Subscribe! Connect!
Get Updates VIA Email!
Subscribe via email
kari
My Addiction to Pinterest
The Grain Challenge–Reminders and Meal Ideas
If you are joining us for our 3 week grain-free challenge – here is sort of a final wrap up before it begins on Monday, February 20th. I’ve also included a weeks worth of meal ideas that are grain-free.
Here are some pointers and reminders I want to throw out there to make sure you are ready.
First of all, make sure that you are drinking PLENTY of water each and everyday. Now, this should continue on as a daily routine, even after the grain-free challenge is over in 3 weeks. Everyone should drink AT LEAST 2 quarts (8 cups) of pure, filtered water a day! The best way to gauge how much your body needs is this simple equation: take your body way and divide it by two. Take this number and drink that many ounces in water per day. Example: If your weight is 140 lbs / 2 = 70. You should drink 70 ounces of water a day to adequately meet the requirements of your body. Even though during The Grain Challenge you shouldn’t be drinking soda or coffee – let me throw this out there. Caffeine is a diuretic, so every time you drink a caffeinated beverage, you lose a lot of water – which puts your body in a bind. Not only are you probably not drinking enough water as it is, but then your caffeine drinks pull more water out of you AND you’re not replacing any of it! So, for every cup of soda or coffee you drink, you should drink 2 cups of filtered water to replace what you’re losing!
- Make sure you are drinking plenty of water everyday! This will also help in getting rid of the toxins your body is getting rid of during this 3 week phase. Start with at least 2 quarts of filtered water a day, and make your way up to 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water.
- Make sure you prepare a shopping list and go shopping before Monday! This way your week is preplanned and you won’t have any hang ups.
- It’s great to have somebody you need to be accountable to! Find a friend or have your spouse help you through this process! In fact, ask them to join you for The Grain Challenge.
- Don’t forget to keep a journal of this phase – what you’re eating, approximately how much and time of day. This will help you tremendously! It doesn’t need to anything fancy – just a spiral notebook will work just fine.
- If you’re brave enough, take photos before it starts! I know this can be frightening for some – but I tell you, they are wonderful to have to compare months down the road when your still going strong on your new healthy eating lifestyle, you’re losing weight, your skin is glowing –and you can see the changes!
- As well as taking photos – taking measurements is great as well. Your chest, hips and waist are optimal, and you can add your upper arm and thighs as well.
- Don’t be moved by what the scale says. You can lose inches and never lose weight! It’s happened to me. Within an 8 month period I lost 9” overall (chest, waist, hips), but I never lost a pound.
- If you’re taking any vitamins (OTC supplements – not prescription medication), then I would suggest you take a short break from them, except for maybe your daily vitamin. This is strictly my opinion, but please make your own, wise decision regarding this. I suggest this because if your body is toxic then it’s not able to assimilate the vitamins properly or completely anyway. It would be best, if the vitamins you are taking are not required for health reasons, to wait until after this phase to introduce them back in. Once your body has been able to rid itself of toxins – it will be able to take the supplements and vitamins and grab all the nutrients from them and use them in your body.
- DO NOT STOP taking any prescription medications you are on! You should only discontinue use with permission from your doctor.
- If you find it too hard to eat new stuff everyday, it’s okay to repeat meals throughout the week. Some people don’t get tired of repetition. If that’s you – by all means – do it!
- Start this new way of eating for the right reasons – TO BE HEALTHY! Skinny doesn’t equal healthy – remember that. As you make the changes necessary to be healthier, weight loss will come with it. The new figure will come with it – just don’t make that your only goal or focus.
So, here are a few easy ideas for meals while you’re eating grain-free. Remember, always go organic and fresh if it’s available to you and it’s financially doable. I don’t specifically mention organic, fresh, raw, etc. in the list below – let that be a given. Any butter, milk or yogurt you consume should be full-fat / whole-fat. The reason for this requires a post of it’s own, but in short, consuming full fat dairy will help keep insulin levels stable and the naturally occurring saturated fat found in it is absolutely necessary for our bodies. Choosing organic will emit all the hormones, toxins and chemicals found in commercial milk that are toxic for your system.
BREAKFAST: Fruit salad and cottage cheese
OPTIONAL SNACK: vegetable juice (freshly juiced using a juicer)
LUNCH: grilled shrimp with a side salad
OPTIONAL SNACK: lettuce and guacamole (make your own guacamole)
DINNER: grilled chicken breast with mixed veggies
BREAKFAST: Full Fat yogurt, sliced Kiwis
OPTIONAL SNACK: handful of chickpeas
LUNCH: 5 ounces grilled chicken breast w/ ½ cup black beans (if using canned, try to find NO SALT ADDED)
OPTIONAL SNACK: Raw carrot sticks and hummus
DINNER: Grilled salmon and unlimited steamed broccoli
BREAKFAST: 1 cup cottage cheese and 1 apple
OPTIONAL SNACK: A couple pieces of real turkey (not processed lunch meat)
LUNCH: Chicken Marsala
OPTIONAL SNACK: 1/2 cantaloupe
DINNER: Butternut squash soup
BREAKFAST: Egg omelet and 2 organic, nitrite-free turkey sausage
OPTIONAL SNACK: ½ cup red radishes
LUNCH: Grilled shrimp and side salad
OPTIONAL SNACK: ½ cup fruit with 1 tablespoon heavy cream
DINNER: Grilled Tuna with Mixed Greens
BREAKFAST: Berry Smoothie with yogurt
OPTIONAL SNACK: 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt or Bulgarian yogurt with fresh fruit
LUNCH: 5 ounces sirloin with ½ cup white beans
OPTIONAL SNACK: Approximately 20 raw walnuts with 1 apple
DINNER: 4 ounces grilled Lamb Chops with unlimited steamed green beans
BREAKFAST: 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt or Bulgarian yogurt with fruit and cheese
OPTIONAL SNACK: celery with cream cheese or almond butter
LUNCH: 5 ounces grilled Lamb with 1 large artichoke
OPTIONAL SNACK: 1 orange
DINNER: Grilled shrimp with green peppers and tomatoes
BREAKFAST: 3 boiled eggs and 2 slices of cheese
OPTIONAL SNACK: Celery sticks and almond butter
LUNCH: Mixed green salad with fresh veggies with homemade dressing (ranch/vinaigrette, olive oil)
OPTIONAL SNACK: ½ cup unsalted nuts
DINNER: Red snapper and steamed zucchini
I’ll be posting my updates and progress throughout the next 3 weeks. If you’re joining me and want to share how it’s going for you, please leave me comments or even leave a status update on our Facebook page at Living Strong Health and Wellness. I’ll also be posting some grain-free recipes that I make here in our home! Have a wonderful weekend!
OTHER POSTS IN THE GRAIN CHALLENGE SERIES:
- The Grain Challenge Starts February 20th
- The Grain Challenge – The Purpose
- The Grain Challenge – The Foods You’ll Eat
[...] life! – The Grain Challenge – The Purpose – The Grain Challenge – The Foods You’ll Eat – The Grain Challenge – Reminders and Meal Ideas – The Grain Challenge – Day One, Here We [...]