The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (69 page)
Will you have a kitchen at your vacation destination, or will you be depending on restaurants?
Having a kitchen handy makes a huge difference for your vacation. When you have your own kitchen, you can shop at the local grocery store and create some fabulous healthy meals while limiting how much you eat out. If eating out is your only option, that's okay. Just start looking at the local restaurants online to make sure you have basic-meal options. If your only options are restaurants that offer big, elaborate meals, you'll be more likely to overindulge at every meal, which will inevitably lead to weight gain.
Do you have a long drive to get to your destination?
If the answer's yes, pack a cooler with some sandwiches, fruits, and other healthy snacks. That way you'll have less of a need to stop for fast food while you're on the road.
Do you know the person serving the meal at the party?
If so, then you probably know her style of cooking. If she tends to prepare high-glycemic, high-calorie dishes most of the time, then eat lighter meals for the rest of the day.
Is the event a holiday meal where you know exactly what will be served?
A lot of families have traditional menus for holidays such as Thanksgiving. When you know the menu in advance, you can better plan how to balance out your plate. Load up your plate with the healthier foods and go easy on the high-glycemic, high-calorie foods. Stick to your top-three high-glycemic favorites and just eat smaller amounts, as explained in the earlier "Discovering moderation with high-glycemic, special-occasion foods" section.
Is the event a one-time party where you have no idea what will be served?
Don't worry too much! Make your best choices and remember that one meal isn't going to blow everything for you. Go for a walk that morning to get a little extra movement in for the day.
Respecting your host
When you're invited to a dinner party or other event, never tell your host that you're following a low-glycemic diet and ask him or her to change the menu just for you. If you have food allergies or a gastrointestinal disorder that keeps you from eating certain items, that's one thing. Demanding healthier alternatives to complement your weight-loss program is another thing entirely. Your host may have other guests he or she needs to accommodate, and it can be overwhelming (not to mention downright rude and insulting) to receive many different requests to meet everyone's needs.
Remember:
To avoid disrespecting your host while still sticking to your low-glycemic lifestyle, offer to bring a low-glycemic side dish (without making a big deal that it's low-glycemic). Or just ask what your host is planning on serving so you can be prepared.Here's a tip: If you want family and friends to ask about your dietary preferences, then make the effort to do that yourself whenever you host a party. Ask your guests, particularly if the party is a small affair, whether they have any special dietary considerations. Not only will people be appreciative that you asked, but they may even pick up on your cue.
Volunteering to bring a low-glycemic side dish
When the special occasion is a
potluck
(where everyone attending contributes a dish) or a gathering thrown by family or close friends, your best bet for regaining some control over your food options is to volunteer to bring a dish. No one has to know you're bringing a dish that fulfills your low-glycemic dietary guidelines. To others, you'll just be bringing a yummy, healthy-looking side.
Afraid your healthy, low-glycemic side dish won't taste good enough for a party or that people will turn up their noses? Don't be. With so many people trying to lose weight, lower their cholesterol, or manage their blood sugar, having some healthy options at a party or potluck is sometimes a relief!
As for whether people will badmouth the food you bring, well, you'd be surprised how much people can enjoy good-tasting healthy food when they don't realize what it is. One of my past clients brought a lowfat pumpkin pie to Thanksgiving with very picky relatives (as in the kind who immediately assume something tastes boring or bland if it's healthier). My client just brought the pie and didn't say a word about it. Guess what? She got rave reviews, and some of her relatives even asked for the recipe. At that point, she had to let the cat out of the bag and tell them it was actually a lowfat, low-calorie version of traditional pumpkin pie, but by then the "damage" was already done: She'd successfully introduced her family to a healthier way of eating without them even realizing it!
Check out Part IV of this book to find tasty recipes for any meal or occasion.
Presenting the Best Low-Glycemic Food Picks for Special Occasions
A low-glycemic diet doesn't restrict your food choices too much for special occasions. In fact, because a low-glycemic lifestyle is all about moderation, you can rest easy knowing that having a few medium- to high-glycemic items once in a while won't ruin your efforts.
Whether you're at a holiday gathering, on vacation, or at a party, you can almost always find some good choices. The following sections cover your top low-glycemic picks for these three main types of special occasions.
Holidays
The fall and winter holidays are often the most challenging time for many people working toward a health goal such as weight loss. The core culprit? All those goodies just hanging around at work and at home. However, when you really look at it, many holiday meal items work beautifully with your low-glycemic diet. Here are some top picks for the holidays:
Halloween: