Kick-Start answers part II

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We've been keeping an eye on Merricke Mas and Sandy Wean for a couple of weeks as they burn those kilos with the Kick-Start plan, enjoy their easy weight loss, dust off their walking shoes and change their life.

Now it's time to kick on - and that's the hard part: how to build on your good work with a balanced, healthy eating plan.

That's where the Low-GI diet comes into play, where you eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index that are healthier and take longer to digest.

They make you feel full for a lot longer but are not easy to spot unless they are branded with the GI stamp.

Even though most fruit and vegetables have healthy low GIs, like a lot of us, Ms Mas and Ms Wean had difficulty making the transition and had loads of questions.

Ms Mas was concerned that there wasn't a specific eating plan for stage two.

"After having been on [the soup] for a week and then going back on to normal food was somewhat difficult in as much as we didn't have a fully laid out plan to go on with," she said.

So here's a plan where you can lose weight by actually eating more.

Low-GI meal planBreakfast options

• Porridge with raisins;
• Honey and banana smoothie;
• Untoasted muesli with fresh fruit;
• Buttermilk pancakes with glazed fruit;
• Sweet potato and corn hotcakes with grilled tomato.

Lunch options

• Minestrone or split pea soup;
• Pasta with pumpkin, capsicum and a white wine sauce;
• Marinated mushroom and cracked wheat salad;
• Tabouli;
• Vegetable lasagne.

Dinner options

• Spinach, fetta and bean omelette;
• Spicy beef ragout;
• Fish with sweet potato chops and roast tomatoes;
• Chilli chicken with sweet potato mash and stir-fried greens;
• Lamb and chickpea salad;
• Pork noodle stir-fry.

Desserts

• Fruit bread and butter pudding;
• Apple crumble;
• Yoghurt berry jelly;
• Fruit salad;
• Cheesecake.

The soup sisters have made those simple switches, shopping smarter in the hunt for low-GI foods.

And the low-GI foods they've switched to include: dried pasta, dried noodles, kidney beans, baked beans, canned tuna or sardines in spring water, sun-dried tomatoes, tinned fruit, Asian sauces, spices and herbs, low-fat milk, yoghurt and ice cream, eggs, low-fat cheese, beans, berries and peas.

Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, from Sydney University, leads the way in the GI revolution, which is all about smart shopping and, most importantly, increased activity.

"Exercise comes first," Professor Brand-Miller said.

"Exercise should be the absolute priority for your day. Put it at the top of your to-do list."

And remember, when it comes to exercise it's no marathon; just walking to a puff for 30 minutes a day teaches your muscles to burn fat as fuel and it even works while you sleep.

Christine has dropped two dress sizes since starting our Kick-Start plan but she is frustrated that the weight doesn't come off quicker.

"Because I'm working really hard at it. Dr D'Arcy said walk an hour a day, so I'm out there walking an hour a day," she said.

And she should stick to it but remember: Kick-Start stage two is not a rapid weight loss like Kick-Start stage one, which gives you the motivation to change your lifestyle.

And how has Christine gone with those GI pantry renovations?

"The changes we've made have been quite substantial in the fruit and veg area: we eat a lot more fruit and fresh vegetables," she said.

Christine also has substituted brown rice for white rice, eats rye biscuits instead of more fattening biscuits and has ditched her old cereals for untoasted muesli.

Of course you can still eat the soup for a snack or as a meal while you're on stage two; add some low-GI vegies and maybe half a cup of lentils for a bit of variety.

And don't forget good servings of lean beef, chicken, fish - or tofu for vegetarians - and at least three servings of low-fat dairy per day.

For stages one and two of the Kick-Start plan, a low-GI shopping list and the Kick-Start chat transcript, click on the links below.For more information about low-GI foods visit www.glycemicindex.com''Disclaimer
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