Hi, anyone heared of that new diet, the DI diet, its the latest crazed diet like the atkins one!?

What exactly do you have to do on that one, i went on its website but didnt quite get it???
any help?
Sophie.

My ex husband has taken it upon himself to put my 12 nearly 13 year old on it :( I have yet to send him an e-mail about it as I am still quite angry and need to be calm on replying asking him why on earth does he feel the need to put a very healthy young girl on a diet sending messages to her that she is over weight :( She is verging on the thin side and has a very healthy appetite and eats a very good balanced diet. What an idiot :(

Sorry rant over :)

Lucy
xx

I think it depends on if he has devised a reducing diet for her.  The Gi Diet as it stands seems to me a very healthy eating plan as it is based on low glycaemic index foods such brown bread, brown rice, oats etc.  Another principle is deviding food into equal meals in terms of calories which means a good amount for breakfast which has been shown by research to be very beneficial for childrens level of attention in school etc.  It also works on the principal of keeping the digestion busy throughout the day making for a good steady release of insulin in fact it is very similar to the diets observed by diabetics.  In general the foods that are regarding as good in the diet are very in line with Health Department advise in terms of lower levels of fats, higher levels of fibre etc so I would not worry as it seems to me he is mearly encouraging a good healthy eating style although I agree with you it would be better in psychological terms if her did not use the work diet, which has been hijacked for use generally only in reducing terms, rather that eating plan.

Whilst I agree with you, that to suggest to a healthy young girl who is, as you say verging on the thin side, is an absolute no-no - there is enough pressure on girls to be "thin" which generally means they look as if they are starving, actually, the GI diet is a pretty good way of life.

Unlike the Atkins Diet, which bans most carbohydrates, especially in the early stages, GI diets actively encourage you to eat many carbohydrates and antioxidant-rich fruit and veg. The diet is also high in fibre which means you're less likely to get constipated and, because carbohydrate isn't restricted to any great degree, you won't get the other unpleasant side effects associated with the Atkins Diet, such as bad breath and headaches. GI diets also tend to follow healthy eating guidelines and are low in fat, especially saturates. And if that's not enough, GI diets are much easier to follow if you are a vegetarian!

Have a look at this website http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/gi_diet.htm

Margot

Snap!!

Margot

The confusion comes from the word 'diet' which is commonly taken to mean eating to lose weight.  The GI 'diet' is in fact just a healthy eating plan.  Whatever you eat is your 'diet' and this GI plan aims to keep blood sugar levels constant, with no big highs/lows.  I am trying to introduce some of its low scoring foods into our diets for the whole family as it seems to me to be an extremely healthy way of eating.  Its a shame really that they use the word 'diet' at all as it conjures up the wrong ideas in people.  Apparently losing weight on the 'eating plan' is merely a byproduct and does not always happen anyway.

Fiona

Yes, the others who have posted saying it is a healthy eating plan are exactly right.  I think it is a shame they call it a diet.  It can be but can also be a plan for anyone to follow.  The foods are categorised and if you are losing weight you stick to predominantly green foods.  If it isn't for weight loss you can mix and match more.  But the idea is that you are eating low GI indexed food which release their sugars more slowly thus satisfying you longer and giving you more energy.  Green carbs include brown rice, multigrain bread, bulgar wheat, sweet potatoes and the ideal breakfasts are traditional porridge (not instant) or high fibre cereal or muesli but you can vary it. If you are using the plan for losing weight then you are advised to eat some low GI foods in small quantities because they are still high fat eg peanut butter. 

It is definately a diet :) It's just the word has become confused since it has been hijacked to mean a reducing or slimming diet.  Diet should not mean reducing unless it says so.