The Montignac method is a set of principles leading to changes in eating habits. The nutritionist’s theory allows you not to limit the amount of food consumed, but to correctly formulate a daily menu, saturating the body with “good” food.
Kylie Minogue, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Renee Zellweger, Alicia Silverstone and Catherine Zeta-Jones are adherents of the French weight loss method founded by Michel Montignac.
The nutritionist suggested the most acceptable way to lose weight without limiting the amount of food you eat. His slogan “Eat to lose weight” has become a salvation for overweight people in the struggle for a slim body and a healthy body.
Don't indulge your fleeting dietary needs. Your decision to lose weight should be conscious, mature as your own choice and work for the long term. Any instant decisions inexorably lead to disappointment. Michel Montignac
General rules
The Montignac nutrition method was born in 1986 in France.
Its author, Michel Montignac, himself suffered from excess weight. Having carefully studied the peculiarities of metabolism, he developed a nutritional system, which is always accompanied by a table of glycemic indices of foods, thanks to which the author was able to lose 16 kg in 3 months. The Montignac method is not a diet that limits the amount of food for some time, but a long-term and thoughtful nutrition system, the main principle of which is the differentiation of carbohydrates and lipids in one meal.
Michel Montignac
The technique does not limit food intake and is completely balanced. The author recommends products of each group (proteins, fats and carbohydrates), based on their physicochemical characteristics and ability to stimulate metabolic processes.
All these conditions prevent excess weight gain, the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Secrets of success
Simple rules that will be the first steps to success will help you achieve a quick and effective effect. By following the recommendations, the weight loss process will be as comfortable and easy as possible:
- Throughout the diet, select foods only in accordance with the table. In the first week of Phase 1, it is advisable to choose positions with a GI score of 40.
- Meals must be separate. Always adhere to the principle of not mixing carbohydrates and fats.
- The daily diet should be built according to the principle: in the morning - carbohydrates, proteins and fiber, in the afternoon - protein, in the evening - proteins and carbohydrates or proteins and lipids.
Basic principles of the Montignac Method
The first, and also the main, principle is the choice of food products based on their physico-chemical characteristics and the ability to awaken processes associated with metabolism in the human body.
The second principle is that there is no need to count calories, since this is ineffective for quality weight loss.
- You need to choose foods with the lowest glycemic index value from those that mostly contain carbohydrates.
- Foods that are mostly lipid-containing should be selected based on their fatty acid properties. Give preference to polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6 (flaxseed and nut oils, fish oil, fish liver, shellfish), and monounsaturated fatty acids (avocado, natural peanut oil, cold-pressed olive oil). Avoid saturated fatty acids (lamb, pork, lard, butter).
- Products that mostly contain proteins must be chosen based on their origin: animal or plant.
Authorized Products
The first phase of the method is designed to reduce weight. To do this, you should significantly limit your carbohydrate intake: you can eat foods containing carbohydrates with a glycemic index value of no more than 40: wholemeal pasta, cereals, bran bread.
During this phase, the diet requires you to be saturated with foods that do not cause a spike in blood glucose .
So, during this period, fats will not accumulate in the body, and existing reserves will burn, giving energy to the digestion of complex food. Here you should give preference to products with the lowest glycemic index values: vegetables rich in fiber.
Fatty red meat is rarely included in the first phase, so it is better to exclude it altogether in favor of poultry or fish.
In the second phase, when you have already achieved the desired results in weight loss, you can eat pork, veal, dark chocolate, and drink dry red wine no more than once a week.
And, of course, in both phases it is necessary to carefully observe the drinking regime: at least 2 liters of water per day can be alternated with weak green tea.
