The Battle

Fighting with your body is rough. Your brain says one thing but other parts say another. I fight this all of the time and I swear I will eventually learn my lesson. In fact, I am learning my lesson but its in very small baby steps. The first few weeks of going Gluten and Dairy free is tough and when I fell off the wagon I did a dumb thing... well yeah, the dumb thing was falling off the wagon. After nearly a month I was finally adjusting to it, feeling good and enjoying the benefits. When I caved I started a snowball that I have slowed but I have yet to get rid of.

But, everytime I try to steer away from what I am supposed to do I am quickly reminded that its not a good idea. The physical reminders that leave me sitting in a hot bath for an hour or more and trying to get through the stomach pain. Its tough but I will get there and feel great and even better then I have before. It takes time, patience and strength in the battle with my body but I will get there!

It's Been Too Long...

It's been too long since I posted last; too many excuses, too busy and completely unfocused, too frustrated. I thought about giving up on the blog but then after thinking long and hard about it I knew I would be giving up not just on the blog but on all of the things I set out to do. I refuse to quit. So I am back with new goals in mind and a better attitude to reach them with. So now I move forward, no complaints or excuses. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

Starting Over With Weigh Ins...

This morning I decided that with my slip up and re-setting my counter, I would start again with my weigh in's. Despite giving into my weakness I do have a pretty firm grasp on the knowledge and the tools I need to be Gluten and Dairy free. So now it comes down to continuously applying them, working out and staying focused. With that in my mind, I now need to hold myself accountable on the scale as well. So I stepped on it this morning...

To my suprise I was 1.2 pounds lighter then the last weigh in. Yes, that was done over 2 months ago but I still think a loss is a loss. I was so focused on learning to be Gluten and Dairy free that I did lose sight in other areas, but thats ok. I am focused now and looking forward to the road ahead. And with that I am off! Hopefully I will see some results at the next weigh in!

21 Days and then...

I slipped. Not this wasn't a small, "woops there was a little water on the floor, that was a close one". It was a slip that led into a long fall down the side of a mountain. 21 Days of hard work and then I screwed up. Yes I let Gluten and Dairy pass these lips. I lost my mind and ate way more then I should have, thinking to myself, "I really don't have an issue with these foods, its all in my head". I think in any addiction program that is what they call, DENIAL and its generally the first step you have to get past.

No need to shake your finger at me though, I am doing that at myself already. I am also being punished. No I am not 12 again, sitting in my room without TV, my phone or my iPod. Unlike most people who take on a diet to lose weight and then cheat a little and then hop right back on the next day with only their guilt, I am punished physically. Instead my choice to eat these forbidden foods results in several days worth of feeling downright horrible, something I havent felt in nearly 21 days.

But, I cannot dwell on my mistake. Instead I pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again. I will be Gluten and Dairy free again and every time I go to pick up something I shouldn't, I have the reminder of how I felt when I did consume it. And now, its off to eat some breakfast with these things in mind. Once again, Thanks for the support!

16 Days!

Today I marked my 16th day of being Gluten and Dairy Free. Can you believe it, 16 days! Honestly, I am amazed that this this much time has passed since I began. I cant say the process has been easy but it hasnt been impossible either. Its just a matter of becoming accustomed to what I can and cannot eat. At home, its not a problem because I can make everything and be extra careful about what I eat. Going out, however, is another issue. I just have to remember to check a restaurants website for an allergy menu and do a bit of research before I go. That or I just have to get over being afraid to ask questions and get the restaurant to work within my limitations.

The adjustment will take time, but I know it wont take forever. I have a few cookbooks on my list that I plan to get, as well as recipes from other blogs anf websites that I really want to try. While I have been good about eating lots of fruit and veggies, I still want a sweet treat every now and then. My next challenge will be to learn how to bake Gluten Free. I have done some research and it seems as though baking Gluten Free can be a bit of an art form. Often times you need to try a recipe several times and make adjustments before you get it right. So my next project will be trying some things out, seeing what works and what doesn't and go from there. I guess only time will tell. Until then, I continue on. I have to say I am feeling a bit better with each day that passes. Its nice to know something is working!

Schar Mutilgrain Bread

After my near meltdown at Whole Foods, part of which was due to price, I started looking into other options. At Whole Foods I purchased a loaf of Udi's Gluten Free bread. It was very small and pricey at $6.99 for the loaf. I tried it and even though it wasn't as moist and tasty as my usual Orrowheat MultiGrain bread, it was something I knew I could continue eating and enjoy. The issue that continued to linger was the price, so I began to check out other options.

While at Fresh and Easy I decided to check out their Gluten Free selection. Its not huge but it has some of the basics. The only loaf of Whole Grain bread they had was the one you see pictured below. The loaf looked at bit larger and the price was a little over $2 less then the Udi's brand, so I figured I would give it a try.

The verdict... I will pay the extra $2 for the Udi's brand. While the loaf was a bit larger it was dry. Dry, dry and oh yes, dry. SO dry that most of the slices left in the little container it comes in wont come out whole. They are too crumbly to remove in one piece. The flavor is pretty dull too. The one difference I will note is that the Udi's brand is kept frozen in store while the Schar brand can be found on the shelf. Schar does make a frozen version of this bread that I hope to try. Maybe that will make the difference. Until then, I will give the Schar Gluten Free Multigrain Bread a C- for the moment. I plan to start making my own bread at home but until then I will pay the extra money for the better bread.

Thank You Red Robin!

Yes, Thank You Red Robin! Even though they do not state it on their menu, if ask your server they can make your burger with Gluten Free buns! I was ok with the idea of just lettuce wrapping my burger or sandwich if need be, but I took a chance and asked because I really just wanted the full burger. Yay! I was very excited and they carry about 4 burgers and 4 chicken sandwhiches that are gluten free too! It was music to my ears. I am also very lucky that I am not so sensitive to Gluten that even cross contamination is an issue for me. This allowed me to enjoy a few fries as well because they make their fries Gluten Free, although they are cooked near other items that are not. But, like I said, this was not an issue for me. There is hope for dining out!