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In fact, known only colloquially as a diet, it is an innovative way of eating, and in a sense, a nutritional concept. It was created to help people who are on or are planning to start losing weight. It is also an ideal solution for those who want to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular complaints. This diet also helps prevent diabetes. What is the Montignac Diet and where did it come from? It was developed by Dr. Michael Montignac, who believes that the main problem causing weight gain is the inappropriate selection of individual products in the meal.
Montignac also assumed that counting calories is not important because it does not affect the weight gain. According to his concept, the diet should focus on controlling and reducing the consumption of foods with a high glycemic index, and increasing food intake and a lower glycemic index.
Carbohydrates characterized by an increased content of the above-mentioned index, in the long run, lead to the appearance of reduced amounts of glucose in the body, which leads to a faster feeling of hunger.
Montignac diet – principles of bulking
By consuming products with a lower glycemic index, it will be easy to monitor the amount of food consumed, without the need to use specific and burdensome methods, such as weighing products or meticulous recording of food data. In the diet described in this article, foods such as:
- candy,
- honey,
- bright bread,
- dried fruits,
- cleaned cereals,
- potatoes,
- bananas
- beer,
- white rice.
Instead, your diet should include:
- grapefruits,
- uncleaned cereals,
- oranges,
- whole grain rice,
- wholemeal pasta,
- peaches,
- lean meats
- green vegetables.
The principles of combining in the Montignac diet consist in composing dishes from the products recommended above, but not only. Their range is quite wide. It is also easy to say that it is not demanding and does not limit the possibility of preparing and eating tasty meals, because the only limitation in this case is the imagination of the cook. It is also a great way to get to know the culinary from a new perspective.
Montignac diet – menu
The menu depends, of course, largely on the person who decides to use it. As described above, using the group of products with a reduced glycemic index allows you to prepare good meals.
The use of this diet should not be interrupted in any way as it may negatively affect the overall effects. The Montignac diet menu can consist of up to four different meals, the size of which depends on individual needs. An example day might look like this:
- Breakfast: natural yoghurt with seeds, cereals and fresh fruit. Instead or additionally; wholemeal bread (both rolls and bread), with lean cottage cheese mixed with onions, peppers and chives,
- Lunch: consisting of, for example, turkey breast, fried in olive oil, with whole grain or basmati rice, and a vegetable salad.
- A snack as part of the afternoon tea could be grapefruit, a mix of nuts or smoked fish,
- The description of an exemplary dinner will be discussed in a separate paragraph devoted to it.
It is important not to combine carbohydrate products with high fat ones, because, as Montignac himself noted, unsaturated fatty acids are a big problem when it comes to burning them later.
Montignac diet – dinner
Although the majority of the society is already aware that dinner should be a light meal, eaten about 3 hours before going to bed, unfortunately it is not done, according to the example.
This is mainly due to the fast lifestyle, in which there is often no time to eat wholesome meals during the day. They are replaced at the end of the day with copious amounts of a variety of food to make up for the body’s needs throughout the day. This is a very harmful practice.
However, the Montignac diet dinner follows a completely different premise. After eating wholesome meals throughout the day, a person should not feel so hungry as in the case of the above-mentioned nutritional practices. Additionally, the core of the dinner should consist of proteins and carbohydrates. Exemplary dishes may be a cream soup, such as paprika, or a meal based on wholemeal pasta. If you do not feel hungry, it is recommended to eat natural yoghurt with sugar-free marmalade.
Health Properties of the Montignac Diet
When it comes to health aspects, one cannot ignore the issue related to its two phases of operation.
- The first one takes about three months. It is also a quite restrictive diet and you should pay attention to the absolute prohibition of combining and composing fatty and carbohydrate dishes.
You also need to follow the rules such as consuming 1.5 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight. For example, if the body weight is 75 kg, the amount of protein you eat per day is about 112 grams of protein. Meals, on the other hand, should be eaten no sooner than 3 hours after the previous meal. We also avoid snacking and properly hydrate the body. - In the second phase, equilibrium occurs. During this time, you can already combine carbohydrates with fats and eat products with a higher glycemic index occasionally
The health benefits of Montignac’s diet fit perfectly into the well-known saying “in a healthy body, a healthy mind”. This is because visible effects, such as a slim and attractive figure, are closely related to the changes that occur inside the human body. And it is thanks to them that you will definitely feel better.
Montignac diet – effects
The diet proposed by Michael Montignac has been known in the world since the 1980s. The content he presents is perceived in different ways, as it contradicts the popular belief that it is the excess amount of calories that is responsible for gaining weight. For many years, his methods have helped people struggling with cardiovascular problems or suffering from obesity and diabetes.
It is also impossible to notice that the creator of the diet described in this article has published books that are very popular. The effects of the Montignac diet are also discussed in studies that have been conducted on sugar levels and glycemic index values, and in particular those dedicated to hyperinsulinism, confirming the effectiveness of Montignac’s idea.
Opinions on the effects of the Montignac Diet – blog
Thematic blogs that describe different diets also drew attention to this innovative way of eating. It is worth reading some of them, because you can learn interesting things from it that give a slightly different view of this proposal.
It is certainly also worth consulting the idea of using this diet with a specialist (doctor or dietitian), as it may not necessarily be appropriate for every person. Opinions about the effects of the Montignac diet from health blogs will definitely help us make a decision, but the final word is ours, unless the doctor finds any contraindications.