Table of permitted products
Proteins, g | Fats, g | Carbohydrates, g | Calories, kcal | |
Vegetables and greens | ||||
eggplant | 1,2 | 0,1 | 4,5 | 24 |
beans | 6,0 | 0,1 | 8,5 | 57 |
swede | 1,2 | 0,1 | 7,7 | 37 |
zucchini | 0,6 | 0,3 | 4,6 | 24 |
cabbage | 1,8 | 0,1 | 4,7 | 27 |
cilantro | 2,1 | 0,5 | 1,9 | 23 |
bulb onions | 1,4 | 0,0 | 10,4 | 41 |
olives | 2,2 | 10,5 | 5,1 | 166 |
carrot | 1,3 | 0,1 | 6,9 | 32 |
chickpeas | 19,0 | 6,0 | 61,0 | 364 |
cucumbers | 0,8 | 0,1 | 2,8 | 15 |
olives | 0,8 | 10,7 | 6,3 | 115 |
salad pepper | 1,3 | 0,0 | 5,3 | 27 |
parsley | 3,7 | 0,4 | 7,6 | 47 |
radish | 1,2 | 0,1 | 3,4 | 19 |
arugula | 2,6 | 0,7 | 2,1 | 25 |
salad | 1,2 | 0,3 | 1,3 | 12 |
celery | 0,9 | 0,1 | 2,1 | 12 |
asparagus | 1,9 | 0,1 | 3,1 | 20 |
garlic | 6,5 | 0,5 | 29,9 | 143 |
lentils | 24,0 | 1,5 | 42,7 | 284 |
Fruits | ||||
apricots | 0,9 | 0,1 | 10,8 | 41 |
avocado | 2,0 | 20,0 | 7,4 | 208 |
bananas | 1,5 | 0,2 | 21,8 | 95 |
cherry | 0,8 | 0,5 | 11,3 | 52 |
pomegranate | 0,9 | 0,0 | 13,9 | 52 |
grapefruit | 0,7 | 0,2 | 6,5 | 29 |
pears | 0,4 | 0,3 | 10,9 | 42 |
kiwi | 1,0 | 0,6 | 10,3 | 48 |
mango | 0,5 | 0,3 | 11,5 | 67 |
nectarine | 0,9 | 0,2 | 11,8 | 48 |
plums | 0,8 | 0,3 | 9,6 | 42 |
apples | 0,4 | 0,4 | 9,8 | 47 |
Berries | ||||
cowberry | 0,7 | 0,5 | 9,6 | 43 |
strawberries | 0,8 | 0,4 | 7,5 | 41 |
strawberry | 0,8 | 0,4 | 7,5 | 41 |
currant | 1,0 | 0,4 | 7,5 | 43 |
blueberry | 1,1 | 0,4 | 7,6 | 44 |
Nuts and dried fruits | ||||
peanut | 26,3 | 45,2 | 9,9 | 551 |
walnuts | 15,2 | 65,2 | 7,0 | 654 |
cashew | 25,7 | 54,1 | 13,2 | 643 |
dried apricots | 5,2 | 0,3 | 51,0 | 215 |
almond | 18,6 | 57,7 | 16,2 | 645 |
hazelnut | 16,1 | 66,9 | 9,9 | 704 |
prunes | 2,3 | 0,7 | 57,5 | 231 |
Snacks | ||||
fruit chips | 3,2 | 0,0 | 78,1 | 350 |
Cereals and porridges | ||||
buckwheat | 4,5 | 2,3 | 25,0 | 132 |
oatmeal | 3,2 | 4,1 | 14,2 | 102 |
bulgur | 12,3 | 1,3 | 57,6 | 342 |
pearl barley porridge | 3,1 | 0,4 | 22,2 | 109 |
wild black rice | 4,1 | 0,4 | 21,0 | 101 |
barley porridge | 11,5 | 2,0 | 65,8 | 310 |
Flour and pasta | ||||
amaranth flour | 8,9 | 1,7 | 61,7 | 298 |
wheat germ flour | 33,9 | 7,7 | 32,8 | 335 |
oat bran flour | 18,0 | 7,1 | 45,3 | 320 |
Bakery products | ||||
loaf with wheat bran | 9,2 | 2,8 | 51,4 | 273 |
oatmeal bread | 10,1 | 5,4 | 49,0 | 289 |
bran bread | 7,5 | 1,3 | 45,2 | 227 |
Raw materials and seasonings | ||||
adjika | 1,0 | 3,7 | 5,8 | 59 |
basil | 2,5 | 0,6 | 4,3 | 27 |
carnation | 6,0 | 20,1 | 27,0 | 323 |
