How the diet works...

I've had several inquiries about how I'm losing the weight, so I thought I'd share my "program" with you.

When I was pregnant with the Mess Maker, I gained 65 pounds. It took almost an entire year to shed those pounds, but I honestly wasn't making a whole-hearted effort. So after gaining 65 pounds again when I was pregnant with the Noise Maker, I decided I couldn't wait that long to get rid of the buldge! Plus, I had some extra weight from before I ever had kids that I wanted to get rid of as well. So, when I received a flyer in the mail from my primary care physician announcing her new weight loss program, I decided to talk to her to see what it was about...soooo glad I did!

The program is a comprehensive weight loss program that is medically supervised. The goal is to provide a safe, effective program with the emphasis of improving overall health. After an initial physical and blood work, I was given a folder with bi-weekly lessons to complete, with dietary information and a food journal in which I was instructed to record everything I ate. Most importantly, it included information about the Glycemic Index.

The Glycemic Index refers to how fast the body can break down carbohydrates into glucose (sugar). Foods with a high GI are broken down faster than foods with a low GI. Typcially, the longer it takes the body to break down the food, the better it is for you. My physician gave me three lists: one for low GI food choices, one for medium, and one for high. I was told to eat only from the low GI food list for the first two weeks (which was quite an adjustment!). It basically eliminated all processed foods from my diet. After that, I was able to gradually introduce some medium GI foods, but not more than 5 times per week. And the high GI foods are not supposed to be consumed more than 1-2 times per week, if at all.

In addition to the GI program, I was given an appetite supressant and and exercise program. I will admit that exercise isn't my most favorite pasttime and I haven't been incorporating it like I should. But I consider this a work in progress...and I'm staying positive that small, gradual changes will lead to big results in the long run!

So that's it in a nutshell...so far, I'm enjoying trying to new foods and challenging myself to modify recipes so they meet the low-GI guidelines. I'll keep you posted on my progress! :)