I’m now entering my eighth year of embracing a lean-protein and low-glycemic-index (low-GI) lifestyle, and I love it. Maintaining this regimen has not been a matter of discipline but rather of understanding what makes me feel and look good, while still satisfying my need for great-tasting, nutritious food. In conjunction with regular exercise, my weight has stayed constant and my motivation has remained strong.
When I decided to change my diet in 1999, I had been unable to shed the extra weight I was carrying after the birth of my third child, despite regular exercise and an extremely low-fat diet. I ate very little butter or oil, no avocados, nuts, or seeds, the occasional piece of red meat, and only a sprinkling of cheese. Low fat was my focus, with little regard for the nutritional value of my food. Eating any fat makes you fat, or so I thought. The prospect of increasing my protein and reducing my carbohydrates while enjoying the good fats seemed very attractive and manageable, and by then I was keen to try a new approach.
My first few months were fairly strict: no pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, or sugar, of course, no processed refined carbs, limited fruit (I ate mostly berries and stone fruits), and no beans or legumes. Lean protein ruled the day, with an abundance of low-GI vegetables. Saturated fats continued to be a stranger to my world, but the good fats (nuts, avocados, and olive oil) became main players.
My weight loss was steady, and with it came a terrific sense of well-being. I no longer suffered from fluctuating energy levels, bloating, and frequent indigestion—things I had commonly experienced after a low-fat, low-protein, high-carb meal. Suddenly, I was full of energy and ready for anything.
In 2002 I wrote Low Carbohydrate High Flavor Recipes, a book of simple meals that kept me in my low-carb zone. Since then, my eating regimen has expanded to include more low-GI carbs—the smart carbs that make you feel full for longer.
My concern for the rapid increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes and my passion for healthy cooking have inspired me to create this new collection of recipes. It caters to all members of the family (and I know from experience that some can be fussier than others!), using nutritiously dense foods that offer plenty of protein and are low GI. The recipes are simple and healthy, with a focus on real unprocessed food: fish, poultry, lean pork and veal, a little red meat, eggs, low-GI vegetables and fruit, legumes, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy products, and all the good fats. They are filled with flavor, so you can enjoy your mealtimes without feeling for a minute that you are missing out on anything. Welcome to the world of low GI. Just by making a few simple changes to your diet, you will increase your energy levels, assist in lowering blood cholesterol, and reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer, while achieving and maintaining your ideal body weight. Here is the road to optimum health. Enjoy!