12 Months of Fitness: Challenge #4 – Make the Switch to Whole Grains

Are you ready for your fourth 12 Months of Fitness (#12MoF) challenge? Check out the introduction to 12 Months of Fitness here. My testers have been tackling this challenge since mid-March and are sharing their experiences with making the switch to whole grains.

Are you ready for your fourth 12 Months of Fitness (#12MoF) challenge? Check out the introduction to 12 Months of Fitness here.
My testers have been tackling this challenge since mid-March and are
sharing their experiences with making the switch to whole grains.

12 Months of Fitness: Challenge #4 – Make the Switch to Whole Grains

For the next month, your goal is to make the switch from
white grains to whole grains. Not only are whole grains healthier but they are
also hardier which allows you to feel fuller sooner and longer. I’ll admit,
this was a difficult one for me as I grew up in a hardcore white bread only
family. But, now that The Boy and I have made this a habit – I can’t stand
white bread or pasta anymore! It really lacks the interest and flavor of the
wheat. Suggestions for accomplishing this are:

• Start with honey wheat bread. It’s moister than
  whole wheat bread so it makes the transition easier.
• Switch to whole wheat pasta. I promise, it’s
  delicious (if you can get your hands on homemade – AMAZING). My favorite
  supermarket brands are Barilla and Ronzoni. Whole wheat pasta takes a bit
  longer to cook but we are completely addicted to it now.
• Love toast? Try sprouted wheat. Sprouted
  wheat is the purest form of grain and needs to be refrigerated. Personally,
  it’s too dry for me but The Boy loves it toasted.
• Start using brown rice. This was a hard
  switch for me because our rice cooker HATES brown rice and makes a huge mess.
  Then I discovered Uncle Ben’s 90 second brown rice bags and my life changed.
  Pop one in the microwave while your grilling your fish or chicken, add a veg,
  and you’ve got a fuss-free and healthy dinner.
• For lunch or evenings alone, try the Minute
  Ready to Serve Multigrain Medley cups. They’re individual servings of brown
  rice with a fab nutty flavor.
• Swap bread for whole wheat pasta or brown
  rice at meals. One of The Boy and my favorite meals is this recipe for Roasted Tomatoes
  with Shrimp and Feta from Real Simple.
  It calls for serving the mixture with bread but I serve it over whole wheat
  angel hair pasta and it’s fantastic!

And to help you stay motivated, here's how it's working out for our #12MoF testers (you can meet them over on our Facebook page!):

"My fiancé and I
started buying Arnold Sandwich Thins (100 percent whole wheat) to use as bread
for sandwiches, and we also now use whole wheat pizza dough whenever we make
homemade pizza. I don't love the taste of whole wheat pasta – I think it's kind
of bland – but I do feel like it makes me feel fuller faster." {Kaleena}

"I can't stand regular white
grains anymore, especially white pasta. I've found the whole grain breads,
pastas, and rice to be much more filling than their bland white counterparts.
I'm not sure if they really are or if it's just in my head, but I feel like I'm
getting so many more nutrients, so they make my belly feel full and happy!" {Elizabeth}

"I told Cris that I would
straight up FAIL at this challenge. I grew up in an Italian household eating
pasta for lunch instead of PB&J. As suggested, I made the first step with
honey wheat bread, which I really enjoyed. The big step was to make whole wheat
pasta, something that I had tried in the past while living at home. I picked up
the Trader Joe's organic spaghetti and topped it with homemade sauce
(naturally), Italian sausage and boiled spinach. Let's just say, I'm a convert
and Cris is doing the Told Ya So dance." {Ariella}

See? You CAN do it! Share your #12MoF struggles/triumphs with Tulle
Nation on Twitter, our Facebook page, or take photos on Instagram. Be sure to use the hastag #12MoF so we can all support you!