I'm Starving!

Actually I'm not. But it was a complaint from a diet buddy the other day that got me thinking. I've been following a low GL (glycemic load) plan with a good deal of success for a couple of years now. Yes, I deviate, sometimes really badly! But I find it really easy to get back on-plan because basically I enjoy the food. Its easier and less restrictive than low GI and I'm pretty sure its healthier too. Certainly I feel great on it and after 30kg down I have to say it works! This is the book I use most of the time and what I love is its written by people who actually love to eat: The Holford Low-GL Diet Cookbook: Recipes for Weight Loss, Health and Energy So many diet books seem to be written by people who think food is the enemy and that's never going to work for me! I've cooked entire dinner parties for some quite serious foodies from this book and not one of them has had a clue they've been eating healthily!

Anyway, this friend started the same plan as me about two weeks ago and I couldn't believe how hungry she was! I sometimes find it hard to believe I'm on a diet with some of the recipes and often the quantities defeat me.

But it occurred to me that "normal" eating for a lot of people involves large amounts of bread, rice and pasta - bulky foods that fill you up physically but really don't deliver a whole lot nutritionally. So sticking to a low GL plan may be a challenge initially because you have to get used to the feeling of being nutritionally satisfied before you are physically full. Its a subtle difference but once you get used to that feeling, it makes sticking to the plan really easy.

Many people who overeat are in fact nutritionally starving! They might feel full up but their bodies are craving the nutrients they require and, until it gets them, its going to keep sending "I'm hungry" messages to the brain! No wonder most diets don't work!