I just love to hear people talking about “eating right”!  I talk to people all the time who say “Oh you don’t have to worry about me, I eat very healthy……..I eat whole-wheat products, fruits, yogurts” and the list goes on……..

I am sure that you too “eat healthy”, so you eat whole-wheat products.  But do you think that whole-wheat products are optimal?  Do you think you can lose weight and eat tons of whole wheat products??

The answer is no! Ok, don’t freak out my friend!  I didn’t say they were BAD!  I just said they are not optimal.

Whole-wheat products need refrigeration or chemical preservatives or they will spoil quickly.  After wheat has been ground, the natural wheat-germ oil becomes rancid quickly.  This is why refrigeration is necessary.  Since grinding stones is not fast enough for mass production the industry uses high speed mills.  These mills eject the germ and bran from the product.  Heat from the mills destroy vital nutrients in the wheat. The result is flour with only a fraction of the nutrients.   Many preservatives and hydrogenated oils are added to the wheat products to improve rise and prevent sticking.

Most whole-wheat products are not 100% whole-wheat.  The first thing you have to do is read the food label because most products are deceiving.  You must look at the ingredients.  Ingredients are listed in descending order of abundance.  So the first ingredient is the most abundant.  If the first ingredient is not whole-wheat, it is not whole-wheat, even if it says whole-wheat all over the package.

Also, a lot of whole-wheat products contain high fructose corn syrup, so watch out for that.  This will cause an increase in insulin, which will not allow you to release fat cells, which means YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BURN FAT!  So if you want to lose weight you must cut back on whole wheat products.

If you really like bread, opt for sprouted breads or breads that are made from oats, barley, lentils, etc.  These breads are usually found in your local health food stores.

What is sprouting?  Sprouting “pre-digests” the grains, allowing the nutrients to be easily assimilated and metabolized.  This process also creates an increase in enzymes which make digestion and absorption easier.
What is the best option in order to lose weight?

The best types of carbohydrates are ones that are grown, the types of foods that a caveman would eat.  Sweet potatoes, legumes, and fibrous vegetables are great options.

This doesn’t mean that you should never eat whole-wheat again.  Just don’t eat it all the time.  If you are looking for fat loss, cut down on whole-wheat products.  If you have whole-wheat toast for breakfast, don’t eat a sandwich on whole-wheat for lunch.

Here are a couple of recipes to help you lose weight:

Fresh Cumin Garbanzo Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup arugula, chopped
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed
1 fennel bulb, stalk removed, halved, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the arugula, tomatoes, chickpeas, and fennel. In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, cumin, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the salad and toss to combine.

Balsamic Glazed Roasted Root Vegetable (12 servings)

Ingredients:

½ lb. shallots, peeled
½ lb. baby carrots
1 lb. Red potatoes (preferably baby),
Cut in 1 inch pieces
¾ lb. Turnips (about 2),
Cut in ½ inch cubes
1 lb. Sweet potato,
Cut in ¾ inch cubes
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss thoroughly, taking care to distribute the seasonings on all the vegetables.  Divide the mixture eventually between two baking sheets or roasting pans. Roast for approximately 45 minutes, tossing the vegetables every 10 minutes and rotating the pans between the two racks and front to back to ensure the vegetables cook evenly.

In order to lose weight, you must follow a good "Eating Plan".  You can get the eating plan and tons of healthy recipes like the ones above by getting "Eat to be Fit".  This is the best cook book for healthy meals.  It is designed for people who want to lose weight and get fit all the while enjoying every tasty meal.  "Eat to be Fit" contains over 300 healthy recipes that will help you stick to your "Diet".