It took a lot of research for me to even consider this… I loved my carbs and bread and pasta… so why did we choose to go grain free?
Is there research about going grain free?
First, I learned about phytates that are part of the grain. This is mother natures way of “protecting” the grain so it would pass through the stool and then germinate once “deposited.” These phytates bind to other nutrients (like magnesium) in your foods and aren’t digested or absorbed. read more
We learned in Cut the Sugar, that we need to make changes to reduce the sugar in our diets. I am so excited to see more and more Stevia products on the shelves. This is great news for people wanting a zero calorie, healthy sugar alternative.
What is Stevia exactly?
Stevia is actually derived from a plant. It is related to a daisy and ragweed (I’ll take the daisy, thank you!). The Stevia plant can be found in Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina and it is cultivated in China. You can even grow it yourself if you want! Stevia has zero calories and is 200 times sweeter than sugar without affecting blood sugar. Since it is sweeter than sugar, a little goes a long way! You also don’t want to over do Stevia because there can be too much of a good thing, then it will taste bitter.
Stevia is more than just a sugar substitute: Livescience.com says that “stevia also served as a treatment for burns, colic, stomach problems and sometimes as a contraceptive.” Pretty neat stuff here!
Is Stevia Safe?
100daysofrealfood.com explains that not all Stevia is created equal. read more
This is not a new idea. Lots of popular diets have come to the conclusion that our sugar is out of balance in our Modern diet and this is the cause of our expanding waistbands.
Management of your Sugar and Carbohydrates is crucial for weight loss and your general health.
We know sugar is so important to get under control.
A low glycemic diet in general is healthier than a diet focused on lots of carbs. When our system gets overloaded with too many sugar and carbs, our cells start storing extra carbs as fat in our cells.
Our cells love to store carbs, so they are very eager and ready when we over eat our carbs. If we eat a moderate or low carb diet, then we can burn those carbs before they get the chance to be stored as extra fat.read more
Last week we focused on awareness: Being mindful in what you are eating. Thinking about what you are feeding your body is the first step to changing your habits. Did you pick up on anything you need to change already???
To increase our water intake, this could include drinking more water, tea, or fruit infused waters. My favorite way to drink tea is in Trim Healthy Mama apple pie sips. These are amazing!! I love them so much during these cold winter months when drinking a cold glass of water isn’t as appealing.
My sister and her husband really like to drink sparkling water.
Another tip is adding a little lemon to water with some stevia – a very simple lemonade! Adding lemon to your water also increases your vitamin C intake, which is great in these winter months for keeping you well and helps detox your liver! I made some really good pomegranate tea over Thanksgiving and sweetened it with some stevia for a real treat. Fruit infused water is easy to make too!
Something I’ve been trying more recently is doing fruit infusions in my water, it adds great taste and is really simple if you use an Infusion Pitcher, here’s the one I prefer!
By drinking more water, you will help your body stay full. Sometimes when we feel the urge to eat, we really are just thirsty. Drinking Water is also good for constipation. Did you know that if you aren’t having a bowel movement at least ONCE a day (and 3x a day is the recommended amount) then you are constipated??? (cue music: The More you Knooooooooow!)
Summary: New You New Years Week 1: Increase your water!
What are you favorite ways to increase your water?read more
New Years is next week! I know you are already thinking about what you are wanting for 2014. Some of you make the same resolutions every year and by February they are already a thing of the past.
This year will be different. This year you will make a change and stick to it!
How? You may ask. Because We are all going to be a part of New You New Years!!!
So lets talk about what New You New Years is going to look like. Every week, a new challenge will be presented to focus on the whole week. It may be to eat one vegetable at lunch and dinner. Or maybe it could be focusing on eliminating white sugar for the week. Maybe we could even focus on adding a 20 minute walk in or another exercise each day for a week.
Every week, we will focus on one single step… and take this one bite at a time (wink, wink).
This is YOUR time! This is THE time to choose to be the person you want to be in 2014. A healthier you, a better feeling you!
Our first week’s challenge will be simple… We are going to be aware.
Awareness is the key to change a habit.
In speech therapy, when we would work with people who stutter, most of the time they wouldn’t even realize they had just stuttered in conversation. We would replay their speech, and help them identify the problem areas, then they could back and restate the phrase or sentence and fix the stutter.
I want you to be aware about your food choices you are making each day. Read ingredients. Read nutrition labels. Figure out what you are actually putting in your mouth… You really ARE what you eat.
1) So look for the number of ingredients listed, and also can you pronounce or identify every item listed.
2) How many grams of carbs and sugar are you eating in packaged items?
3) How many items have something with soy, the word hydrolyzed or hydrogenated, or corn?
Now I want you to comment or write onmy facebook walland let me know how you are doing during the week.
What foods are you surprised to see sugar in or High Fructose Corn Syrup? How many carbs are in your favorite foods? Keep me posted!
Holidays are the time to share with friends and family. This year you can share how you are staying Trim and enjoying all of your Trim Holiday Drinks!
No need to let this holiday season be an excuse for added pounds. These Holiday Drinks are the perfect solution to quench your thirst and satisfy your sweet tooth without adding to your waistband!
YOU CAN ENJOY THESE TRIM HOLIDAY DRINKS WITHOUT ANY GUILT!
Kettle corn is a delicious snack that meets salty and sweet perfectly. If you are following a low carb lifestyle, it is typically way too high in carbs. By using stevia, we are able to make a sugar free, carb conscious version in this Stevia Sweetened Kettle Corn Recipe.
Angela of Grassfed Mama shares healthy tips for busy moms.
What is Stevia?
Stevia is a natural, zero-calorie sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is native to South America. It has been used for centuries by indigenous peoples in Paraguay and Brazil to sweeten foods and beverages.read more
Baking with coconut flour has been a staple in my kitchen for many years now. I love that it is a flour that is grain free, low carb, and packed with nutrients! Learn more about tips and tricks for baking with coconut flour and some delicious coconut flour recipes.
Angela of Grassfed Mama shares healthy tips for busy moms.
Baking with Coconut Flour
Baking with coconut flour can be a great way to eat low carb, grain free and keep all your favorite breads and cakes in your diet.
increasing metabolism, supporting immune system, promoting the absorption of vitamins, detoxing the body, promoting healthy cholesterol and heart health. Now we are going to talk about all those great benefits in a flour: Coconut flour.read more
