Glycemic diet: what is it and why?

A common problem that many girls face. Spoiler: it needs to be solved as a whole. All methods are simple - read the material and choose yours.

The human body contains about 60% water, which is important for all biological processes. It is recommended to consume a sufficient amount of liquid every day - about 2.0-2.5 liters. But many people note water retention, which causes weight gain and swelling. We give detailed instructions on how to remove fluid from the body quickly.

Swelling or excess water: what's the difference?

Correcting body weight by removing excess fluid is necessary for professional athletes and bodybuilders, for whom it is important to meet a certain weight category or improve their appearance.

Excessive water retention, which forms edema, is another problem. Although in most cases they are harmless, persistent swelling can be a symptom of serious medical conditions such as heart, liver or kidney disease. Women experience fluid retention during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and during pregnancy.

Our material contains advice for healthy people and athletes. If you have severe swelling in your legs or arms, see your doctor. It is important to exclude kidney pathologies and serious endocrine metabolic diseases.

Get fat... taking a closer look

There is a concept of insulin tolerance. It includes the sensitivity of receptor cells that convert the energy of carbohydrates into the energy of ATP (adenosine triphosphate, the “molecule of movement”), brain nutrition, and so on. For example, if you abuse carbohydrates, this sensitivity may decrease over time. And the lower it falls, the more sensitive fat cells become to insulin - this paradox has not yet been fully explained, but the fact exists. And the genetic predisposition to obesity, which is so often talked about now, is regulated by certain genes. These genes have already been found and it is clear that the effect of generational obesity is achieved not by some mystical properties, but by insulin sensitivity, which is also inherited.

This is why different people react differently to the same food. Someone has high sensitivity to insulin, and he can eat flour, sweets, potatoes, insulin remains low, adipocytes do not react.

Pharmacologists cannot develop drugs that block insulin sensitivity. As soon as such a drug is created, we nutritionists will retire together, and everyone will eat whatever they want and remain thin.

It happens that a person looks at a chocolate bar and already gets fat. Previously, people laughed at such people and did not believe them. But studies have shown that insulin can be produced even from thoughts about food! This is also why sweeteners don’t work: you eat something sweet, and from old memory, you produce insulin. You haven’t received sugar, insulin drops below normal and takes the sugar that is already floating in the blood and rises again. As a result, you overeat because the insulin surge has caused extreme hunger.

Or another example of weight gain that is inexplicable from an everyday point of view. The man tried very hard, abstained from sweets, followed the Atkins diet and ate barbecue all weekend. And the next morning I couldn’t resist and allowed myself a small piece of chocolate. His insulin jumped, and all the fat that was floating in the blood from yesterday’s barbecue rushed into the adipocyte cells.

Regular exercise

This is one of the best ways to reduce weight quickly and safely. Any form of exercise increases sweating, which means the body loses water. The average fluid loss during one hour of training is 0.5-2 liters per hour, depending on the temperature in the room and clothing. During exercise, the body also transfers water to the muscles. This helps reduce the amount of fluid under the skin, improving the appearance and eliminating pastosity (swelling of the subcutaneous tissue).

When worrying about how to remove excess fluid from the body, we must not forget about adequate water consumption during exercise. Otherwise, serious dehydration may occur and you will feel worse. A sauna helps increase moisture loss and eliminate swelling. It activates sweating with fluid loss through the skin. If you go to the sauna after class, the effect will increase.

When the gym is harmful, or Fat behind seven locks

I repeat, there are different people. But there is one more factor that should be taken into account by those who are struggling with excess weight: if one hormone works for the input of fat, then several work at once for the output. Triglycerides, the form in which the body stores fat, are very stable. And for fat to come out, you need a balance of other hormones. These include norepinephrine, adrenaline, testosterone, and estrogens. All of them, working very harmoniously, like a good orchestra, regulate whether you will burn off the accumulated fat or not. Fat from the body has a very long path through breakdown, cell membranes and combustion in the mitochondria of muscle cells, and if there is some slight failure along this path, the system stops working altogether.

This is indeed a very common story: a girl goes to the gym, to the pool, jumps until she is exhausted in training, but there is no point because her hormones have blocked her adipocytes. Energy drops, sugar drops, the exhausted body barely makes it home and with a shaking hand shoves a cake into itself, because the person is exhausted.

