[Montignac] newbie bit confused and scaredy!

[firstclass]

Hi there

I'm new to this forum and to the Montignac diet - bought the book 'Eat yourself Slim and stay slim' before xmas but couldn't really get to grips with it.
I like the sound of this way of eating but I found the book so contradictory and confusing. For instance, he says in one place butter is a no-no in phase one but in the menu plans it says slice of wm toast with butter .....???? :(
I am also unclear over the role of things like sauces. In Atkins you can have sauces made of mushrooms and cream, but I cant figure out if cream is forbidden or just not to be used too often. Does anyone have any recipes for sauces for veges or meat?
I have to watch my fibre intake as well.
I tried Atkins (successfully) a while ago but when I lapsed my innards couldnt seem to handle it - I ended up in hospital with suspected appendicits. some time later I was following Atkins again, but again ended up in hospital with severe and undiagnosable stomach pains. (Double dose of morphine amount of pain!!!!) :(

Before Xmas I bought a book called Low Carb Meals inminutes and I lost weight but when I lapsed over Xmas I ended up very poorly again. I am hopeful that this WOL will be a better plan for me. I certainly like the emphasis on fresh veg and wholesome meal plans. I just wish the book was a bit clearer.

Any support will be very very gratefully received!!! :)

Lynn-Marie

[lkonzelman]

Hi Lynn-Marie -

I saw your post and just wanted to welcome you. I am an Atkins person and don't know how to answer your questions but I wish you the best.

[Megan200]

Hi there,
The book I read was Eat Yourself Slim - perhaps you have a newer addition with the extended title.

Although Montignac's main message was convincing, I did get frustrated by all the contradictions in the book. What I have discovered (& I've now been at my goal weight for 8 months) is:
1) Cream & butter seem to be fine - I typically make tomato based sauces, but I also use olive oil liberally & have a cream sauce once every one or two weeks. I also cook with coconut milk every so often - it's very rich, but with a low GI, it's never had a negative impact on my weight.
2) It's OK to launch right into maintenance and eat anything with a GI of 50 or lower - I still lost weight quickly & never felt deprived
3) He's wrong about eating fruit at the beginning of a meal (unless he's revised this). I always eat fruit after having protein and vegetables first. I had gestational diabetes during pregnancy & had to test my own bood sugar after every meal - I know that fruit raises blood sugar enormously if you eat it on an empty stomach, but that it doesn't if you have other food in your system.
4) Other alcohol (besides red wine) doesn't make my weight go up, as long as I drink only 1 or max 2 drinks after a full balanced dinner. You can also have dessert (in extreme moderation - e.g. 1/4 serving), if you've been very careful with the overall GI of the meal you eat first - I've only done this on special occasions, but what this means is that, if you do happen to blow it, all is not lost.

Overall I'm very happy with my modified Montignac Method. For the most part I eat like a normal person - lots of fruits, vegetables, protein and whole grains. I feel like it's going to be very easy to stick to this for the rest of my life. Basically just avoid junk, potatoes (except new) & the starchier pastas.

Good luck

[firstclass]

Hi Megan :wave:

Thanks for the information.
I have to say I like this WOE better than Atkins. I like bacon and eggs for breakfast but every day got a bit much - I like having muesli and porridge.

I have been studying the book again - the tables of glycemic values has been very helpful. I am trying to balance my days to a protein meal, a wholegrain/legume meal and a low glycemic carb meal. So far I really like what I am eating and dont feel at all deprived - I even sat next to someone eating a large bar of chocolate today and I didnt wimper once! :D
I have stopped wanting to snack in the evenings - and I love being able to eat fruit. That was one of the things I hated abot Atkins.

Well done on your weight loss and good luck with the maintainance. :thup:

I dont really expect to lose any weight this week as its my period :( but I hope once thats over I will see some more fat go.

Lynn-Marie

[Megan200]

Congratulations on being able to say no to chocolate - this woe is so amazing - I had a chocolate bar a day habit before I started this.
It's nice to have someone else doing Montignac - this area doesn't seem to get much traffic, but I do find it such a great plan.