mustard | 5,7 | 6,4 | 22,0 | 162 |
ginger | 1,8 | 0,8 | 15,8 | 80 |
Italian herbs | 12,4 | 6,5 | 26,0 | 259 |
balsamic vinegar | 0,5 | 0,0 | 17,0 | 88 |
Dairy | ||||
skim milk | 2,0 | 0,1 | 4,8 | 31 |
kefir 1% | 2,8 | 1,0 | 4,0 | 40 |
Ryazhenka 1% | 3,0 | 1,0 | 4,2 | 40 |
natural yogurt 2% | 4,3 | 2,0 | 6,2 | 60 |
Cheeses and cottage cheese | ||||
mozzarella cheese | 18,0 | 24,0 | 0,0 | 240 |
cheddar cheese | 23,0 | 32,0 | 0,0 | 392 |
cottage cheese 0% (low fat) | 16,5 | 0,0 | 1,3 | 71 |
Meat products | ||||
beef | 18,9 | 19,4 | 0,0 | 187 |
Bird | ||||
chicken | 16,0 | 14,0 | 0,0 | 190 |
chickens | 18,7 | 7,8 | 0,4 | 156 |
turkey | 19,2 | 0,7 | 0,0 | 84 |
Eggs | ||||
chicken eggs | 12,7 | 10,9 | 0,7 | 157 |
Fish and seafood | ||||
green algae | 1,5 | 0,0 | 5,0 | 25 |
pink salmon | 20,5 | 6,5 | 0,0 | 142 |
dorado | 18,0 | 3,0 | 0,0 | 96 |
caviar | 36,0 | 10,2 | 0,0 | 123 |
squid | 21,2 | 2,8 | 2,0 | 122 |
flounder | 16,5 | 1,8 | 0,0 | 83 |
shrimps | 22,0 | 1,0 | 0,0 | 97 |
salmon | 19,8 | 6,3 | 0,0 | 142 |
mussels | 9,1 | 1,5 | 0,0 | 50 |
pollock | 15,9 | 0,9 | 0,0 | 72 |
shellfish | 16,7 | 1,1 | 0,0 | 77 |
octopus | 18,2 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 73 |
crayfish | 20,3 | 1,3 | 1,0 | 97 |
rapana | 16,7 | 1,1 | 0,0 | 77 |
salmon | 21,6 | 6,0 | — | 140 |
mackerel | 18,0 | 13,2 | 0,0 | 191 |
zander | 19,2 | 0,7 | — | 84 |
tuna | 23,0 | 1,0 | — | 101 |
trout | 19,2 | 2,1 | — | 97 |
Oils and fats | ||||
unrefined vegetable oil | 0,0 | 99,0 | 0,0 | 899 |
amaranth oil | 0,0 | 81,8 | 0,0 | 736 |
linseed oil | 0,0 | 99,8 | 0,0 | 898 |
olive oil | 0,0 | 99,8 | 0,0 | 898 |
animal fat | 0,0 | 99,7 | 0,0 | 897 |
Alcoholic drinks | ||||
dry red wine | 0,2 | 0,0 | 0,3 | 68 |
Non-alcoholic drinks | ||||
natural ground dry coffee | 13,9 | 14,4 | 4,1 | 201 |
instant chicory | 0,1 | 0,0 | 2,8 | 11 |
green tea | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | — |
Juices and compotes | ||||
dried fruit compote without sugar | 0,8 | 0,0 | 14,2 | 60 |
* data is per 100 g of product |
Fully or partially limited products
According to the author of the diet, the method allows you to consume absolutely all foods, be it chips, sweets, coffee, etc. Typically, relaxations in the diet are typical for the second phase, when you have already achieved certain results. And it’s worth remembering that a portion of a “bad” product will be “worked off” with a double or triple portion of products with a glycemic index value below 15 and physical activity.