But the coach most likely doesn’t know about this, and he also doesn’t know that it’s not a matter of laziness and neglect, and that in such situations one can train to the point of hypoglycemia and partial brain death. After all, everyone now treats obesity, including fitness centers. They often prohibit eating before a training load in order to speed up the effect, otherwise those losing weight will eat and store fat. But more often than not, it doesn’t even occur to anyone to check whether adipocytes are in principle capable of losing fat.

I recently had a case in my practice: a young man, a professional runner, suddenly began to grow in his stomach. He ran 15 kilometers a day, lived from hand to mouth, and continued to accumulate fat. He took tests, everything turned out - we leveled his testosterone levels, and the man lost weight in two and a half weeks, his adipocytes began to work.

Getting enough sleep

Scientists have proven that adequate sleep is important for metabolism, along with physical activity and diet.
During sleep, the sympathetic nervous system activates the kidneys, which regulate the amount of sodium and fluid in the tissues. Adequate sleep regulates fluid levels and reduces water retention by subcutaneous tissue. On average, you need to sleep about 7-9 hours a day.

What else do you need to know?

How accessible is the glycemic diet? The recommended products are not cheap, but you will save money by giving up fast food, ready-made breakfasts and sugary soda. And you can follow the restrictions for a long time: focus on how much weight you want to lose.

Remember that the glycemic index is not the only indicator that must be taken into account when creating a diet. It is important to pay attention to the content of fats, proteins, dietary fiber, vitamins and other nutrients.

To achieve your goal faster, add physical activity. Set aside half an hour a day for cardio: intense walking is suitable for overweight people. Add 2 strength training sessions per week to build muscle and speed up your metabolism.

What do you think about the hypoglycemic diet? Do you agree to calculate the index and load or do you prefer to simply create a balanced menu? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Stress Reduction

Constant stress increases the concentration of the hormone cortisol in the blood plasma. One of its effects is water retention in tissues, which causes swelling. This is because the stress hormone stimulates the activity of ADH (antidiuretic hormone), which retains fluid. The basis of the work of ADH is signals to the kidneys about salt retention, which automatically provokes retention - less urine is released, water remains in the tissues and subcutaneous tissue.

Eliminating stress helps normalize the functioning of ADH, relieves its negative effects on the kidneys, allowing urine to be produced more actively, removing excess moisture.

Correcting Electrolyte Imbalances

If the body does not receive enough electrolytes - ions that have an electrical charge - a fluid imbalance can occur. Positive ions are especially important - potassium, magnesium and sodium, negative chlorine. If the concentration of electrolytes in plasma or cells sharply increases or decreases, this provokes a violation of fluid flow. Swelling inside cells or in the intercellular space is possible.

How to remove water from the body during edema, if the cause is an imbalance of ions

It is important to correlate salt intake with fluid intake; if there is a lot of moisture, more salt is needed, and vice versa.

When playing sports or living in a hot climate with high air humidity, it is necessary to consume additional portions of electrolytes to replenish the loss of salts during sweating.

If a person consumes a lot of salt in food or supplements, it is necessary to drink enough water. Otherwise, the salt will attract, retain fluid and cause swelling.

Healthy Low GI Snacks

If you're feeling hungry between meals, here are some healthy low-GI snack ideas:

handful of unsalted nuts
fruit with nut butter
carrot sticks with hummus
a cup of berries or grapes served with a few cubes of cheese
Greek yogurt with sliced almonds
apple slices with almond or peanut butter
Hard boiled egg

Conclusion: Eating snacks between meals is allowed on a low GI diet. Some healthy snack ideas are listed above.

Taking extra magnesium

Another key mineral needed to maintain fluid balance in the body. It not only regulates the volume of water in plasma or intercellular fluid, but also normalizes the functioning of the nervous system and the transmission of impulses between cells. In the human body, magnesium is involved in 600 different metabolic processes, reducing body weight and the severity of PMS in women, relieving stress.

It actively interacts with sodium and potassium, controlling the filtration of fluid by the kidneys and its reuptake (reabsorption) under conditions of dehydration. Taking supplemental magnesium helps in weight control by removing water and suppressing stress reactions.

The essence and advantages of losing weight according to GI

The essence of a low glycemic index diet is to replace simple (fast) carbohydrates with complex (slow) ones. In this case, the menu is composed of low-calorie foods, which ensures that the body receives less energy than it expends, which results in a decrease in body weight.

This method of losing weight has important advantages for comfortable weight loss, which provide a number of useful actions:

the feeling of hunger is practically not allowed, since the diet is compiled according to the principle of proper nutrition;
the functioning of the whole organism is improved - metabolism accelerates, the activity of the gastrointestinal tract improves, the functions of internal organs are normalized, which allows you to use such a system for a long time and even throughout your life;
nutritional conditions are created that are suitable even for pregnant and lactating women, people with chronic or serious illnesses.

