Hi! I am about to clean my refrig out and do some 'good food' shopping, so that I can begin my eathing healthier plan tomorrow, first thing! I have been living in The Netherlands for the past 17 years and have followed the Montignac Diet several times with much success. I've now been in Florida for less than a year and I'm putting on weight, due to the combination of lack of exercise (In Holland, we bike and walk everywhere!), and the temptations of unhealthy foods here in The States. So, if there's anyone who is on any type of Mediterranean diet (Somersizing, combination diets), please let me know! I'll need the support!
Thanks!

hi Marfiah, and welcome to the board!

I'm not following either Montignac or Sommers, but various people here are...one way to find them is to try a search (little globe icon in upper right hand of your screen) of the journals for "montignac" and see if anyone's journal pops up!

I guess in Florida, it'd be most comfortable to do one's outdoor exercise very early, eh? Or take up swimming!

Hello

Good luck on your diet. I have just started the Montignac plan as well. I have about 18kgs (40lbs) to lose. I live in Richmond, London. I am no expert on the plan, but I thought you might like to correspond with someone who is starting at the same time. Living in Richmond upon Thames I walk a lot. I used to go to Amsterdam and Leiden a lot on business, so I know what you mean about walking. I think it is a European thing, and when I lived in the US (Boca Raton and New Orleans) people used their cars for even the shortest journeys, so I know your difficulty. I also lived in NZ and people walk there too.

I am happy to share any recipes I concoct and would welcome your tips and recipes as well.

One of my problems is that I eat even when I am not hungry, but I am bored or stressed, especially in the evening. I don't eat bad things, but my body doesn't need it and hence I am becoming chubbier and chubbier. I am 5'2" and weigh 148lbs.

I have been on Scwarzbein for 5 months. and haven't lost anything and I am also 5ft. 2in. and 137lbs. not gaining. nor losing. Could you please tell me the guide lines of this the Montignac diet is.

This diet was devised by a Frenchman, Michel Montignac and is based on eating foods which have a low glycemic index (under 50). He has written several books and the one I am following is called Eat yourself slim...and stay slim!

It is a low carbohydrate diet, eliminating sugars, but differs from the Atkin diets in that less fat such as butter and cream is allowed. You can eat a wide range of fruit and vegetables. It is similar to the Sugar Busters diet, but again differs in key areas.

However the food range is wide and the diet is relatively easy to follow at home or dining out.

You really need to read the book to understand it, but you can consult some good glycemic indices on the web. If you do a search on Michel Montignac you will come up with his web site which gives more information on the regime.

Hope this helps.

I was just looking up the book to purchase and he has another one called The Montignac Method just for Women. Has any one read this book and if so is it better or the same then his other book because it's $40. 00. But since I am 50 the diet might be different. I hate buying another book I have so many already. I tried getting it at the library but they didn't have it.

So any help I can get to start would be helpful. I also went to the web site and that helped a little. I tried to subscribe but the page wouldn't come up.

I just would like to know a typical days menu. I understand you shouldn't go over 35 grams of carbs at any meal.

Thanks

Hello Jan

I looked at several of the Michel Montignac books before I started the plan including: Dine out and lose weight (the first of his books), The Montignac Method - Just for women, Recipes & Menus and Eat yourself slim...and stay slim!. I think the last book is the best. It cost £12 (about US$18) in the UK (no tax on books here). The Just for Women book was the same price, but contained a lot less information.

Banned foods include: Sugar, potatoes, beetroot (beets?) cooked carrots, rice, turnips, parsnip, pumpkin, swede (rudabaga?) gnocchi, sweet corn, millet, pastas, noodles or macaronis, ravioli, lasagne, maltodextrine, aspartame, processed mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, puff pastry, quiches, pancakes, souffles, blinds, toasts, croutons, pizzas, doughnuts, cheese fondue, filter or instant coffee, sodas and diet sodas, bananas, melon, popcorn, industrial orange juice, chestnut, cystallised fruit, tinned (canned) fruit salad, all bread except wholemeal organic bread (feed labels carefully), honey, maple syrup, all buns, cakes, cookies.

I've tried to put the American names for foods alongside those used in Europe/Australasia, but if I have them wrong, my apologies.

My typical day's menu would be:

Breakfast: Large oat porridge (oatmeal) made on the stove with skim milk. No added sweetener except four organic dried apricots which I had chopped small and soaked overnight. Three cups of weak black tea, but water is probably better, but the English couldn't live without their tea! This doesn't differ much from my normal breakfast. You could instead have a peach (eat any fruit at least 30 mins before other food) a slice of wholemeal bread, sugar free jam (jelly) made without sugar, sweetener or grape juice (fructose is okay), weak tea or if you can't live without it, decaffeinated coffee with skim milk.

Lunch: any vegetable except the ones mentioned above, lentils, quinoa (a bit like rice when cooked) any fish or shell fish, eggs, meat (there are some banned meats such as sausages), poultry. Avoid the skin of poultry, fatty cuts of meat and breaded or battered fish are banned. I am having tomatoes, cos (romaine) lettuce, red capsicum (bell pepper) and drained tuna for lunch with some leftover quinoa, to which I will probably add some lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce to pep up the flavour

Dinner: use the guidelines for lunch, but lunch is typically a larger meal (not always in my case). Tonight I plan to start with a tomato and basil salad, then have a good sized salmon fillet (cooked in tinfoil (aluminium) in the oven seasoned with coriander (cilantro), black pepper and a slice of lemon. With it I will have courgette (zucchini), new season's asparagus with almonds and a green lentil sludge which tastes better than it looks. I will cook the lentils up with some flavourings and probably add some finely chopped chillis and spring onion (scallions). Green lentils have a low glycemic index. I also have a little bit of leftover tomato from last night which I might have as well. I sweated an onion in the pot with a smigden of olive oil, then added a tin of tomatoes, then some sliced capsicum and button mushrooms. I might also have a small glass of wine (allowed). It sounds a lot but I won't eat a huge amount, however I try not to eat after dinner in the evening and this should keep me going until breakfast. Immediately after dinner I brush my teeth. I also drink water or boiling water with a bit of lemon squeezed in during the evening, but not with my meal. In Europe we typically eat our evening meal later than in the US. Normally I wouldn't eat before 8:30pm, but now I am trying to eat by 7:00pm (five hours before bedtime).

If I get peckish during the day I might have some fruit and or nuts, but remember not to eat the fruit at the same as anything else. You don't eat as much fat as the Atkins diets, and the method of cooking affects the glycemic index of some foods.

I'd also advise you to check glycemic indices on the web. There is a very good Australian one, and I will send you a link if I can find it.

I hope this helps. By the way, the diet is easy to follow, It is popular in Europe and also in the French speaking parts of Canada and Australasia. Famous devotees of Montignac include Kylie Minogue. Why don't you go to your local bookshop and flick through Montignac's books to see if they suit you before purchasing.

Thank you OB2Slim for answering alot of questions. What is the rule for fat, I noticed you said a smidgion of fat. Is there any rules for combining certain foods together?

This way of eating seems very restrictive compared to the Schwarbein Principle and Somersizing. I happen to like cheese where would that fit in?

I also tried to get the book at our local book store but there supplier didn't have it. So I might go online to Amazon and get it.

One last question is a carbohydrate indix the same as the glygemic count?

Thanks Again,
Jan9

You can eat cheese at any time, including soft cheeses such as brie and camembert, but in moderation. Try and stick to cheeses that are not overly processed. I know from living in the US for a few years, American cheese typically is very highly processed, almost orange in colour and has doesn't seem to have much flavour. Europeans tend to eat cheeses from specific regions, each with their own distinctive flavour and generally very light in colour as no artifical additives are allowed by our strict European Community regulations. NZ cheeses are also very good, which you might find in the US.

Eating more strongly flavoured cheeses will be more satisfying and you will likely eat less. Part of the Montignac philosophy is to eat food which has little or no processing, because processing raises the glycaemic index. Zero fat, soft white cheese (cottage cheese, etc) low in carbohydrates (approx 5%) is recommended, providing it has been well strained to remove the whey which contains lactose (disaccharide/sugar). Creamy white cheeses that have been homogenised by an industrial process (cream cheese) are best avoided.

