So, let's take a walk down memory lane for just a minute...

Who remembers the low-fat craze of the 90s?  How about the low-carb craze of the 2000s?  If you lived through those times or followed those times, then you may remember the love of humongous bagels (fat-free) or Snackwell's cookies (fat-free...but full of sugar) or double bacon cheeseburgers, no bun (carb-free) or candy made with sugar alcohols so it had "no net carbs," but may or may not have left you running for the toilet if you had a few too many. 

Anyone?  Anyone?

If we can learn anything from our history it's that fads come and go and extreme eating will never last.  Even with what is popular now...the "uber healthy" extreme eating.  Yes, you may lose weight, but is it maintainable?  Can you always live without bread? It can be tempting to jump on the next diet or fad when you see someone who has lost weight by doing something extreme (HCG anyone?), but the reality is, it's not always the most healthy for your body. 

Diets don't work, they never have and they never will. 

They put your mindset in a "lightswitch" mentality...you're either "on" or your "off."  There is no in between.  If you messed up and ate a cookie, then you might as well have 5 more because you'll just start again on Monday, or at the beginning of the next month, or at the new year.  Sound familiar?    

This can lead to a lifestyle of yo-yo dieting that isn't good for your body or your mental health. 

So, how do we combat this mentality?  Stay away from labels...not food labels...but labeling food or food groups, i.e. "Carbs are bad."  Are they? All of them?  If that label sticks in your head and you know you shouldn't be eating them because they are "bad," then what do you always want to eat?  Carbs. What are you always thinking about?  Carbs.  Human nature is that we want the things most we can't have.  The same line of thinking works for any rigid rule you give yourself. 

Through participating in this challenge, I want you to form healthy habits...habits you can sustain for a lifetime.  Sure, you may need accountability (don't we all?), but I want you to finish this challenge drinking more water, eating more produce, eating more frequently, and not eating late at night, because you feel better when you do and you can sustain the changes your body has made by doing so.

Back to the challenge...

Whole grains are good for you.*  Processed crap is not.  A bowl of oatmeal for breakfast will not make you fat.  Eating a trough of pasta from the Olive Garden at 9pm might.  When it comes to carbs (starch/grains), portion and timing matter.  They are not all bad.  This is why I cannot join the Paleo/Whole30 "Uber Healthy" bandwagon that is so popular today. 

The Paleo/Whole30 diet in a nutshell is no grains, no sugar, and no dairy with a focus on fruit, veggies, lean protein, and healthy fats from whole foods.  There are parts of Paleo that I love, and you can probably guess what those are.  The "no dairy" is neither here nor there and not a dealbreaker for me, although I do love me some Greek yogurt, but it's the "no grains" that is the kicker. 

No oats, no whole wheat, no brown rice, no quinoa, no beans.  That's a "no-can-do" for me and a "don't-think-you-should-do" either.  Getting rid of all the processed garbage, the white-refined flours, added sugars and sweeteners, and anything made with them...I'm all for that plan...which...funny enough...is this week's plan.  :)

The plan above is the plan you should be following on a regular basis....'cause Harvard says so.  It's very similar to "Choose My Plate." As for how much of those good whole grain carbs?...just a quarter of your plate.  Maybe 1/2 -1 cup per meal for ladies and 1-1.5 cups for some of you big guys.  Aim for about a fist-sized serving. 

 The reality is, most of your meal should come from fruits, veggies, and lean protein a la Paleo. But don't count out the amazing, disease-fighting, constipation-preventing, energy-boosting, cholesterol-lowering, cancer-preventing power of good whole grains.

So, what does a whole grain mean?  It means that the first ingredient is "whole wheat" or "whole oat" or "whole grain."  If there is "wheat flour" or "enriched wheat flour" somewhere on that list...that's not going to work for this week.  The reality is white flour IS wheat flour, right?  Flour comes from wheat.  "Enriched wheat flour" is the wheat kernel that they strip to smitherines and take out all nutrition; therefore, they need to "enrich" it by adding some vitamins back in.  Definitely doesn't replace the nutrition from the whole bran kernel. 

So, what's allowed?

