5 Tricks to Moving to a Grain-free Nutritional Life

     This is a guest post from a new team member, Treva Yaccino.  She’s the CEO & Lead Holistic Health Nutritionist of Living Tree Health and Wellness.

    You can read, learn, and be coached by Treva at: http://www.livingtreehealthandwellness.com/

  Treva will be a regular contributor to Be Physically Better in the area of Nutrition.

 

Grains – the food group that plays a big role in the eating habits of millions of kids around the world. Oatmeal, YUM! Crackers, YUM! Mashed potatoes, YUM! Toast, YUM! Cereal, YUM!

Sure, most moms always tell us that we need to eat our veggies too, but most moms also always serve some sort of grain for or with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks as well – so grains have to be just as important as meats, fruits and veggies, right?

Wrong.

But grains make up a hefty spot on the food pyramid so they must be healthy! Wrong, just because the government says it’s healthy, doesn’t mean it is. I can name you 14 foods off the top of my head that are banned in other countries but served here.

But I need the fiber! Um, sorry…wrong again. You can get it elsewhere, like in a myriad of fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds – sources that don’t have all the other bad stuff in them like toxins.

So as you can see, the importance of grains in a diet is actually pretty much a tale spun by the American food industry and regurgitated by moms around the world. That’s a tough pill to swallow, isn’t it?

Health advocates around the world, especially those who follow a Paleo lifestyle, understand that grains can actually pose a great harm to your body, leading to illness, disease and even death.

To learn more about Paleo as a lifestyle and more on why grains are so harmful, please visit here http://www.livingtreehealthandwellness.com/detox/paleo-detox-2015/

However, grains are so ingrained (cute, huh?) in our lifestyle, that my clients and so many others can say they want to ditch the grains, but find it so difficult to actually do it.

Here are Five Tricks for Going Grain-Free in Your Nutritional Life:

1. Don’t go cold turkey and ditch the grains all at once. Some can do this, but most people will quit all at once and then sabotage their efforts a few days later with a binge. To gradually incorporate this new lifestyle, you can first begin by ditching the unhealthiest grains (sugary cereal, fruit bars, rice, etc.) and instead opt for healthier versions (quinoa, brown rice, etc.) Once you’ve done that, gradually cut done your portions of grains meal by meal until none exist in your diet.

2. Fill up on proteins, veggies and healthy fats. If you eat plenty of these items, you’re not going to crave the grains as much because your nutrient needs will be satisfied, and you’ll feel fuller longer. For example, eat lots of fish, clean meats and veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, peas, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, etc. Also, don’t forget to add the healthy fat to each meal – such as avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, nut butters, etc.

3. Don’t keep the grains in your house. As they say – out of sight is out of mind. This holds true for the grains. If you don’t keep them in your house (after they’re gone for good), you’ll be more likely not to eat them.

4. Prepare meals in advance. This tip has saved me so much time, patience, and sanity when I decided to change my lifestyle. I always write a meal plan at the beginning of each week and then shop, and prepare the food all in the same day. Prepping meals once a week prevents you from binging on grains when you’re hungry. Purchase glass containers and mason jars to store your food in the freezer after cooking, and then all you’ll have to do is pop your food in the microwave. There will be no time to reach for the granola bars.

5. Indulge in scrumptious Paleo recipes. Another nuisance that could prevent you from experiencing success with your new lifestyle choice is boredom. If you’re making the same chicken and broccoli every day, you’re going to get bored and revert back to your old lifestyle. Therefore, it’s so important to try out new recipes all the time. In my Paleo program for sale here http://www.livingtreehealthandwellness.com/detox/paleo-detox-2015/ , I provide over 50 mouthwatering Paleo-approved recipes for my clients to enjoy. You can use print out these recipes and then when you’re making your meal plan for the week, you can include various recipes each week. Here is ONE appealing snack recipe that you will get on your detox:

CACAO DUSTED TRAIL MIX

• ½ cup almonds
• 1/2 cup cashews
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon raw cacao

Place all of the nuts and raisins in a bowl, sprinkle with cacao, toss for an even coat and serve. Store in an airtight container.

Here are some Paleo Book Suggestions:

It Starts With Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig

Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo

Paleo Lunches and Breakfasts on the Go by Diane Rodgers

Paleo Power Lunch by Stormy Sweitzer

Paleo Desserts by Jane Barthelemy

 

Closing Challenge…

As motivated professionals seeking to be their best at all times, it takes tough choices in our lives especially nutritionally to reach our potential. And choosing to limit or even eliminate grains should be a strong consideration.

I encourage you to check out one or more of the suggested books. You can even check them out at the library. Educate yourself and begin reaching your nutrition potential.

I hope this post makes you really think about the grains that you put into your body and even more so how they affect how you look and feel.

 

Closing Question…

What grains could you limit or even eliminate in your nutrition starting today?

 

Want to learn more about living Paleo? My Paleo program provides everything you need to adopt a Paleo lifestyle: http://www.livingtreehealthandwellness.com/detox/paleo-detox-2015/