Despite the loyalty of the menu, Michel Montignac pays special attention to the prohibition of potatoes, corn, pasta made from white flour, white bread and honey. By the way, boiled beets and carrots should also be replaced with fresh ones.
One way or another, over time, having experienced all the benefits of the recommended menu, you will not even remember these products.
Table of prohibited products
Proteins, g | Fats, g | Carbohydrates, g | Calories, kcal | |
Vegetables and greens | ||||
potato | 2,0 | 0,4 | 18,1 | 80 |
corn | 3,5 | 2,8 | 15,6 | 101 |
Snacks | ||||
potato chips | 5,5 | 30,0 | 53,0 | 520 |
Cereals and porridges | ||||
white rice | 6,7 | 0,7 | 78,9 | 344 |
Flour and pasta | ||||
wheat flour | 9,2 | 1,2 | 74,9 | 342 |
premium pasta | 10,4 | 1,1 | 69,7 | 337 |
Bakery products | ||||
sliced loaf | 7,5 | 2,9 | 50,9 | 264 |
wheat bread | 8,1 | 1,0 | 48,8 | 242 |
Confectionery | ||||
candies | 4,3 | 19,8 | 67,5 | 453 |
cookie | 7,5 | 11,8 | 74,9 | 417 |
Ice cream | ||||
ice cream | 3,7 | 6,9 | 22,1 | 189 |
Raw materials and seasonings | ||||
ketchup | 1,8 | 1,0 | 22,2 | 93 |
mayonnaise | 2,4 | 67,0 | 3,9 | 627 |
Dairy | ||||
yogurt miracle | 2,8 | 2,4 | 14,5 | 91 |
Activia quick breakfast | 4,8 | 3,1 | 14,4 | 107 |
Cheeses and cottage cheese | ||||
curd mass with raisins | 6,8 | 21,6 | 29,9 | 343 |
Meat products | ||||
pork | 16,0 | 21,6 | 0,0 | 259 |
salo | 2,4 | 89,0 | 0,0 | 797 |
mutton | 15,6 | 16,3 | 0,0 | 209 |
Sausages | ||||
boiled sausage | 13,7 | 22,8 | 0,0 | 260 |
smoked sausage | 28,2 | 27,5 | 0,0 | 360 |
sausages | 10,1 | 31,6 | 1,9 | 332 |
sausages | 12,3 | 25,3 | 0,0 | 277 |
Oils and fats | ||||
vegetable oil | 0,0 | 99,0 | 0,0 | 899 |
Alcoholic drinks | ||||
white dessert wine 16% | 0,5 | 0,0 | 16,0 | 153 |
vodka | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0,1 | 235 |
beer | 0,3 | 0,0 | 4,6 | 42 |
Non-alcoholic drinks | ||||
cola | 0,0 | 0,0 | 10,4 | 42 |
* data is per 100 g of product |
Montignac diet menu for a week
This is the weekly menu for the first phase of the technique. Remember to eat at the same time every day - it is forbidden to feel hungry here. You should also drink plenty of water, ginger water and weak green tea.
Rules for each meal:
- Every morning, 30 minutes before the main meal (breakfast), it is recommended to start with a portion of fresh, permitted fruit.
- Breakfasts during the first phase must contain 2 protein-lipid meals per week.
- The remaining 5 breakfasts are allowed porridge (usually oatmeal), cooked in water or skim milk without butter, combined with a sandwich of wholemeal bread, cottage cheese and vegetables.
- Lunch in the first phase is always protein-lipid: a combination of meat, fish or poultry, eggs with fresh vegetables.
