Yesterday I caved.
Yesterday I ate Gluten. And a lot of it.
As the head initiator of these 12 weekly challenges, I feel it’s my duty to be the strong force of nature. To be able to seek out where the pitfalls are, the temptations and not only resist them but come up with a solution to make it easier for others.
I wasn’t prepared for Week 9, Gluten Free. Not in the sense of food or menu planning. I was well prepared and stocked.
I wasn’t prepared for how awful I would feel. I think that’s why I needed to write this extra post before we move further. Perhaps to clear my name and maybe conscious. Other than cake on my daughters birthday during No Treat week and accidentally falling asleep once during Meditation week, I’ve held strong.
But I also wanted to write this for others that may have had the same experience.
By day 2 I was miserable. I felt bloated. Crampy. Gassy. Oh boy, was I gassy. And this was not the type that a little Beano could help. I decided it must have been all the Gluten Free substitutes like the English Muffins and pasta I was eating.
By Wednesday I had eliminated most of the “fake” stuff, other than a nightly Gluten Free chocolate chip cookie (that cost an arm and a leg at Whole Foods, so darn it I was going to eat that dried out mother!). The problems continued though and multiplied. This time I could never feel the sensation of being full, even if I had eaten my weight in meat and potatoes.
My weight also started to drop. Which for many this is the benefit they are going for. However, after doing No Treats week 2, then only 24 grams of sugar during week 7, I had already lost a few pounds. This week had me tipping the BMI charts in the underweight, less than 18 range. NOT GOOD.
The worst part though was my demeanor. I can’t sugar coat it to say I was just moody. I was being a full outright B.I.T.C.H and my poor family was suffering. My husband even brought home flowers for no reason Thursday night in hopes to cheer me up. I just couldn’t pinpoint what was irritating me so much other than this constant gnawing of hunger followed by a cloud full of stench.
Saturday night I had had it. When we pulled into the restaurant, hubby and I were already talking about what we were going to eat with plenty of Gluten Free options to choose from. But I took one look at the menu saw Beef Stroganoff in bold at the top and caved. Once it was ordered I couldn’t stop. I ate all my husband’s croutons off his salad, devoured a dinner roll, tried my kids gluten full dishes and of course savored all those creamy, gravy laden noodles.
Within minutes, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I was happy. Insatiably happy. The kids could have thrown a food fight in the restaurant and I wouldn’t have cared. As long as they weren’t wasting the dinner rolls, I may have joined in.
The gas and bloating were also gone. And I felt full. Not unbutton the top button full, just contently satisfied.
Today 10% gluten rich items crossed my lips and I’m still happy.
Oddly enough, of all the challenges that my bread loving Irishman has completed all 7 days of, it was this one. He didn’t have any stomach issues. He certainly wasn’t moody. His take home from this week was just of mindfulness. He never realized all the things he consumed on a very regular, every meal basis that contained gluten. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the changes he made stay; at least for a few more days.
The best thing that came out of this week for me was realizing without a doubt that all of our bodies are made up differently. What may work for one friend or patient, may not work for another. And may in fact have some serious pitfalls. Heaven knows we don’t need more grumpy people in the world.
I also discovered a great recipe for high protein energy bites, which I’ve been wanting to find and make forever. It’s from Ambitious Kitchen, check it out here. And wonderful one pan meals, like the flank steak, potatoes and broccoli I made from Damn Delicious. So good!
I once read in the comments section on a blog done by a non credentialed nutritionist when someone reported how yucky they felt following her “Gluten Free formula to solve all problems”, that it was the bodies way of detoxing and to just suck it up (she said it nicer, but that was the undertone). If someone ever tells you that, please run. Run as fast as you can away from that stupidity.
And if you run to me, I’ll share my croutons.
Hugs, Kim
Ps. Don’t forget today (3/13/2017) starts Week 10: Time to Read a Book. Check out the post here and join me. I’d love to see what you’re reading.
The trouble is that gluten-free is not a “diet”. It is not something that you “try” and this is my issue with anyone who does not NEED to go gluten-free who attempts to be gluten-free. It does not cleanse, it does not detox – it does nothing of the sort. This is a way of life for someone who cannot tolerate gluten, not just a fad. So please do not counsel anyone who does have non-celiac sensitivities or celiac disease to go gluten-free. I rarely eat processed food, even gluten-free, because they are just as bad as any processed food. But I am an excellent baker and can make gluten-free baked items taste almost as good as the wheat version. I cook gluten-free and while there are adjustments, it’s quite good – lean meats, vegetables, fruit, and dairy (some celiacs cannot tolerate casein) without all the processed crap. So please do not pull wheat and gluten from anyone’s diet unless you suspect issues with gluten. An elimination diet can be telling but it’s only part of the solution. I’m no nutritionist – just someone who has dealt with a wheat-free life for many years. I hope this experiment was enlightening but every time I read about these attempts, it upsets me a little because it trivializes those of us who have no choice. Thank you.
Hi Jennifer. I feel like you are preaching to the choir! Not sure if you caught my precursor to this blog post: http://kimleneghan.com/week-9-were-going-gluten-free-baby/ of why I picked what I did as part of my challenge. Personally I’m not a fan of the gluten free craze at all and find for the person that doesn’t need it or doesn’t know what they are doing can cause more harm than good. On that note though, my Pts/ friends that have legitimate gluten intolerance or have signs of celiac/gluten sensitivity I wanted to be able to connect with them on a more personal level as a clinician. I wanted to get to know the products out there, read their ingredient lists, know their nutritional make up to help patients chose a better option (or have go to recipes). This challenge I did, forced me as the author to hone in on this for 7 days while clearly discovering things about myself. And from Day 1, my readers knew this challenge was really all self serving. http://kimleneghan.com/forget-new-years-resolutions-lets-just-do-7-days/. My intent is never to erk my readers. It’s to provide a little humor and education in a crazy, confusing nutritional world. I’m very glad you have a strong voice and shared your feelings. I hope you continue to share your message. Sing It Loud!!