Oatmeal (unflavored, preferably slow-cook or steel-cut)

Beans

100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain breads

100% whole wheat or whole grain cereals

Brown rice
Bulger
Buckwheat
Amaranth

Whole wheat or whole grain crackers (Ak-mak or Triscuits are some faves)

Popcorn (preferably without a bunch of added garbage)

Whole wheat tortillas or corn tortillas

100% whole wheat pasta

Quinoa

Farro

Here's a good guide for when you are looking at the ingredient list:

If all your grains/starches this week are whole, then you can earn 5 points/day. 

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to miki@axum.co and I will be happy to answer. 

*There are those (about 5-10%) of the population that suffer from gluten insensitivies and/or celiac disease where anything made with gluten (wheat) is, in fact, not healthy for them.  It causes the microvilli in their intestinal track to become flat which prevents any nutrition from being absorbed, not to mention horrible digestive side effects. For anyone who suffers from this condition, it is best to avoid gluten...which leaves rice, beans, quinoa, corn, and really expensive oatmeal. 

Well, here it is, almost the last day of February which is officially Heart Month. I'm not too worried since March is National Nutrition Month.  We'll have our bases covered.  But first, our hearts.  As you read above, you can earn extra points if you choose to exercise longer than the current maximum of 60 minutes.  This week as we focus on heart health, you are earning points for not eating any fried food.   This means fries, chicken fingers/nuggets, crispy chicken or fish sandwiches, tempura, chips (potato or tortilla, baked are AOK), tostadas, corndogs, and almost anything on the appetizer menu at major restaurants.

Now, for those who want to learn a little bit more, here are 4 steps to a healthier heart:

1.  Make your own food.  

Simple, right?  If you make your own food you control what you put into your own body.  Processed, pre-packaged and restaurant foods usually have extra salt, preservatives, sugar, and unhealthy fat.  You don't have to become a chef to do it either.  And although you aren't getting points for it this week, it may or may not be an upcoming challenge...just in case you want to start practicing.  ;)

2.  Eat more plants.

No need to dive into the specifics of grams and amounts.  If you have been eating at least 5 fruits and veggies daily, congrats!  Here are a couple good guidelines to follow.

Make half your plate plants or 

Fill 2 palms with veggies 

Fruit should be about a fist-size serving. 

And color.  Get a variety.  Eat a rainbow.  Your body will thank you. 

3.  Eat more of the good fats.  

I love fat, but not all fat is created equal.   Someone posted on our facebook group page this week all the amazing goodness avocados provide.  I made the comment that I fight the battle to eat my body weight in guacamole daily.  Kidding, sort of.  If you are trying to lose weight, choose the right fats and watch the portion.  If you are trying to gain weight, eat more of these good fats, not more bacon cheeseburgers.  The good fats will keep your heart healthy, the bad fats will harm your heart, raise your cholesterol, and increase your risk factors for heart disease. 

Aim for a "thumb-sized" serving with most meals.  

So, what are "good fats?"  Choose oils over hard fats like butter, margarine and shortening most of the time and limit your animal fat intake (except fish).  This will help keep your saturated fat and trans fat intake low as these should be limited.  I use mostly extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil (or whole avocados). Walnut and flax oil are great choices as well.  

Fatty cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, and sardines are rich in essential omega-3 fats (DHA) which are anti-inflammatory and help protect against heart disease as well as other inflammatory conditions.  I recommend eating 2-3 servings of fatty fish a week.  

There is another type of omega-3 fat called ALA that comes from vegetable sources like hemp and flax oil, walnuts, and algae.  While I highly recommend consuming these sources, be aware that the conversion doesn't make the DHA that comes from the fatty fish.  So, if you never eat fatty fish, I do recommend taking an omega-3 supplement. 

4.  Eat more heart healthy foods.  Here's my list of the Top 20 Foods for Heart Health: 

1. Oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring)
2. Citrus fruits
3. Extra Virgin Olive oil
4. Walnuts
5. Oats
6. Blueberries
7. Tomatoes
8. Sweet Potatoes or yams
9. Beans & lentils
10. Hemp seeds
11. Cantaloupe
12. Chia seeds
13. Avocado
14. Dark chocolate
15. Pears
16. Kale
17. Garlic
18. Almonds
19. Quinoa
20. Ground flax seeds

So, as a reminder, this week you will earn 5 points per day for avoiding all fried foods.  If your cholesterol, blood pressure, or triglycerides are elevated really make a focus to  work on all areas of your heart health.