- For lunch, you can use homemade mayonnaise: without sugar, flour, glucose, starch.
- Dinner in the first phase can be protein-lipid (3-4 times a week) or protein-carbohydrate (3-4 times a week).
- The basis of the diet is separate meals: cereals/rice + vegetables, meat/poultry/fish + vegetables.
- Try to use any oil when preparing dinner in minimal quantities, and also do not season vegetable salad with oil.
Monday
Breakfast |
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Dinner |
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Dinner |
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Tuesday
Breakfast |
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Dinner |
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Dinner |
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Wednesday
Breakfast |
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Dinner |
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Dinner |
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Thursday
Breakfast |
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Dinner |
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Dinner |
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Friday
Breakfast |
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Dinner |
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Dinner |
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Saturday
Breakfast |
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Dinner |
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Dinner |
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Sunday
Breakfast |
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Dinner |
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Dinner |
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When you achieve that you are satisfied with your weight, when your well-being improves, and lightness in your body is constantly felt, then you will need to move on to the second phase of the technique. By the way, in order to feel this way for a long time, it is best to stick to this diet all your life.
When you are in the second phase, you can not eat foods with a glycemic index value of more than 50 very often and in small quantities, with the exception of premium pasta, corn, potatoes, white rice, honey, and white bread.
If it turns out that you ate a “bad” carbohydrate, correct the situation with a large amount of fresh vegetable salad, since the fiber contained in vegetables slows down the absorption of carbohydrates and fats and softens changes in glucose levels.
Among other things, in the second phase you can drink alcohol: dry red wine or champagne. You can snack on these drinks with any cheese and vegetables.
The menu of the second phase is very similar to the menu of the first, but all kinds of snacks are added to it, consisting of cottage cheese, kefir, dried fruits, nuts, fruits, vegetables, yoghurts, and muesli. Sometimes you can allow yourself dark chocolate, desserts, pork and veal, but nutrition, one way or another, is still based on the principle of separation: pasta/cereals + fresh vegetables, meat/fish/poultry + vegetables.
Michel Montignac's diet allows you to learn a huge number of healthy and tasty recipes and, in addition, creating them yourself is also not difficult. The table of glycemic indexes recommended by the author is a great help with this.
Montignac diet, glycemic index table
Low glycemic index foods
Medium Glycemic Index Foods
High glycemic index foods
Stabilization phase
The weight loss phase can last from 1 to 3 months, but by and large it is limited only by your success and patience. When the desired result is achieved (or you, reluctantly, made an adjustment, deciding that losing 15 kg is not possible for you, but getting rid of five is enough), you can move on to the stabilization phase, which sometimes requires no less patience than the “weight loss” phase. . During the stabilization period, the following rules should be followed:
- Among carbohydrate foods, prefer foods with a GI < 70.
- Do not overuse animal fats, replenishing lipids with virgin vegetable oils (olive, corn, flaxseed and others).
- Limit the fat content of dairy products to 5%.
- Give preference to fish and seafood instead of meat and poultry.
- When mixing fats and carbohydrates, be sure to eat a lot of plant fiber (and it is better to still eat fats and carbohydrates separately).
- As in the first stage, exclude sugar, honey, baked goods and confectionery, and sweet drinks.
- Limit or eliminate caffeine (the hardest rule for tea and coffee lovers).
- Drink two liters of water a day.
As a true Frenchman, Dr. Montignac recommended a glass of dry red wine a day, but always with vegetables or cheese. The stabilization phase can last as long as desired, even throughout life; it does not require sacrifices or serious restrictions from the individual, and there is no need to painfully step on the throat of taste preferences. You should only limit carbohydrate-containing foods, which were aptly called “gastronomic bandits” by the Soviet nutritionist Kovalkov - white bread, polished rice, potatoes and other starchy vegetables, as well as honey, corn, pasta. Adherents of the Montignac system no longer need to keep glycemic index tables at hand - in the second phase, they know them by heart and almost accurately determine the GI of foods that they have not yet encountered.
