When women want to know or ask what foods to eat so they can be skinny they are essentially looking for foods that aren’t going to promote the storage of fat. To become low glycemic a food needs to have a mixture of nutrients, be lower in overall sugars and contain a fair amount of fiber with each serving.

For example a piece of white bread is a high glycemic food because it consists of processed and refined flour. A piece of whole-grain bread would be a lower glycemic food because it contains a good amount of fiber and other nutrients that would slow down the absorption of your food.

You should choose foods that are either a good source of fiber or contain some protein and fat so that it is a lower glycemic food choice. Though you also need to look at the big picture and look at what else you are eating for that meal since it is all digested at the same time.

When deciding on a meal you want a balance of a lean protein source, 1-2 servings of vegetable and/or fruit and 1 serving of a higher fiber whole-grain carbohydrate food choice. When eating balanced like this your total glycemic level will be lower, which means your blood sugar levels don’t rise as high and your body promotes fat usage for energy instead of fat storage.

When you eat a lean protein source at your feeding opportunities you are also releasing a hormone called glucagon that is the opposite of insulin and counteracts the effect of insulin by promoting the release of fat to be used as energy instead of storing it.

So my answer to women who want to know what foods to eat to be skinny I would say plenty of foods can as long as you eat them at the right time and in the correct portions. The best way to be skinny is to eat a lean protein source at every feeding opportunity and a vegetable that is a good source of fiber. Stay away from the high sugar soft drinks or fast foods items that are high in fat.

If being skinny is your goal or you can’t lose the weight to fit into that dress then you also have to make sure you incorporate exercise into your program. Nutrition alone may work, but your progress will be much slower. Incorporating the eating principles above along with an exercise program will have you looking stunning in that amazing dress fast!

For more about how Jayson uses low glycemic foods and carb cycling with his clients check out
CycleCarbs4FatLoss.com

Q: Mike, In the December Muscle and Fitness magazine mentions that the best carbs before workouts are slow-digesting (page 162) citing a 2007 study from the National Taiwan College of Physical Education which found that when eight male runners ran to exhaustion after eating a meal of slow-digesting carbs (Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal, fat-free milk, peaches, apples and apple juice), they ran for more than seven minutes longer than when they ate a meal of fast-digesting carbs (Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, fat-free milk, white bread, jam, a glucose drink and water) beforehand.

So I’m confused as to what type of carbs to take before a workout!

A: Good question. This is a good example of paying attention to what you are really looking at. If you were to only be able to eat before you workout and then go running to exhaustion then a slower digesting carb would be a better option (as the study shows) because it will provide a more steady stream of sugar to your body. Faster acting carbs will spike insulin levels, which in turn causes blood sugar levels to greatly decrease – causing decreased performance.

But if you are training with weights and can sip on your shake throughout your workout then liquid/fast acting carbs and protein are a good choice because you will be giving your body a constant stream (due to the continued sipping) of glucose while at the same time spiking insulin levels (which helps prevent muscle breakdown).

So stick with the liquid carbs and protein before/during/after your training.