Home » Ground Rule #4: Consume enough of the right carbohydrates (25-35 grams of fiber per day)

Ground Rule #4: Consume enough of the right carbohydrates (25-35 grams of fiber per day)

[hidepost=1] Oatmeal: Oatmeal is one of the good carbohydrates when done right – that means with no sugar (so sorry, no Instant Peaches and Cream Outmeal). However, feel free to add milk, fruit, or even low sugar yogurt if you need the extra flavor. Cooking it with milk or soy milk does tend to give the oatmeal a fuller flavor than if you just use plain water. There are a couple of reasons why this is a key element of the 3X Eating Code. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which means that it attracts fluid and takes longer to digest. Longer to digest means you stay fuller while the body burns more calories to process it. Oatmeal has also been researched and proven to maintain your blood sugar levels longer, which keeps fat from storing, and keeps you from bingeing later in the day. So start the day out right with a bowl of oatmeal and you’ll be amazed at the results it can help you achieve. Beans and Legumes: From a pure overall health standpoint beans are great for your heart. Beans are also jam packed with protein, iron, and fiber. You can call these nature’s magic gift to man. Eating beans makes for a healthier body in several areas, not the least of which include: circulation system, digestion system, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and controlling weight. Beans provide an amazing amount of vitamins, and they take longer to digest. Once again, this is great for two reasons: 1. You stay full longer 2. Your body burns more calories to process them There are many types of beans that are extremely good for you, but there are some that don’t make the cut. Watch out for baked beans that add sugar and other outside ingredients. Once again, look at the list to see what types of beans are fantastic to add to 3X diet: • Soybeans • Navy beans • Garbanzo • Pinto Beans • Chickpeas • Lentils • Lima Beans • Black Beans • Kidney Beans • White Beans • NOT – Baked Beans (loaded with refined sugar) and refried beans which are more saturated fat than anything else (this one is really tough on me, as I love Tex-Mex). Green Vegetables These are the warriors of the vegetable world that wreak havoc on free radicals which are responsible for speeding up the aging process. Parts of their arsenal are vitamins A, C, K, and folate, which protect the heart from heart disease. Basically, this is a cancer fighting super food that ramps up your metabolism and keeps you healthy. As it gets later in the day you will want to eat more of these rather than things like baked or mashed potatoes, corn and other starchy carbs. Nothing beats the ratio of low calories to your stomach feeling full than green veggies. Make sure you get as many of these into your diet as possible: • Spinach • Bok Choy • Broccoli • Mustard greens • Green Beans • Kohlrabi • Brussel Sprouts • Asparagus • Edamame • Romaine • Arugula • Watercress • Endive Other Fibrous Carbs: • Onion • Cauliflower • Red and Yellow Peppers • Celery Whole Grain Breads Can you hear the collective gasp of air coming from the no-carb faithful? Eating no-carb is one of the craziest things I have ever heard. Several people close to me tried this diet 3 different times and every single one of them gained the weight back faster than they lost it. Balance is the key to feeling and looking great. Anytime someone is telling you to do anything in major excess you should be skeptical. Anyone that tells you to avoid these kinds of carbs is off their rocker, especially when whole grain breads actually keep your body from storing fat! This 3Xer super food goes to battle for your body with fiber, pyridxine, vitamin E, calcium, protein, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, potassium, and zinc, just to name a few. It will help you defend against the usual suspects: heart disease, cancer, high- blood-pressure and obesity. I suggest that you consume these more towards the beginning of the day, and decrease the closer you get towards evening. I generally consume whole grain breads up until a little after lunch time and then switch to carbs like green vegetables. [/hidepost]