Leyla Weighs In:  Is this pantry staple stalling your weight loss?

You’ve hit a weight loss plateau—seemingly inexplicably. You’re eating “healthy” and maybe even less food altogether, but your metabolism is not working the way you think it should. You already eliminated processed carbs and diet sodas a long time ago, and you’ve upped your exercise workout to include more interval training, but you’re experiencing little to no impact. Out of desperation, you’re even going hungry at this point.  
 
While it’s true that many American adults fall on to some part of the continuum of metabolic abnormalities (overweight and obesity; metabolic syndrome all the way to type 2 diabetes), your concern is individual to you and it’s frustrating given all your effort thus far to reach a healthy weight.
 
You may want to consider giving up grains. Not just gluten grains, but all grains. A half cup serving of cooked rice, quinoa, oatmeal or pasta has as much as 30 – 40 grams of carbs. That morning oatmeal you’re eating in an effort to lower your cholesterol by a few digits may be sabotaging your weight loss potential—the opportunity of your fat burning hormone, glucagon, to do its job. Because the grain food group has the highest amount of carbohydrates per serving, ditching it could be a gamer changer.    
 
Once you decide to give up grains altogether, you’re going to notice other unexpected benefits.  Your belly gets quieter. The bloating and distention you’ve learned to live with is surprisingly less bothersome if not completely gone. Indeed, you gave up the most fermentable food group.  Less fermentation equals less gas and abdominal discomfort. In fact, those with intractable SIBO find relief when they eliminate all grains, not just gluten grains and other FODMAPS. Moreover, those individuals with occasional heartburn or full blown GERD report a complete resolution of symptoms. 
 
There’s more good news: your blood sugar may approach normal ranges and stabilize. Then you’ll notice false hunger, aka cravings, beginning to subside.          
 
And while you’re experiencing all these positive changes, another nice thing you’ll notice is weight loss. Congratulations!

To your health!

Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN