Before you dive into the recipes, have a read of this healthy eating guide.....

How to eat well

Dieting won’t make you lose weight and keep it off. A sensible eating plan will.
In a healthy balanced diet you should:
- eat 3 meals a day plus 2 healthy snacks
- eat 55-60% complex carbohydrates
- eat 10-15% protein
- eat no more than 33% fat (the healthy variety, not saturated fat)
- drink 2 litres of water a day

How to avoid piling on the pounds?
When you eat, the food is transformed into glucose which in turn is used by the body to create energy. If glucose levels become high, the hormone insulin is released to store the excess glucose as fat until the body needs it for energy. If we eat too much at once or if we eat the kind of food that raises glucose levels in the body too high, then our cells can’t use all that glucose as energy, so more of it is stored as fat.

So it is important to:
- eat smaller, regular meals more frequently
- eat foods that break down into glucose slowly (low GI)

By keeping these two important things in mind, you will make sure you keep your glucose levels steady without constantly triggering insulin to store excess glucose as fat. You won’t have food cravings or energy lows. Your body will use the energy from your food more efficiently and you won’t pile on extra pounds.

Principles of GI (Glycaemic Index)
All foods can be classified with a GI rating.
Foods with a low GI score breakdown into glucose slowly.
Foods with a high GI turn into glucose quickly, overloading the body and triggering the insulin to store the excess glucose as fat.

Foods with a low GI include (score 55 or less of the GI index)
Brown rice, basmati rice, wholegrain / rye bread, couscous, wholemeal pasta, oats, all beans and pulses, nuts and seeds, berries, apples, apricots, grapefruit, pears, olives, most vegetables (especially green), natural live yoghurt, milk, eggs, feta cheese, goats cheese, oatcakes, fish, chicken, prawns.

Foods with a high GI include: (score 70 or more on the GI index)
White rice, white bread, white pasta, bagels, baguettes, muffins, potatoes, parsnips, swede, pumpkin, watermelon, dried or tinned fruit, dates, bananas, lamb, beef, bacon, duck, cakes and biscuits,

All meals should ideally contain complex carbs and protein together. Here you can find a GI index for foods and also groups of low, medium and high GI foods.

Have a look at the healthy low GI recipes on this website which you can introduce into your own weekly eating plan. If you combine low GI foods with regular exercise to increase your energy output, you will lose weight and keep it off naturally. Some of these recipe links will take you off to my favourite food websites including the wonderful foodie blog called ‘Eat Like a Girl’! Enjoy!