Modern nutritionists and doctors recommend drinking B vitamins or eating brewer's yeast rich in them while on the Montignac diet and other low-glycemic methods.
Montignac's work became the first full-scale and scientifically based experience in losing weight, which was based not on controlling the calorie content of foods, but on taking into account their role in the process of carbohydrate metabolism. Subsequently, other similar methods were created in the image and likeness of the Montignac diet. The French scientist’s method cannot guarantee equal success for everyone - we have already pointed out the uniqueness of each person’s biochemistry, but the effect of reducing weight and fat deposits when conscientiously following the precepts of Dr. Michel Montignac is inevitable. Losing weight according to the glycemic index remains one of the most effective and comfortable methods invented by mankind.
Michel Montignac's diet, recipes
The recipes for this diet are so varied that they fit into an entire book by Michel Montignac, “190 Recipes for Delicious Weight Loss.” She became super popular all over the world! So we definitely recommend purchasing it to create useful masterpieces in your kitchen.
If this is not yet possible, pay attention to a couple of delicious dishes that will have a great effect on your figure.
Pumpkin soup with ginger
Pumpkin ginger soup
For this soup for lunch you will need:
- 0.5 kg pumpkin;
- 50 g butter;
- 2 carrots;
- 1 sweet potato;
- 1 onion;
- 50 g ginger root;
- 1 bunch of cilantro;
- 6 cloves of garlic;
- 1 tablespoon olive oil;
- 1 teaspoon coriander;
- ground black pepper;
- salt to taste.
Remove and remove the seeds from the pumpkin, peel the sweet potatoes (if you don’t have any, never replace them with potatoes) and chop them.
Grind the cilantro, onion, carrots and garlic, and grate the ginger.
Place all the prepared ingredients in a baking dish, pour in olive oil, sprinkle with coriander, salt, pepper and stir. Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees. Next, move all the ingredients into a saucepan, add water until it covers all the vegetables, and boil for 3 minutes. Puree the soup using a blender.
This soup is ideal served with pumpkin seeds and a splash of cream.
Cod in cheese sauce
- 0.5 kg cod fillet;
- 200 g hard cheese;
- 100 ml cream 15%;
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard;
- salt;
- ground black pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix grated hard cheese, mustard seeds and cream, add salt and pepper. Place cod fillets in a greased baking dish. Pour the prepared mixture over the fish and place in the oven preheated to 200 degrees for 20 minutes.
Seafood salad
Seafood salad
This salad is perfect for an evening meal, because you can quickly get enough of it, but at the same time, it is light.
You will need:
- 600 grams of sea cocktail;
- 1 bell pepper;
- 2 tomatoes;
- 1 cucumber;
- 6 pieces of olives;
- 6 pieces of olives;
- 1 bunch of lettuce leaf;
- 1 bunch of greens (dill, parsley, basil);
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- juice of half a lemon;
- 4 tablespoons olive oil;
- salt;
- pepper.
Place lettuce leaves in a salad bowl. Coarsely chop the bell pepper and grill it, place it on lettuce leaves. Next, add chopped tomatoes, cucumber, olives and black olives. Add seafood last.
In a separate bowl, mix chopped garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper and pour the mixture over the seafood salad.
Efficiency
Scientific justification alone is not enough, since this is primarily a theory that is criticized even by official medicine. Those planning to lose weight using this method want to know what results it can achieve in reality.
According to reviews, surveys and studies, the number of kilograms lost is:
- 1-5 kg - in 39% of cases;
- 6-10 kg - in 27%;
- 11-15 kg - in 13%;
- 16-20 kg - in 10%;
- 21-25 kg - in 5%;
- 26-30 - in 4%;
- more than 30 kg - 2%.