The only difficulty in following a glycemic index diet is the need to constantly follow a special table. But over time, you can quickly get used to it or remember the GI indicators of the main products. It should be borne in mind that even such an optimal nutritional system also has its contraindications.

Taking Dandelion Extract

Common dandelions are a medicinal plant that has a natural diuretic effect. Infusions and decoctions of dandelion root are used at home to introduce excess moisture to reduce the severity of swelling.

The active substances in the decoction signal the kidneys to more actively filter water and salts, increasing the volume of urine excreted. Over the next 5 hours, the work of the renal glomeruli intensifies, filtering more urine. It is important to consult your doctor first. There are certain restrictions - pathologies of the kidneys, heart or liver.

Foods to Avoid on a Low GI Diet

Nothing is strictly prohibited in a low GI diet.

However, try to replace the following high GI foods with as many alternatives as possible:

Bread: white bread, bagels, Turkish bread, French baguettes, Lebanese bread
Breakfast cereals: instant oats, Rice Krispies, Cocoa Krispies, corn flakes
Starchy vegetables: Desiree and Pontiac Red potatoes, instant mashed potatoes
Pasta and noodles: corn paste and instant noodles
Rice: Jasmine, Arborio (used in risotto), Calrose, medium grain white
Dairy alternatives: rice milk and oat milk
Fruit: watermelon
Snacks: rice crackers, corn kibbles, rice cakes, pretzels, corn chips
Cakes and other sweets: buns, donuts, muffins, cookies, waffles, pastries
Other: Jelly beans, licorice, Gatorade, Lucozade

Conclusion: To maintain a low GI diet, limit your intake of the high GI foods listed above and replace them with low GI alternatives.

Consuming more regular water

This helps eliminate fluid retention in tissues and cells. The body strives for an ideal balance - optimal intake and elimination. If a person is constantly suffering from dehydration, the body will regularly turn on mechanisms to retain fluid so that metabolic processes do not stop.

If a person achieves optimal balance, the body actively removes excess water through the kidneys and through the skin, which eliminates swelling and prevents its occurrence. Consuming enough water is not limited to preventing edema. This is necessary to activate the breakdown of fat and proper brain function.

Reference point - feeling thirsty
. It is important to drink a few sips of plain water every time the urge arises, but you do not need to drink 1-2 glasses at a time. In hot weather or during exercise, fluid consumption increases.
Another landmark - urine color
. If it is pale yellow in color and transparent, it means that the body receives the optimal amount of water and the tissues are fully hydrated.

Recommendations from nutritionists

A diet based on the glycemic index requires constant checking with the table, which is not always convenient. In order not to get confused in the indicators and not to give up your favorite food unreasonably, you can use some tips from nutritionists when preparing your diet:

vegetables are the healthiest product that can be consumed unlimitedly, but preferably raw, especially beets and carrots;
potatoes - best boiled “in their jackets” and cold (then they form fiber, more precisely, resistant starch, which helps reduce sugar levels);
fruits - you can eat apples, pears, oranges, raspberries unlimitedly. Excluding bananas, kiwi, grapes, melons;
pasta - only from durum wheat, cold and in moderate quantities;
rice – can be brown, wild variety, not – polished;
bread - only whole grain, bran or wholemeal;
Protein foods are allowed (lean meat, fish, low-fat dairy products), but they should not be dominant;
many high-calorie foods - sausages, pizza, chocolate - have a low GI, but they are not suitable for dietary nutrition;
if you want to eat something with a high GI, combine this food with low-glycemic foods, then the glucose level will rise slowly.

Compliance with these recommendations will help you not to depend on the indicator table and not violate the rules of the diet.

The method of losing weight according to the glycemic index allows you to lose a fairly large number of extra pounds, but not immediately, but gradually, but without hunger and metabolic stress for the body.

As a rule, in two weeks you can get rid of an average of 3–5 kg of excess weight, and this will not be due to fluids, but precisely due to fat burning. Subsequently, weekly weight loss is usually 1–2 kg, which is lost forever. But for this you need to radically reconsider your diet, eating habits and lifestyle.

Eating Selected Healthy Foods

The easiest way to remove water from the body for weight loss is to eat more foods that regulate fluid balance (especially those rich in potassium)

. This mineral stimulates the kidneys to excrete excess sodium, and with it, water.

