Montignac diet: scheme and menu to follow of the low glycemic index diet that works
The Montignac Diet, a low glycemic index diet that has seduced more than 25 million people around the world, is named after its inventor. In fact, Michel Montignac was one of the first specialists, 20 years ago, to have designated changes in the rate of insulin as a factor in weight gain and to have introduced the notion of glycemic index in the diet.
The Montignac Diet allows you to lose about 4-5 kg per month, with the necessary variations from person to person. An excellent result, therefore, favored by a very useful diet also to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. It is therefore a useful diet not only for losing weight quickly, but also for leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Also because, when we go on a diet, we are all very similar ...
Montignac diet: how does it work?
The Montignac Diet is based on food choice according to their specificity and their metabolic potential: carbohydrates as a function of the glycemic index (preferably low or very low, ie <50), lipids as a function of the nature of the fatty acids contained (preferably polyunsaturated and monounsaturated), and proteins according to their origin (vegetable or animal).
The method also consists in "associate certain types of food with each other, while other categories of food must absolutely not be consumed together.
Specifically, this diet is divided into two phases: a first phase of weight loss and a second phase of stabilization and prevention.
Allowed foods and foods to avoid according to the Montignac Diet
The Montignac Diet prefers, as mentioned, foods with a low glycemic index, the best foods for weight loss. Breakfast must always be abundant, normal lunch and light dinner, plus it is possible to have a mid-afternoon snack.
All sugar, white bread and alcoholic beverages banned; almost everything: pasta, potatoes, rice and carbohydrates.
Among the foods to be preferred, because they have a low glycemic content: fruit (but always away from meals), meat, cheeses, legumes, salads, spinach, cabbage, courgettes, dark chocolate, low-fat yogurt, fish.
Here are all the low glycemic index foods to lose weight without sacrifices:
The first phase of the Montignac Diet: the scheme to follow
The goal of this first phase is twofold: to eliminate extra pounds and normalize the insulin function of the pancreas. To be effective in the long term, it must last at least 3 months.
The 9 rules to follow in this first phase:
- Never skip meals. Eat in normal quantities until full.
- Do one carbohydrate-protein breakfast (low GI carbohydrates + lean dairy proteins) or protein-lipid (cured meats, eggs, whole dairy products ... + carbohydrates with very low GI).
- Do a protein-lipid lunch or carbohydrate-protein.
- Copying dinner from lunch, but in a lighter version.
- Schedule at least 4 carbohydrate-protein meals per week.
- Eliminate the sugar completely.
- Eliminate caffeinated drinks, as they stimulate insulin secretion.
- Limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Avoid the consumption of saturated fats if accompanied by carbohydrates with a GI greater than 35.
Example of a daily menu for the first phase of the Montignac Diet
And here is an example of a menu for two typical days of the first phase of the Montignac Diet:
DAY 1
Breakfast (carbohydrate-protein): oat flakes + low-fat yogurt + strawberries + blackberries.
Lunch (protein-lipid): salad + salmon with spinach + 2-3 dark chocolate squares (+ 70% cocoa).
Snack: an Apple.
Dinner (carbohydrate-protein): vegetable soup + lentils + steamed chicken breast + peach salad.
DAY 2
Breakfast (GP): slice of wholemeal bread + low-fat fresh cheese + apple.
Lunch (PL): cucumber + mushroom + lettuce + cheese salad
Snack: a hard-boiled egg.
Dinner (GP): steamed artichokes + spaghetti with tomato sauce + low-fat yogurt.
The second phase of the Montignac Diet: the scheme to follow
The second phase is that of weight stabilization: it is the natural extension of the first phase, so the basic principles remain the same, but the choice of foods widens according to the concept of "resulting glycemic", that is the "average increase of the glycaemia obtained at the end of the meal due to the interaction between the different foods present.
Here are the 7 rules:
- Try to maintain your weight by either consuming only foods with GI lower than or equal to 50, or combining foods with high GI and foods with very low GI to achieve a resulting glycemic below 50.
- Prefer a carbohydrate-protein breakfast.
- Greater flexibility in the application of the two versions of the meals.
- Always think according to the resulting glycemic principle.
- Breaches of the rule are allowed, but we must anticipate the consumption of foods with high GI neutralizing it with foods with very low GI.
- Eat only real wholemeal bread during your protein-fat breakfast or snack. Eliminate bread during main meals.
- Indulge in 1-2 more glasses of wine provided you eat something first (proteins, lipids).
Example of a daily menu for the second phase of the Montignac Diet
Two examples of typical menu of days of the second phase of the Montignac Diet:
DAY 1
Breakfast: spinach omelette, goat cheese, raw ham.
Lunch: salad, chicken breast, low-fat yogurt smoothed with raspberries.
Snack: an Apple.
Dinner: artichokes, pasta with capers and olives, fresh cheese, strawberries.
DAY 2
Breakfast: oat flakes, skim milk, peaches.
Lunch: aubergines and green beans with basil, veal fillet, lentils, fresh figs, 1 slice of cheese.
Snack: some almonds.
Dinner: goat cheese and rocket, cockerel in wine, natural yogurt with some raspberries.
