Most people cringe when having to face any calorie counting diet, but a 1,200 calorie glycemic index diet offers a pleasant range of options. Keep in mind, with a low glycemic index (or GI) diet you’re inducing your body to burn calories during the digestive process and to burn stored fat at the same time. The glycemic index, or GI, measures the potential effect a carbohydrate has on your blood sugar level. The higher a food scores on the GI, the faster your body will produce glucose and the higher you blood sugar level will rise. The GI can be a useful weight loss tool when combined with a low-calorie diet and exercise program.

While fruits and vegetables will play a strong role in a glycemic index diet, you’ll still have the opportunity to enjoy poultry, dairy, lean meats, some fish and even an occasional snack item. This diet can be adapted to suit special diets such as vegetarian, diabetic etc. And a rapid initial weight loss may increase motivation to stick with a long term weight loss plan. However, there is a high risk of rebound weight gain when calorie intake is increased. Diet will also need to be planned carefully so as to prevent nutritional deficiencies, and many dieters will experience fatigue and hunger on a low calorie diet.

As with any diet or lifestyle change, you should consult with a physician or dietician before beginning – even keeping them posted over the first few weeks of the diet. There are no expenses for this program other than perhaps a calorie counting tool such as a book or computer program however free online services are also available such as freedieting.com.

Following are two glycemic index diet examples to give you an idea of what you can eat in a typical day when following this plan.

Example One

Breakfast:

• Twelve ounce glass of cranberry juice
• Two slices of whole wheat toast
• Two pats of trans fat-free margarine
• Apple, banana or an orange.

Lunch:

• Twelve ounces of diet soda or apple juice
• Chicken salad (white chicken meat, lettuce, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds) with citrus vinaigrette dressing.

Dinner:

• Twelve ounces of dry red wine (pinot, merlot, etc.)
• House salad with tomatoes, onions and vinaigrette dressing
• Slice of roast turkey (no skin) with raspberry glaze
• Asparagus tips.

Snack:

• Apple, banana or a cup of nuts.

Calories: 1,169 – 1,182 (depending on fruit and snack choices)

One of the added benefits of this diet is the degree of fruit and the two vinaigrette dressings.

The dressings, when served together with other foods, will bring down their GI value!

Fruit is positive for low glycemic diets across the board, which provides some nice diverse options in this diet.

Example Two

Breakfast:

• Twelve ounce glass of 1% milk
• Two egg whites scrambled (lightly season to taste)
• Cup of blueberries or cherries.

Lunch:

• Twelve ounce glass of grapefruit juice
• Slice of veggie pizza
• Apple, banana or peach.

Dinner:

• Twelve ounce glass of red wine (pinot, merlot, etc.)
• Side of lima beans with sliced onions and vinaigrette
• Fillet of salmon with light olive oil and seasonings.

Calories: 1,188 – 1,204 (depending on fruit and snack choices)

While the entrees at lunch and dinner seem indulgent for this diet, following the rest of the diet closely affords these selections.

If you’ve been following a low GI diet for several days you’ll most likely be surprised at how filling lunch will feel.

The salmon at dinner also provides Omega 3 fatty acids – one of the most heart healthy inclusions you can have in any diet.

As with any diet, common sense and planning will play a key role in a twelve hundred calorie glycemic diet.

Taking an active role in planning out your meals (say, on Sunday night) will help you more readily stick to your diet, improve your food selection process and make you wiser about your overall health.

Coupling a twelve hundred calorie GI diet with a sensible fitness plan will begin to help you see positive results within days, in weight, energy levels and even your outlook.

Especially following these steps.

What You Can Do To Start Losing Weight Right Now:

• Incorporate a proven, complete nutritional program into your daily life.
• Enhance your nutritional program with a complete mutivitamin supplement because no nutritional program is perfect.
• Use a behavior modification and motivational program that will help you stay on track with your nutritional plan.
• Exercise at home with your own:

Treadmill

Stairstepper

Exercise bike

Elliptical trainer

Hand weights or

An aerobic video.

Conversely excessive exercise may actually not be beneficial on this plan because the calories and nutritional intake is too low to sustain high levels of physical activity.

• See what kinds of weight loss aids your health insurance covers such as:

Hypnotism

Gym membership discounts

Nutritional counseling.

Remember, it takes time to lose weight. If you mess up just don’t give up.

Pick up where you fell and continue. You can do this. I guarantee it!