Dark green leafy vegetables
Beans
Bananas
Avocado
Tomatoes
Yogurt or other dairy products.

Magnesium supplements or products containing the following substances help in the fight against edema

dark chocolate;
dark green leafy vegetables;
nuts and whole grains.

There are a number of herbal products that have a mild diuretic effect:

corn silk;
horsetail;
parsley;
hibiscus;
garlic;
fennel;
nettle.

Although fluid retention does not cause bloating or discomfort, limited consumption of foods that cause flatulence is also beneficial for edema. The dangerous group includes highly processed foods with sufficient fiber content, beans and dairy products (with lactose). It is worth choosing low FODMAP foods for a while to see the effect.

Glycemic index diet: reviews and results

The food is varied, easy to follow and you can create your own diet. Due to the lack of strict restrictions, this method of losing weight is not fast. In the first week you can lose weight by 2 kg, and then weight loss is up to 1 kg per week.

The diet allows you to actively engage in sports. To maintain weight at the same level, it is necessary to adhere to the GI diet constantly - expanding the diet and limiting it with a slight weight gain.

Reviews indicate the effectiveness of this diet: weight is lost slowly but steadily and without harm to health. Many people consider this diet as a healthy diet and stick to it for years. Despite all the positive aspects, some find it difficult to tolerate a diet without sugar and sweets, so forbidden foods are gradually introduced into the diet.

“...Losing weight is a very difficult process. You need to change your lifestyle and constantly work on yourself. In addition, no one has canceled heredity. I already ate very little sweets, baked goods, and potatoes. But I decided to take a more strict approach to nutrition, adopting this diet. Additionally, I started walking 5 km a day. In four months I lost 6 kg, and that was enough for me. This food provides for human weaknesses. When I reached my desired weight, I began to allow myself more foods. For constant nutrition, it seems to me that it is most convenient to make a diet of products with an index of up to 55. Without thinking and counting for a long time, these are most vegetables, lean meat, cereals and dairy products. This is how I eat all the time”;
“... I’ve been following these rules for more than five years, so I studied all the products according to the index. This diet helps you lose weight without counting calories and grams, without feeling hungry. Initially, over six months, the weight decreased by 8 kg, then it was at the same level or fluctuated no more than 500 g in different directions. Constantly eating on this basis allows you to keep your weight at the same level. This is a transition to another level of life - a healthy and balanced diet. Of course, it is difficult and impossible to forever exclude cookies, cakes, jam and other sweets, so I allow myself to eat them, but not a lot and not all the time. I make do with dried fruits and honey - it’s still healthier than empty sweets”;
“... By keeping an eye on your GI, you can eat deliciously and not go on starvation diets. My husband and I ate this way for a long time. In a year of eating with GI tracking, he lost 25 kg, and I lost ten. We excluded boiled beets and carrots, and, of course, potatoes. It was eaten very rarely baked. They mainly ate fish, vegetables and legumes, dairy products, and included rice, buckwheat or oatmeal 3-4 times a week. They made desserts from the flour of various nuts, and instead of sugar they added a little honey. Instead of bread, I baked bread from whole grain flour with bran and sesame seeds. They were used as a snack and for tea along with prunes or dried apricots. We had nuts with berries or fruits as healthy snacks. It’s good if all family members adhere to this diet - it’s easier to cook and there are no temptations.”

Reducing carbohydrates

Another option for removing excess water from the body. Simple sugars are stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen, which also retains water in the tissues. For every gram of glycogen in the body, there are 3-4 grams of water. This explains why people immediately lose weight when they switch to a low-carb diet, which reduces glycogen stores.

Carbohydrates also stimulate an increase in insulin levels, which increases sodium retention and water reabsorption in the kidneys. Low-carbohydrate diets cause insulin levels to decrease and excess sodium and water to be introduced into the kidneys. Try changing your carbohydrate intake and see how the swelling goes down.

Pivot tables for products, dishes and drinks

The following tables of products with GI and GL indicators are not exhaustive or final.

Each product is rated on a scale of 100, where:

a glycemic “glucose” index below 40 is characterized by absence, from 40 to 70 - by a moderate, and above 70 - by a rapid insulin response;
the glycemic load is considered low with values from 0 to 10, medium - from 11 to 19, high - more than 20, and the total daily value should range from 60 to 150 units.

The “General Rating” from 0 to 10 characterizes the product solely from the point of view of weight loss, where 0 means the product is not recommended for use. When deriving this assessment, the totality of all components was taken into account - GI, GL, calorie content and the quantitative ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.