Kari Butler - Nutrition and Weight Loss: Living Gluten Free with Superfoods

Nutrition and Weight Loss

Living Gluten Free with Superfoods

Kari Butler

Copyright 2013 Kari Butler

All rights reserved.

Within the United States there is a staggering incidence of weight gain, and it has come to a point where many people are finding their daily lives significantly interrupted. That being the case, it is critical that we find a way of not only dropping weight, but also getting our bodies in their prime condition. There was once a time when we only ate the healthiest foods, but there was also a time when we were more active. We have traded that healthy, active lifestyle for a more sedentary lifestyle, and while we could argue the morality or semantics of this, we should instead find a way to conform to our new lifestyle and ultimately find a way to live with it, even if it will never change. One of the biggest differences between now and then is the amount of information that we have at our disposal. With this plethora of information we will be able to learn more about our bodies and the measures we must take to ensure their health. It might sound like a tall order and a lot of responsibility, but you have the power to take care of yourself, even if there is no one around to help you. This book however, will strive to give you the right answers.

There are far too many instances in life where we could change if someone would just give us the answers. In most cases you would be advised to go out and look for yourself, but in the case of nutrition and weight loss, you might find yourself reluctant to trust anyone but yourself. After all, there are more than a few companies out there offering their services. Can you trust them? Its your health, and you need to make sure you are taking care of yourself. Nutrition and weight loss most certainly go hand in hand, though more than a few people will do their best to deny it. The simple fact here, is that you cannot just exercise or just diet. You need to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try new things. One of the staples of health of course is the gluten free diet, which is the adoption of a diet that excludes any foods containing gluten.

Gluten of course is a protein complex often found in bread or similar, including wheat, spelt, kamut, barley, rye, and triticale. Some people will go gluten free due to a gluten intolerance, and others will do so based upon the need for a healthier diet. As of 2012, a number of gluten-free fad diets have appeared, and it has been noted that the gluten-free diet might also exclude oats. Before you decide to embark on the gluten free journey however, it will be important for you to note that gluten free is actually a term used to indicate a significantly lowered level rather than a complete absence of gluten. There has been very little research done on the effects of a gluten free diet, and with that being the case, you might want to speak to your nutritionist before you actually commit to this diet.

While the gluten free diet might be a great idea, thats not all this book covers not by a long shot. Throughout these pages you will learn the basics of many different meals, and you will learn how to create healthy food concoctions without compromising your tastes or your ability to fill yourself up. After all, whats the point of being on a healthy diet if youre going to feel hungry all the time?

Rather than giving you a five day meal plan, this book will cover the different meal possibilities, giving a long and diverse list of meals, ingredients, and instructions. All of these have been tirelessly prepared, scrutinized, and used by those who were once in the same situation you find yourself in now. As we said before, it can be difficult to find the answers you need, and even more difficult to implement them into your life.

What does it take to change your life? If this book were all it took, then wed have a world full of happy people, wouldnt we? No, the problem that many people experience is a lack of commitment. You might wake up in the morning planning to diet and exercise, but if you do not follow through, it is really all for nothing. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to read through the recipes in this book, and stick with the meals they provide you. Does that mean you cannot indulge yourself every once in a while? Absolutely not, you can reward yourself for good behaviour once per week so long as that reward does not undermine all of the hard work youve done. After all, destroying your body is easy. Repairing it after the fact really is the hard part.

As you read this book you will see that weight loss is not only possible, but that it is possible for you. Too many people say I dont have time or It just wont work for me. It is true that everyone has a differing physiology, and as a result, what works for one person might not work for another. With that in mind, it is important to find what works well for you. It may be a mystery, or it may be something that has been unearthed already. In any case, your solution is out there, you just have to be willing to look. At the moment you happen to be on a journey a journey toward a healthier you. By pickup up this book youve admitted that you need to make a change in your life, and this might just be the first step. Were not guaranteeing that it will take you all the way, but it will give you the head start you need in the world of nutrition. Are you ready to take the second step?

What is a Gluten Free Diet? Actually, it makes more sense to answer this question by first addressing what gluten is and why you may want to cut it out of your diet, especially if youre trying to lose weight. Gluten is a protein which is found in most, but not all grains, including wheat, rye, spelt (although to a lesser extent than wheat) and barley.

Gluten derived from grains is also commonly found as an ingredient, additive or binder in a variety of foods, including imitation meat products, condiments, ice cream and other products. For this reason, its important to check food labels carefully if youre sensitive to gluten or are trying to lose weight through a gluten free diet.

A gluten free diet, as youve probably guessed by now, is a diet which is free of this protein. Although this kind of diet is restrictive in some ways, it definitely doesnt have to be something that makes you feel constantly deprived. As youll soon find out as you read through and cook the recipes in this book, there are a lot of ways to enjoy the same dishes that you do now while leaving the gluten out.

If youve decided to adopt a gluten free diet as part of a larger weight loss program, keep in mind that all of the same rules apply as if you were following any other kind of diet. Regular exercise is an important component of any weight loss regimen and that is no different whether youre cutting gluten out of your life or not.

Additionally, youll still have to choose what you eat carefully. There are plenty of unhealthy dietary choices out there which are gluten free and its a mistake to eat just anything because it happens to be gluten free.

This brings us to a statistic which may surprise you. As you may know, many people choose a gluten free diet not necessarily to lose weight, but because they have celiac disease, an intolerance to gluten. According to studies, over 80% of people with gluten sensitivities who switched to a gluten free diet actually gained weight.

Why is this? Because these people didnt follow one of the most basic rules of weight loss avoiding heavily processed foods. Theres a widespread (but false) perception that if a product is labeled as gluten free, its good for you, but thats not the case. There are many gluten free products on the market which contain nearly twice as many calories as their gluten-containing equivalents.