I have eaten stilton, gorgonzola, strong matured cheddar, red leicester, cantal and tomme. I might have several different cheeses at the end of a meal, but on their own. Don't combine them with crackers, bread, fruit, etc.

As for fat, yes you can have cold pressed olive oil, plus a couple of others, but I forget which. Again think about minimal processing in extracting the oil. Cut the fat off meats and don't eat the skin on poultry and don't eat anything deep fried. Fish oils found in mackerel, salmon, etc are particularly recommended.

You can also eat nuts which contain fat. In fact peanuts have a GI of only 20. You shouldn't overdo the nuts though, I think I might have been doing that and it will slow down weight loss.

I also have the no or low fat versions of yoghurt. I buy the plain unsweetened yoghurt and sweeten it myself with soaked, finely chopped dried apricots, ripe cherries, etc.

Fructose is allowed, and apparently there is a sweetener called stevia is okay. The book says the best one comes from Paraguay. Oddly enough I haven't needed to sweeten anything apart from using fruit. Before I started the diet I would crave sweet things, particularly chocolate and I could eat 200gm at one sitting. I could also eat a whole packet of chocolate biscuits (cookies). A little chocolate is allowed, it must contain not less then 70% cocoa, but dark, strong chocolate like that is my favourite, however I haven't even been tempted.

Meals should be either:

A carbohydrate/protein mix with no saturated fats and little poly or mono unsaturated fats. Carbohydrates must have a glycaemic index below 50.
Or, a protein/lipid mix (lipids are fats). This means meat together with fat, but minimal fat. Carbohydrates with a very low glycaemic rate such as green lentils, chick peas mushrooms, tomatoes, aubergines (egg plant), capsicums (red bell peppers), salad and green vegetables are allowed with this mix.

I don't know whether the glycaemic (US spelling glycemic) index is the same as a carbohydrate count. It does signify the amount of carbohydrate but the GI can change depending on the way something is processed or cooked.

I don't find the diet restrictive. There are 2 Phases. The first is to lose the weight, and the second is much more relaxed to maintain the new weight. I am two weeks into Phase I, and because the food is satisfying I didn't weaken over Easter and feel really well. I like to cook and have never eaten a lot of ready-made, processed or takeaways (hamburgers, pizzas, etc) so it might be easier for me. I am almost enjoying it, because I am cooking things I never had before and some them are really tasty. For instance green lentils. Yesterday I soaked some then cooked them up, then pureed them with lots of fresh mint, chives, juice of half a lemon, fresh black pepper and salt. We ate it hot alongside skinned chicken breast sprinkled with cajun seasoning before cooking in tinfoil in the oven, lightly steamed petit pois (tiny fresh peas) and fresh vine tomatoes and the lentil mix was really outstanding and everyone wanted more.

I meant to say last time that I think the Montignac plan is suited for people of all ages. I know you asked me last time. It is a plan for life and is well balanced, but like normal eating, you must design your meals to ensure you get a balanced diet containing sufficient vitamins, minerals, protein, fruit/veg, etc.

Hope this helps. Good luck. It would be great if you started the diet, then we could compare notes. Converting from centimetres and kilos to Imperial measurements, I am 5'2" and want to get back down to 110, and have 35 pounds to lose. I'm in my early forties and have never been this heavy before. I have had success with weightwatchers in the past, but the Montignac approach appeals because it is not necessary to count calories or units.

Here's a good site to look at a range of foods.http://www.glycemicindex.com/
If you find a more comprehensive one, please let me know.

I read "Eat and Stay Slim" end of last August and immedately followed the diet and lost 25lb. by Christmas. I was never a big sweet eater and never used to eat fat. Now I eat fat (butter on 12 grain toast for breakfast ) and sour cream gravies. Also enjoy eating cheese. My problem is I would like to loose another 10lb, any suggestions as to how to drop those final lbs?

