Grains, The more I eat, the better I feel.

Almost there.

        I have to say it and say it loudly, GRAINS, THE MORE I EAT, THE BETTER I FEEL. It is so true and I just want to share it with everyone out there. There are so many fad diets, and get skinny quick schemes. So many untruths about how to get healthy and stay healthy. It's all pretty simple. A diet high in fiber and exercise is the key to success.

     FIBER,  so important to the body. We need over 50 grams a day to stay fit and the average American gets 4 grams of fiber a day. No wonder we are so over weight and out of shape.

     FIBER is so important to the body. It keeps the colon clean and pulls the bad fat from the body. Fiber can help lower high cholesterol, drop the risk of heart disease,  lower insulin for diabetics, and the list goes on and on.  Fiber is essential for a healthy strong body. A diet high in Fiber is the key to success.

     That is why I love grains so much. They are a great source of fiber.  And they taste great. I love grains. I will say it again, the more I eat the better I feel.


     I am not a fanatic about health and nutrition,  I love food to much to be fanatic,  but I have learned a few important things over the years as I have struggled with weight and health. Here are three rules that I live by in my quest for better health.

#1  Fiber
#2  Fiber
and
# 3 Fiber

If I eat the fiber I need I can eat more of the foods I love.  It works.

     Grains, fresh fruits and vegetables are high in fiber. Beans are another source of fiber, all beans and legumes are high in fiber. My goal is to get as much fiber in my diet as possible.  If we stay away from processed foods, high sugar foods, and junk foods, we are on the road to health and nutrition  It's really pretty simple.  Replace the foods you eat with high fiber foods and you will be amazed at how quickly our bodies respond.

     Eating right is not all we need to do. We need to make sure we get some form of exercise.  It does not have to be very much to start. I started out hating the GYM. I worked out for along time without results. The problem was I was doing what others said I needed to do and not what my body needed.  I had to find out what worked for me and not for everyone else. Once I figured that out and change my diet to more high fiber I started seeing results.

Exercise is an important part of staying healthy.

      I go to the gym often to workout and its a love hate relationship for me. Some days I hate the workout, but I always love how it makes me feel.

Staying healthy is hard work.

   It always amazes me how quickly our bodies respond when we do the things our bodies need.  Like exercise.  Sometimes we get discouraged, but just remember we didn't get out of shape overnight, it took time to get where we are today.

I hate this picture, me 50 lbs. heavier.

  Some of the best motivation that comes into my life is looking at photos of me.  I gasp sometimes.  Reality is a tuff friend. This picture has really motivated me to try harder and keep at it.  

Whole grain breads are a part of a healthy diet.

I frequently start the day with whole grain pancakes,   I love how they make me feel.

     I love food and do not believe that we should give up food to be healthy,  but if we practice a few basic rules and learn to enjoy the things we should be doing, like exercise and eating enough fiber, we can really start to enjoy life more without the guilt that we live with every day.  Guilt is a cause of weight gain,  drop the guilt and start enjoying life more.  It is true,  the more grains I eat the better I feel.

Have a great grain filled day.  Chef Brad~America's Grain Guy