Since (I think) you have a more updated version of the book, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?

How does Montignac now feel about bananas, pinapple & canteloupe?
I know these are forbidden on some plans & berries are recommended instead. I would rather eat fresh fruit than frozen, and berries are out season here.

I've been afraid to try these fruits, because he was so against them, but I wonder if I had some underripe banana or canteloupe, if it would be any worse than having kiwi or organges which I currently eat to get vitamin C?

Anyway - good luck in getting going.

[Spang]

Hi there!

Welcome fellow British Isles Montignacer!

I thoroughly recommend the following site for more info about Montignac / GI based eating plans - http://www.mendosa.com/gi.htm

It's been a lot more helpful to me! Based on this, I'm planning on reading this book it recommends
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1569245061/ref=cm_wl_ovu-pg.1-pos.9/103-1937263-7869465?v=glance&coliid=IXHVNMFKSTJ75&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Also, you could pick up one of the Montignac cook books - they are somewhat helpful in figuring out what is acceptable and what is not, especially when you are starting out on the plan. I refered to these cookbooks rather than trying to construct the correct food groups that Eat Slim.... talks about, it takes the headache out of it.

a) butter good or bad:- Butter very bad when cooking with it, i.e. clarfying and melting, such as in sauces, baking etc. This is not neccessarily due to the bad effects that Montignac says to avoid, but is due to the possibility of carcenogenic effects when butter breaks down in this way. Therefore - butter on some warm toast (although bread isn't really good for phase 1) is "ok" when used in extreme moderation.

b) Chocolate - there is no reason you need to avoid chocolate on the Montignac method. It is perfectly acceptable to eat chocolate that has over 70% cocoa solids in it. This is basically dark chocolate - but check on the label, some dark chocolate still has sugar as the main ingredient. I know in the UK it states the cocoa solid content (unlike here in the states so much). Black and Green in the UK makes an excellent chocolate - you can find it at health stores, and Waitrose at the very least! You can use this for a chocolate mousse that is divine, in the montignac cook book.

c) Bananas, Pineapple and Canteloupe - Montignac doesn't like them at all - especially bananas and cantelope (or any melon) because they have a very high GI... However - they have a very low glycemic load, which is explained more in the first web site I mentioned above. Personally - I'd go for cantelope over bananas any day.

I've been eating on montiganc for over 6 months, basically following eat slim and stay slim, and his cook book. I lapsed TOTALLY over Christmas, and did not put 1 pound back on.

Spang

[mkm]

Hi,

I started with Montignac but ended up eating only protein meals, so I switched to Aktins.

I have interpreted Montignac (do not think that he is very clear in his book), that cream and butter would be OK - in moderate amounts for lunch.

I have found 85% chocolate (Lindt) - even less sugar in it!

You may want to read Suzanne Somers' books about Somersizing. She uses the same theories as Montignac, but are more distinct.

Good luck!

--Maria

[firstclass]

Hi Magen

bananas are in the 'forbidden' list in the book BUT on his diet website (I thought I would subscribe for a few weeks for the advice more than anything), I was told I can eat bananas occasionally but only last thing at night as a snack, or on an empty stomach. Pineapple is in the 'okay but not too many and eat as above' list but I can find no mention of canteloupe or any other melon.

I am feeling so well on this diet and I love the food - such a better variation than on Atkins I find. I cant believe how un-hungry I am - I have stopped snacking!!! and no problems with me innards either!

Spang, that is good about you not putting the weight back on over Xmas even tho' you lapsed - he says that in the books, that once your body is really atuned to this WOE that it will forgiveyou the occasional lapse. I had a minor lapse on Sunday night - my DH had made some lovely smelling bread in our breadmaker and a cream sponge cake for him and the kids (He waits till now??????) and I sucumbed to one slice of fresh bread and one moderate slice of the cake. But I forgave myself and today I have not been tempted!

Lynn-Marie

[Spang]

Hello all

the link i posted in my first reply talks about bananas, watermelon etc and which are better.