ted on a diet is difficult, which is why so many either quit in the middle or lose interest which stops them from reaching a diet’s conclusion. Even with all of the technology that goes into most of today’s diets, it can still be difficult to find one that works specifically for you and the cravings you have. There are many diets which help you fulfill certain cravings. And for those with regular cravings for sugary treats who feel low on energy, the Glycemic Impact Diet which is based on the Glycemic Index can present a solution.

But what is the Glycemic Index? Originally developed in the early 80s to determine which foods were best for diabetics, the glycemic index, or GI is a measurement of how different types of carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels. Once digested, carbohydrates release glucose into the bloodstream. Some carbs will release glucose gradually, and others rapidly. Those which release glucose gradually have a low GI, while those releasing glucose rapidly will have a high GI.

Insulin is responsible for collecting and removing glucose from the bloodstream and delivering it to the body’s cells to be converted into fuel. When high GI foods are consumed, more sugar enters the bloodstream. This causes blood sugar to spike, resulting in a temporary boost of energy and mood. But no spike is without its crash.

The higher the GI of a particular food, the higher the levels of glucose and the more quickly it will be removed from the bloodstream, which sends the body’s sugar levels plummeting (crashing) to below normal. When this happens, you may feel tired, moody, or extremely hungry.

Should you try to assuage your hunger by consuming more food that’s high in GI during a crash, you will experience another energy boost, and inevitably another crash. Unless the cycle is broken, history will keep repeating itself, with much potential damage done to the body’s vascular system and major organs as a result.

When blood sugar levels are managed successfully, the body receives a steady supply of energy and is satisfied for much longer after a meal, making snacking much less likely. And the key to maintaining a steady blood sugar level is to eat small meals with a low GI index throughout the day.

Foods which have a low GI include beans, nuts, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and low fat dairy products. The Glycemic Impact Diet includes all of the types of foods which will help you maintain your body’s blood sugar level every day, including a list of foods to be avoided.

The GI Diet relies on the percentage of caloric intake. For successful weight loss to occur, 40% of the food consumed in one day should originate from whole grains and fruit, 30% from lean protein such as that found in chicken, and 30% from healthy fats found in nuts and olive oil. Those who love pasta will rejoice that this popular food is on the list of low to medium GI foods and so can be consumed on a regular basis.

Without the need to count calories, consult a lengthy list of disallowed foods or buy expensive prepared meals, the GI diet is one that can actually be enjoyed whether you prepare your meals at home or go out to eat. As with most diets, the addition of exercise to your regimen is highly recommended. However, if diabetic, it is strongly suggested that the effects of exercise on blood sugar levels be researched prior to beginning the plan. Those on the GI diet have experienced gradual yet steady weight loss of 1 to two pounds weekly.

You will experience a lot of benefits once you start losing weight. The idea is to get down to a healthy weight range. Here are 3 top benefits of losing weight.

· Fitting into smaller-sized clothes: This might sound obvious but if you love fashion and love to shop for clothes, then losing weight will give you pride and make you very happy. You probably get fed up of wearing dark-colored clothes just to try and hide the rolls of fat, especially during summer when the weather is so hot and sunny. Wearing bright-colored clothes is sometimes a wish for some overweight people. You have such a wider variety of styles when excess weight is lost, and you may then spend hours at the shop to decide which clothing items you love the best rather than hours searching for the one or two items that hide the rolls the best. Losing weight will bring about such benefits and the confidence to experiment with the things that you treasure: CLOTHES!

· Confidence:Although you can still have self-confidence when you are overweight or obese, you can often have more confidence when being over-weight isn’t an issue. You see, a hiding place is the fat all around the body. Sometimes, you try to hide behind the fat and find comfort in there. However, getting out and showing the person you really are to the world will make you feel so much better. Getting down to a healthy weight range can give you a boost in confidence. Doing simple day-to-day tasks can be done with more confidence and energy, leading to an overall happier person. Such tasks can include simple things such as entering the cafeteria at the place of work, going in a conference room for a meeting, or attending a party of a close friend. Being overweight makes a person much more aware of what people might be saying or thinking about you and your looks. What about wearing a bikini on the beach in summer? Being at your weight goal will provide the confidence needed to enjoy a day at the beach without having to think too much about the right postures for sitting, standing or lie around so as to hide the fat.

· Energy boost: When you lose weight, you will notice how much more energy you have and eventually you will be able to do more things. Having less weight to carry with you 24 hours 7 days a week can really lift up your spirits. Such energy can be used to do more exercise which are actually mood regulators. Energy makes people happy as you start to feel healthier and fit. Such an energy boost will give you more motivation to try out new things and aim for new challenges in life. You may then tend to find yourself doing things you never imagined you would do, such as your favorite sports or joining a dancing class!