Fit 'N' Well: Recommended Reading

Rick Gallop is the past president of the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Ontario. At Fit 'N' Well we highly recommend his books. They are easy to read, his suggestions are easy to follow and his recipes are fantastic! Following the glycemic index is not a fad, it is a very effective way of losing weight and then permanently keeping it off.

We highly recommend this book the 'the g.i. diet'. It is very similar to the Diabetic Diet and is a very healthy way of losing weight and maintaining weight loss. The book has a very good reference portion where you can look up foods to determine whether or not they are healthy weight loss choices or perhaps a food that should be consumed more sparingly. The diet recommends that half of your daily calories come from water-rich vegetable sources, while 25% come from good quality, high fibre starches. The remaining 25% of your diet comes from protein sources. Click on the book to order your copy.

Gallop is a past president of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, and for this book he turned to Emily Richards, co-host of "Canadian Living Cooks," to come up with recipes for the G.I. Diet. Gallop uses a simple traffic light analogy to help readers cut out the most damaging "red light" foods and choose "green light" foods that allow one to lose weight. Foods to be avoided include some well-known dietary hazards such as doughnuts, potato chips, and hot dogs, but more surprisingly, melba toast, turnips, and watermelon are also off-limits. "Your body digests them so quickly that you are hungry again an hour later," Gallop warns. Foods that get the green light are offered in more than 100 varied and tasty recipes, including Berry Crepes, Smoky Black Bean Soup, Garlic Shrimp Pasta, and Pork Tenderloin with Grainy Mustard and Chive Crust. And since this isn't a deprivation diet, the luscious desserts include Baked Chocolate Mousse and Glazed Apple Tart. Living the G.I. Diet is not based on fads or faulty science but on choosing healthful, heart-smart foods. Losing weight is just a nice side benefit. --Carolyn Leitch

Whether you’re already losing weight on the G.I. Diet or have just decided to start the foolproof plan, The G.I. Diet Guide to Shopping and Eating Out is the perfect tool for you. Small enough to fit in a jacket pocket or purse, this handy little book contains everything you need to know to stock up on the right foods and find delicious green-light options on every restaurant menu. As Rick Gallop points out, you need never break your diet to enjoy a celebratory dinner out with friends or a quick bite at a fast-food joint — there are always green-light options, no matter where you go.

Can teenagers follow the guidelines of the glycemic index? How do you prepare dinner so that you don't have to make one meal for the kids and one meal for the adults? What if you are breast feeding? This book has all the answers for the family. It will be out in December, 2005. Order your copy now and it will arrive in the mail as soon as it is in.