beginner - advice needed!

[devoncreamtea]

hi everyone, just starting today to cut out grains from diet, am 34, a mum of of 4 (10,5,4,2) and have gained weight since last pregnancy, not loads but am overweight and not happy with it. My husband is a functional movement specialist and for ages has been advising all his clients and me (!) to try cutting grains from diet for health and weight loss. So I thought I should just man up and do it! Have a pretty good food attitude - always cook from scratch (except occasional indian...)not scared of fat; eat meat; organic/local - tons of org veg etc - but really lean on good old sugar (and, lets face it, toast) to get me through the relentlessness of days with young children! I want to have my energy back and feel better about my body, I'm all up for the challenge, but I know I will find it hard not to reach for the tea and bics when tired/bored/faced with a mountain of washing...
Any tips gratefully received. Today I have eaten 2 gluten free sausages; apple; cup of tea; couple of spoons of greek yog (was starving!) and planning omlette, veggies and bit goats cheese for lunch - chicken and veggies for tea.
Thanks for your help!

Some people on here do lower-carb way of eating that involves keeping carbs to a minimum - e.g. eat low-carb veg but not high carb veg or much fruit at all except a few berries.

Some people do stuff like Paleo / Primal which are still low carb no grains etc ways of eating but do include fruit etc.

I find the latter works more for me, because I exercise a reasonable amount, and don't really 'need' to lose weight (though a couple of kilos less might be good!)

Some good resources for Paleo/Primal recipes and info:

www.marksdailyapple.com
nomnompaleo.com

If you want lower carb still check out the Boot Camp threads on here.

John Briffa's book 'Escape the Diet Trap' is also very good.

I would try to considerably limit carbs (including limiting fruit) for the first two or three weeks until you get more used to it. Eat as much as you like to not feel hungry....initially you'll probably find you eat more, as you're craving carbs, then your appetite will adjust and you won't feel that horrible weak carby-hunger that makes you reach for the biscuits.

Good snacks to have to hand include avocado with seeds sprinkled over, hard boiled eggs (do a bunch and keep them in the fridge til needed), full-fat greek yoghurt, coffee with cream or coconut milk / coconut cream stirred into it etc. Once you're into it you probably won't need snacks as you just don't get that hungry between meals.

Thank you pootlebug, i have just had a look at daily apple, lots on there! Will have a proper read later. My main aim is to give up grains and v. sugary things - I feel that is most beneficial to health and perhaps more realistic for me at first. Thanks for the tips!

Your approach is great for health - but if you want to lose weight, you might need to be a little more strict. However, i found when i started that cutting obvious carbs was the first step towards cutting almost all carbs. I started with grains, then sugar and then fruit and starchy veg/pulses.

I have been able to reintroduce some of the latter since i lost weight, but realistically, to stay slim, i have to avoid them in the long term.