the GI to guide you along the way to proper eating habits and weight loss goals.  Especially eating low GI foods in between meals will help you stop your craving for food. Thus, when you sit down in front of a meal, you will not feel the need to eat so much food and gain calories.

In addition, one other useful trait of the Glycemic Index is the exercise part of your weight loss program.  Just after the exercise, if you become too weak, you can always eat food with high GI content.  However, it is always a better idea to eat low GI foods before exercising to sustain your energy levels for longer periods of time.

As a final analysis, the concept of the Glycemic Index is a useful tool that will help control your dieting habits and also adopt a healthier life style.  Eating foods with a low Glycemic Index will help keep your weight loss goals and you will also feel more energetic and fresh.  One of the side effects of high Glycemic Index foods is the fact that they can make you feel drowsy and fatigued after eating them. This is the result of rapid blood sugar levels increasing.  So in essence, you can create healthier menus for yourself with the GI.