Andrea Griffin - Meal Planning: Plan Your Meals with Low Carb and Grain Free Recipes

Meal Planning

Plan Your Meals with Low Carb and Grain Free Recipes

Andrea Griffin and Josephine Ramsey

Copyright 2013 Andrea Griffin and Josephine Ramsey

All rights reserved.

It helps to understand the whys behind the diets and the benefits of each diet starting with the low carb diet plan.

Why Go On a Low Carb Diet

One of the main reasons people go on the low carb diet is to lose weight. Many people find that the low carb diet plan helps them to achieve better results that most any other diet plans. The reason why it works so well is the avoidance and great reduction of the intake of carbohydrates or carbs. When the body ingests carbs, it causes a greater release of insulin into the blood. This causes the cells in the body to absorb the sugar (which is what carbs turn into in the blood stream) and in addition, the body is not prompted to allow the fat to burn because of the presence of excessive carbs. So the body hangs onto the carbs, which builds the fat. It is a vicious cycle causing an epidemic of obesity.

Instead of eating carbs and causing the body to hang onto and build fat, if you have the absence of carbs the body will then look to burning off the fat. A low carb diet sets the body up to be a fat burning machine.

The low carb diet plan does not limit the intake of fat or calories, not like other diet plans such as Weight Watchers. Many people find the calorie and fat limiting plans difficult and often leaves them hungry and rarely satisfied. Because they are hungry, they have less energy to exercise, which is a huge proponent in helping with weight loss. After a couple of days on the low carb diet people find their energy level rises. Their hunger stays satisfied while their body burns the fat and the weight melts away.

Protein, which is abundant in the low carb diet plans, help to keep the body satisfied from hunger.

Unlike eating more carbs, when the body ingests more protein, it does not cause a protein addiction. Carbs are very addictive. Protein is not addictive or habit forming, so you can eat it all you want and you will not develop cravings for it as you do for sugary junk food. Proteins help the body to know when it is full so you are less likely to overeat. Carbs causes a frenzy where the body never feels completely full. This is why it is so easy to overeat with carbs. Limiting this very addictive substance will help to stop the over eating and allow the body to get rid of the excessive fat stores.

The Benefits of Grain Free Cooking

The truth is that grains have not been on the human diet chain until the recent 10,000 years. Prior to that our ancestors did not eat grains, nor did they eat legumes. Evidence shows our ancient ancestors were a healthy strong lot of people and probably this stems from their grain free diet. It is true they ate a lot of meat and vegetables and fruits but no grains or beans and peas. Today we eat grains and because of it many suffer from detrimental health issues.

Grain or gluten intolerances and allergies aggravate the digestive system causing symptoms like irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, immune issues, and more. Ingesting grains can cause inflammation within the body, which aggravates the cells causing problems. The absence of grains from the diet helps to treat and prevent many of these health concerns.

By avoiding grains, the body will stop the inflammation process (if the grains were causing it in the first place) and many aches and pains and digestive issues will simply go away. Another great benefit to eating a grain free diet is weight loss. Because grains contribute to the amount of carbs we ingest, the absence of grains means the absence of certain carbs. Not only is weight loss attainable it is also easily maintainable.

Meal Planning Success

Just planning meals each week helps to stick with a good diet plan. It is poor planning, or the lack of meal planning, that causes most people to eat the wrong foods. This is why so many suffer from obesity and overweight issues. Being overweight in itself causes the body a lot of harm, from joint and bone issues, to issues with blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes and blood sugar problems. By losing the weight, many of these health issues are corrected and prevented from doing further damage to the body.

Successful meal planning starts with a good cookbook like this. You have all the recipes you need to plan a good menu for a couple of weeks in advance if you wish, without repeating recipes. Make a meal plan by listing what you will eat over the next week or two for breakfast, lunch, supper, and even your snacks and desserts. Assess what you already have in your kitchen and pantry and then write the grocery list. Determine about how much the food will cost and get cash for the grocery shopping trip. Leave your checkbook, and credit / debit cards at home. This will help to keep you from straying from the list and impulse buying of junk foods. Stick to your list, purchase your groceries and come home.

It helps to have your recipe book handy and go ahead and prep as much of the food as you can. Chop the vegetables and fruit (that won't go bad), and prepare to cook your meals. Doing this ahead of time makes it easier, especially if you live a busy lifestyle.

Disclaimer

All the advice contained within this book is for informational purposes only. If you have health concerns please seek the advice of your health care provider before taking any advice or starting any new diet plan.

The recipes in this book are adaptations of favorite recipes found all over the web and in popular cookbooks. Many are recipes handed down from word of mouth, family favorites. You may find similar recipes elsewhere but the recipes in this book are unique to this book.

Low calorie diet is a general phrase that can have different meanings. Anyone can eat smaller portions of the same foods they are already consuming, but this doesn't adequately justify a low calorie diet. What you eat makes a huge difference in getting the most out of any type of diet. Advertising trends can misrepresent the true meaning of a low calorie diet, while staying within certain truthful perimeters. This book is designed to bring focus on true low calorie diets, that introduce you to a new way of life. Being stronger, healthier and having more energy, is the goal of a successful low calorie diet.

There will be misconceptions addressed, as you read through the chapters. Facts about preservatives, sugar, grains and drinks, will awaken your thoughts about what you are feeding yourself, and your family. The truth is, a low calorie diet is not just for losing weight, but learning how all foods have a direct effect on your body. Just as you know that cigarettes and large amounts of alcohol are harmful, habits of eating certain foods can weaken you immune system, slow down metabolism, and cause fatty tissue to form in your arteries and veins.

You will also find delicious recipes that are just right for stepping into your new life. If you wish to shed a few pounds, mix and match the recipes and portions, according to the carbs. With each recipe made from low-carb foods, and under 500 calories each, the choices are huge.

Why Calorie Counting is a Lie

Keeping calories low should not involve taking out a book and writing down every calorie of food you eat. That gets real boring, real fast. You simply need to know what types of foods can easily be burned off and which ones, cannot. One of the highest forms of calories that is difficult to unload, is sugar. Look at any label and you will see this word.