It is immediately worth noting that the data is approximate. It is also impossible to indicate the deadline for 2 reasons. Firstly, 3 months of the first phase of the diet are conditional, and if you need to lose more than 5 kg, it is extended for an indefinite period. Secondly, the second phase can last indefinitely until the desired results are achieved. So it can also last from several weeks to several months.
In addition to losing weight, the Michel Montignac diet is believed to promote:
- improving well-being;
- reducing bad cholesterol in the blood;
- prevention of heart and vascular diseases;
- reducing the risk of eating disorders;
- relief of type II diabetes;
- formation of healthy habits.
However, all these effects are quite individual and largely depend on the characteristics of the body and the person’s lifestyle.
Another question related to the effectiveness of the diet concerns its gender orientation. It is often written that it is designed primarily for men. As proof, they cite examples where women needed much more time to lose weight than representatives of the stronger half of humanity. There are explanations for this:
- women have already had experience with various diets in the past, and the body takes too long to get used to the new conditions of the diet, fearing another hunger strike, and in men this happens much faster - so you just need to be patient and wait;
- Women are prevented from losing weight quickly using this system by hormonal disorders, especially after childbirth, during menstruation and during menopause;
- In men, metabolism proceeds faster, and therefore they achieve results in a shorter time.
So it’s all about the factors that slow down the process of losing weight. But the technique itself is designed for both men and women. It’s just that the result here is just a matter of time.
In case of failure
Let's say circumstances are such that you ate a “bad” product, or even more than one.
In the case of the Montignac technique, there is a clear action plan in case of failure:
- Having lost your temper once, you shouldn’t think that everything is allowed until tomorrow and run to the store for donuts. Pull yourself together and make your next meal as healthy as possible within your diet.
- If a breakdown occurs in the second stage, eat according to the rules of the first phase for the next 2-3 days.
- If a breakdown occurs at the first or second stage, you need to reduce salt intake and increase the consumption of green tea and water.
- If you have a breakdown, increase your time doing cardio or walking outdoors.
Recommendations
To achieve the long-awaited results, take note of several recommendations.
- Drink more water between meals.
- Play sports.
- Do not overeat, despite the absence of prohibitions on daily caloric intake and portion sizes.
- Have dinner 4 hours before bedtime.
- Select as many recipes as possible, developed specifically for the Montignac diet, in order to diversify the menu to the maximum.
- If you feel unwell, make an appointment with your doctor. Perhaps the diet should be suspended.
- Eat only foods that you enjoy. Don't force yourself to eat.
- To avoid being tempted by forbidden foods with a high GI and to take your mind off thoughts about food, take up your favorite hobby.
- Find people who have either lost weight using this system or are planning to do so. They will become like-minded people, support you and help you not to break down.
Assess your strength and character in advance: can you deny yourself for so long many foods that not so long ago formed the basis of your diet and, perhaps, were one of your favorites? If you are not sure, it is better not to start.
And also pay attention to exiting the diet if you are not going to stay in its second phase. It should be gradual. That is, introduce into your diet only 1 product from the prohibited list every day, and in very small quantities.
Pros and cons of the Montignac diet
Advantages | Flaws |
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Physical exercise
By following the Montignac diet, you can significantly speed up your weight loss progress through exercise. Their number directly depends on your lifestyle, but there are several universal rules that will suit every person:
- The first workout lasts no more than 15 minutes. You can walk down the street, pump up your abs, do squats,
- increase the time by 15 minutes every day. Therefore, on day 2 we train for 30 minutes, on day 3 – 45. When the time is brought to 1 hour, monitor your own well-being. If you are very tired, the number of minutes can be reduced to a comfortable level.
- Take time to warm up (it’s best to walk). After the walk, jump rope (15 minutes), then squat (15 minutes),
- the final stage is a cool down. Restore your breathing, you can stretch your muscles, or learn a few yoga poses. A contrast shower perfectly restores the body and calms the nervous system.
