Analyzing your meal plan using The Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index is a fantastic tool that will allow you to better understand what exactly you are eating. In simple terms, the Glycemic Index of any food will tell you how much your blood sugar will raise as a result of eating it. (Note: when your blood sugar rises, your insulin levels peak and that makes your body start to store fat).

Therefore, common sense tells us that in order to burn more fat, we want to eat foods with a lower GI (Glycemic Index). Sounds simple, right? So to start things off, I will analyze what I ate today using the GI:

MEAL #1

• Protein Shake — Glycemic Index = 0

MEAL #2

• Roast Beef — Glycemic Index = 0
• Spinach — Glycemic Index = 0
• Assorted berries (Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) – Glycemic Index = 40

MEAL #3

• Egg whites – Glycemic Index = 0
• Broccoli – Glycemic Index = 0
• Assorted berries – Glycemic Index = 40

MEAL #4

• Chicken skewers – Glycemic Index = 0
• Arugula Salad with vinaigrette – Glycemic Index = 0

MEAL #5

• Almonds – Glycemic Index = 0
• Dried Pineapple – Glycemic Index = 66

So today it looks like I managed to stay in the low to medium GI levels. So what foods are really high in Glycemic Index? Check these out:

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Potato – 94 GI

Puffed rice cakes – 87 GI

Cornflakes cereal – 80 GI

White bread – 80 GI

Rice – (It depends on the brand and type, they’re not all high in Glycemic Index levels though)

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Let’s say you really like foods that are high in GI levels, what do you do? Rusty Moore’s got a great article about how to eat foods with a high GI level while still optimizing your body’s ability to burn fat! One of the key components of controlling insulin spikes is to eat protein (or fat as well in this case) with foods that have a high GI. Just goes to show you, it’s a good rule to eat protein at every meal!

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If you’re still confused as to how it works, leave your question in the comments section. We can even go over a meal plan that will get you burning fat more effectively!!