Hi O2BSLIM,

Thank you for all your help!

I think I understand the diet pretty well and I have a book called The Glucose Revalution which I will read again it should help me with the glycemic index.

You mentioned not to eat friut with anything but I noticed you put dried friut in your yoghurt. I eat alot of yoghurt and I like to put frozen strawberries and yoghurt in a blender it tastes like ice cream. ( I guess that would be a no no!)

Next what do you mean by Whole meal bread. I make my own bread and use whole wheat and oatmeal plus some grain cereal would that be okay?

I am a little confused about the protien/fat. Does that mean if you cook with or have oil on your salad that would be a protien/fat? Would cheese be considered a fat in this case, if so how long would you have to wait to eat the cheese?

I think that is all I am confused about. I am going to try your lentil dish that sounds really good.

Thanks Again,I think I am going to give this a try it might not work because I think I might have a problem with my thyroid. I am checking my basal temperature for a month to see if it's a problem. I am 5ft. 2 and I would like to get down at least 10lbs. more would be great.

Jan9

There are some exceptions to the "no fruit with meals" recommendation. By the way, Montignac says "Ideally, fresh fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach. This advice has nothing to do with helping us lose weight, but rather to help ease our digestion." He goes on about the way it digests and ferments in our stomachs, etc and advises eating fruit on an empty stomach to stop digestion and wind problems.

The exceptions are low sugar fruit which can be eaten with/after other foods, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants, bilberries. I am sure that logan berries, boysenberries, black and white currants are also allowed.

You should be okay with your yoghurt and strawberries. That sounds great, do you freeze it, and do you add anything else because I might try making that. I presume you use fresh strawberries, or do you use frozen fruit to make it like ice cream? We can buy a frozen mix here called summer fruit (used to make summer pudding, a really popular and yummy dessert) which contains strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and currants which might work too.

Cooked fruits can be eaten too, because being cooked they will be unable to ferment in the stomach. I chop three or four dried apricot halves into a small pieces, pour on boiling water, sometimes give them a minute in the microwave, and then put them in the fridge overnight. They are lovely and plump and tasty in the morning and make the porridge really nice. I must admit that because I love oranges, I often eat an orange soon after a meal and have suffered no ill effects.

About the bread issue, I have been avoiding bread so you will need to read the book on this. Certain grains are allowed, and he talks about the lower GI of unrefined organic flour, less processing, etc. I know rye is okay because ryvita crackers are allowed. Pumpernickel is also allowed, as are oats so oat flour should be okay. You can also get quinoa and soy milled into flour, both of which are allowed. Even so, I think in Phase I bread should only be eaten at breakfast, and then only one slice. I think I would find home baked bread too tempting and would eat too much. Also no butter in Phase I. Margarine, even that made from olive oil, is not recommended because of the processing, but you can have soft white cheese.

The book is 230 pages and packed with detail, some of which I can't recall. That's why you probably need the book to follow the plan. Certainly you can use some oil when cooking, because he does in the recipes supplied in the book, but it don't go overboard with it. I've stuck with olive oil because I already use it. He also suggest others, but I forget which ones they are and I can't find it in the book just now as oils/fats appear in so many places according to the index.

I feel really well and full of energy on this diet. I also take a multi-vitamin and a kelp tablet every day, something I did before starting on the Montignac plan. Kelp is supposed to stop the metabolism becoming sluggish. You don't have much to lose, but I think you find the benefit of the plan not only in Phase I, but in Phase II where you need to maintain your weight at your ideal level.

Congratulations on losing 25lbs. You are more advanced than me on Montignac, but it sounds as if you are stuck on the final 10lbs. Do you eat many nuts or high fat content foods? From reading other Montignac postings on the web, they advise on Phase I to reduce the fat intake if you stall. I guess the other thing would be check the amount water you are drinking and how much exercise you are taking. I put a link to a web site up that I thought you might find useful, but I forgot to write my message.

Looking at you screen name, I wondered if you are originally from NZ. I lived there for many years (mainly Takapuna on Auckland's north shore), and now live in London. I was back in NZ in February, and it was as good as ever.