The Gi Plan 9/10

Reviewed by Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

What’s the theory?

The GI Plan is based on one of the hottest diet trends currently around – the glycaemic index or GI Diet. As with similar diets it works on the theory that it’s better to eat carbs with a low GI as they slowly release sugar into the blood, providing you with a steady supply of energy so you don’t feel hungry. In contrast, you should avoid carbs with a high GI as they cause an immediate – but short-lived – rise in blood sugar, leaving you quickly lacking in energy and reaching for another snack. But this plan goes one step further than other GI diets and also considers the calorie content of different foods.

What does the diet involve?

Each food is given a GI Point value based on its glycaemic index and calorie content. Quite simply, you’re allowed a certain number of points each day, depending on whether you’re male or female (men are allowed more) and the phase of the diet you are following.

Like many popular diets, the GI plan has three phases: the ‘start-it’ phase, which you follow for two weeks; the ‘lose-it’ phase, which you follow until you reach your goal; and the ‘keep-it’ phase to help maintain your weight loss.

What can I eat?

Women are allowed 17 Points in the ‘start-it’ phase, increasing to 20 in the ‘lose-it’ phase. Men start on 22 Points, increasing to 25. In general, you can eat whatever you want providing you stick to your Points allowance each day. However, you get better value if you chose foods with a lower Points value. For example, 1 croissant contains 6 Points, while two slices of Granary bread contain 3.5 Points. This effectively means all things sugary, white and/or high in fat such as French bread, white rice, doughnuts and biscuits, need to be kept to a minimum, while wholemeal pasta, wholegrain cereals and most fruit and veg are good to include.

How much weight will I lose?

Up to 2lb a week on average, although you will probably lose more in the first two weeks.

What else does the book include?

In addition to a comprehensive chart listing the Points value of different foods, there are recipes, a section on increasing activity and great advice on shopping, eating out, snacking, managing stress and switching the way you think about food and dieting.

Juliette’s verdict on the GI Plan

Written by a registered dietitian and a life coach, this book is easy to read. The diet plan is really simple and is sure to get results. You’ll love the GI plan if you want to lose weight by following a balanced, healthy diet without cutting out major groups of food or severely restricting what you eat.

9/10