I have mentioned before on the site how important it is that we keep learning, keep trying and keep discovering new things. My stance on nutrition is the perfect example of my development as a Fit Pro.

When I was in University, nutritional education was still based around the idea that we needed starchy carbohydrates to supply our bodies with energy, and the foodstuffs recommended for this job were wholegrains such as granary bread and wholewheat pasta. Potatoes and rice rounded the group off. We were told that at 4Kcals per gram they were low calorie, and a fantastic energy source. It was taken as read that these should form the basis of a good diet and we should be telling clients this was ‘good’ nutrition.

Not all carbohydrates are the same.

At the time, the cause was helped by the constant bad publicity that the Atkins diet was receiving. Deaths were being blamed on the diet, nutritionists were outraged at its popularity and the magazines couldn’t wait to tear it apart, yet features on massive weight loss thanks to the diet were being printed every week.

The diet was heralded as a godsend by many – eat all the fried food you wanted and still lose weight, as long as you didn’t eat carbs! Sure, you will stink as your body slowly decays, but at least you are thin!

I too slaughtered the Atkins diet, and rightly so. It was, and still is, awful.

Any diet that promotes the eating of almost unlimited fats and proteins, without any regard for cooking methods and severely restricts the intake of good quality carbohydrate is a health disaster waiting to happen. It was irresponsible, unhealthy and unsafe.

Notice I mentioned ‘good quality’ carbohydrate? Let’s look at carbohydrates in more detail…

Not all carbohydrates are the same.

A carbohydrate is anything that comes from a plant source, so fruit and vegetables are carbohydrates. The reason we categorise bread and pasta as carbohydrates is because their main ingredient is wheat, and wheat is a plant. The problem here is that these are grain-based foods, and we are not well-adjusted to digest grains.

Studies have shown that grains cause damage to the intestinal lining, their digestion releases a low-level toxin in the body and finally, they wreak havoc with our hormone levels, leading to increased fat storage, energy fluctuations and immunity problems. Many people are completely intolerant to grains – those with Gluten allergies and Celiac disease will suffer from a whole host of problems from eating grains.

By the time grains have been prepared and are ready for human consumption, they have gone through significant processing, stripping them of any nutritional benefits at all. In many cases the manufacturers then add in artificially-produced vitamins and minerals (check your breakfast cereal box – it probably tells you it is ‘fortified with vitamins and iron’), which offer about as much health benefit as chewing cardboard. Rest assured, they offer very little in terms of health benefit. They also make you fat!

It remains true that we need carbohydrates to provide us with energy, but what we really need is a carbohydrate source that is lower in sugar, keeping our energy stable. Vegetables are high in fibre, which ensures our digestive system works at full efficiency. The other benefits are they are incredibly low in calories, so can be eaten in large quantities, keeping us full. Finally, they are so vitamin and mineral dense that they promote all-round fantastic health.

Vegetables really are a super food

Vegetables are also natural, they are more bioavailable (basically, we receive more benefit from their break down) and we have no difficulty digesting them. A vegetable-heavy diet will make you look and feel better than ever, and for the vast majority of us will help us shed excess fat, water and improve physical fitness and performance. They really are a super food.

So why did I change my approach?

My own journey into low starch eating came about in 2008. I had long been aware of eating less starchy carbohydrates thanks to an article written by Charles Poliquin, but I hadn’t explored the idea further. (I have since come to learn Poliquin is a fountain of knowledge in this field, and his advice should be taken very seriously!) I carried on with the information I had been taught, which to be fair, was still popular back then.

At the time, I lived with an avid CrossFitter who was interested in, but not 100% compliant on Paleo nutrition (see www.Robbwolf.com for more information). I learnt about the Paleo diet after reading more on CrossFit, and noticing is their suggested dietary approach.

Personally, I find the Paleo diet too restrictive and difficult for clients to adapt to. I am not for one second criticising it, but in my experience clients don’t take to it easily, and find themselves stressing over their food choices. Many typical western foods are off limits, and the extreme behaviour change is a step too far. Full graduation to Paleo is possible, but in my experience is far more likely if the client takes baby steps towards full compliance.

During the months and years ahead, I read more and more information on grain-free eating. In my mind the evidence was building into a case I couldn’t ignore. I saw Paul Chek (another man I hold in really high regard) at the 2010 FitPro convention and he spoke in more detail about his nutritional approach, and metabolic typing. With no obvious reason to eat grains, I slowly started removing them from my diet.

Fast forward to 2011 and through trial and error I have developed my own version of a low starch eating plan. I have removed the grains, rice and potatoes from my diet, and feel better than ever. The difference to my general health has been significant, I have shed excess weight and fluids and my fitness has improved. Any doubts I had over a low-starch diets’ ability to supply energy for exercise were eradicated when I cycled 210 miles in 2 days in September 2011. That was the final nail in the coffin for starch in my book!

My girlfriend joined me on the plan after giving birth to our son. Like many women, she struggled to lose her ‘baby weight’ after the birth, given her new schedule of being a full time Mum and not having the time to train in the way she used to. After adopting a low starch lifestyle, she has lost 7kg and is looking fantastic. She is feeling better than ever and has had comments from other new Mums about her weight loss. The weight loss is quick, significant and manageable, yet perfectly healthy!

I started to document the benefits I noticed after going low starch, and without boring you with the details, I will give you a brief outline below. These are the honest benefits, and I share them with you as I want you to feel them too!

Healthy variety at the right price

• Weight loss
• Reduced fluid retention
• Better sleep
• Improved immunity
• Increased physical performance
• More stable energy levels
• Better digestion
• Reduced flatulence
• More money!

These are the honest benefits that I have found since adopting a low starch plan. Even the money one is true!

When you remove the processed junk from your diet, and are buying more vegetables to bulk out your meals, the price of your shopping reduces dramatically. Prior to the plan, we would spend around £80 ($130) per week on food for two of us. Now, we spend £50 ($80) and still have food left over. If we were really strict, we could probably get away with £40 ($64), so have effectively cut our food bills in half. Over the course of a year, we could probably save ourselves over £2000 ($3,330) on our food bill – enough for a family holiday!

I have been so impressed with the results that I have devised my own version of a low starch diet, and will be launching clubs in 2012, spreading the word. I want others to see the benefits that my family and I have.

I have passed on my revised dietary information to my Personal Training clients, and the results have been fantastic. More weight loss, better results and happier clients. I never thought the results would be so significant, and am so impressed with the way my plan has been adopted that I am really looking forward to launching my diet clubs in 2012!

My version of the diet takes elements of a few different versions of the grain-free approach, and the resulting hybrid is one that is successful, easy to follow and most importantly, works well for the client!

I hope you are inspired to change your eating habits and good luck with your changes if you do!

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