Important! Home workouts are not needed for people who attend personal classes at the gym or participate in sports clubs. Overwork should not be allowed, because it negatively affects the functioning of the heart muscle!
Montignac diet, reviews and results
The Montignac diet, reviews of those who have lost weight sound extremely positive, has long conquered the world. Indeed, entire families adhere to it, not limiting themselves to delicious dishes. And nutritionists themselves are inclined to support the usefulness of this method, because it contains the main principles of healthy separate nutrition.
- “... I’ve been eating Montignac for 5 years now, and I switched my husband to this diet. Initially, I went on a diet to lose at least 15 kg of weight. During the first phase (over 3 months) only 10 kg was lost, the remaining 5 kg disappeared over the next eight months. Then I got so used to feeling lightness in my body that I decided not to give up this nutrition, and I’m already very used to it. Of course, at first you just need to read a bunch of information and understand the combination of products. The diet ensures a healthy body and spirit throughout life, so the highest praise goes to the diet and its author”;
- “... I recently discovered the book “Secrets of Nutrition” by Michel Montignac in a bookstore and leafed through it. I was captivated by the fact that there were no exhausting short-term diets, after which you want to eat everything in your path, so I bought it. For a long time, about a month, I delved into all the lists, tables, combinations of “bad” and “good” products. And so, with a fairly large amount of knowledge, I decided to build my nutrition according to its principles. I didn’t have much excess weight, so in 2 months of the first phase I lost 5 kg. And then I started eating according to the rules of the second phase, preparing healthy dishes, sometimes the forum helped me find recipes. So already 7 months of my proper nutrition are producing visible results: the quality of my body and skin is at the highest level, my mood is always wonderful, there is no heaviness. And if something is not clear in the diet, or you don’t want to buy a book, the method has its own official website, where all the necessary GI tables and basic principles are presented.”
Contraindications
The Montignac diet should be used after consultation with a personal nutritionist or your doctor (if you suffer from chronic diseases). The list of contraindications is not long, but you should remember it to avoid health problems. Meal plan not suitable:
- Pregnant women and nursing mothers;
- Minors;
- People during the rehabilitation period after surgery;
- Persons suffering from chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys;
- Men and women with serious metabolic disorders.
You should also give up this diet if you have recently had an infectious cold and are restoring your immunity with medications.
Diet price
In order to find out the approximate cost of the Montignac method, we took as a basis the average prices for necessary products in large cities of Russia: Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan.
Based on the menu option proposed above, a week in the first phase of the Montignac diet will cost 2500-3200 rubles: you will need to buy about 8-10 kg of vegetables, 3 kg of fruit, 2-3 kg of poultry, 3-4 kg of fish, cereals for morning meals, eggs, dairy and fermented milk products.
The entire first phase of this diet (on average 2 months) will cost about 19,000-26,000 rubles. In the second phase, you will be allowed to give yourself some indulgences, such as sweets, homemade cakes, wine, nuts, dried fruits, fatty meats. Thus, if desired and possible, the cost of a month on the Montignac diet may change slightly and amount to 11,000-14,000 rubles.
Of course, expensive products can be successfully replaced with less expensive ones, but with similar characteristics, and sometimes even more useful: salmon with mackerel, pork with chicken, Golden apples with local ones. It is important to find the most suitable option for your body for the maximum benefit from this nutrition plan and, most importantly, observe the results.
Conceptual idea
The basis of the diet is formed on the basis of 2 phases:
- The first is weight loss coupled with cleansing the body of unnecessary harmful substances;
- The second is maintaining the body weight obtained after passing phase 1.
This is interesting! The power system eliminates complex definitions and precise mathematical calculations. First you will have to separate the foods into “bad” and “good”. Preference is given to food that can rid the human body of harmful elements, as well as accelerate metabolism to reduce the percentage of subcutaneous fat.
The second phase allows for rare indulgences in the form of eating tasty but harmful foods. The menu becomes less limited, but at the same time eliminates the risk of becoming overweight again.