My boss has been following a gluton free lifestyle since her daughter was young, so well over 20 years. Over the past 2 years I have worked for her, she's told me more and more why and what caused the change (I think her daughter is a Cyliac).
Well after reading the book, (which pretty much makes it's point in the introduction) I decided to try this wheat free thing out.
I started the day Andrew left for training, so that would be Sunday, July 15, 2012. It has been 9 days now. I am down 4 lbs and (at last check on the weekend) 3 inches.
But that's not the greatest part, well it is, sort of. The greatest part is that I got past my plateau, I passed the banner that was my short term goal.
I am officially (as of this morning) 198 lbs! Now for most people that's not something to be boastful about, but my short term goal was to get under 200 lbs, from then under 190 lbs, then 180 lbs, and so on until I was hovering back around 130-140 (what I view as a healthy and attractive weight for me).
Now, even before I started my wheat free diet I was on a wheat free mission. I knew so many people who could use this (just like when I read Napoleon Hill's Interview with the Devil [is it reading if it's an audio book?]). One of my lucky moments was finding out I had a friend who already went Gluten free, and that's fellow blogger, Hello Little Deer. She's been giving me tips and tricks to help me along my way, plus a good dose of support! But I, because of my pre-diabetic nature and high insulin levels wanted to go totally wheat free.
I won't lie, in the beginning it was hard, I did have wheat on the brain, much like when I quit smoking nearly 2 years ago and couldn't think of anything but that seductive smoke. I fought against it, like I did with smoking (and won, by the way, with smoking at least), and only had meat, veggies, and dairy. Most of my meals consisting of a large salad and chicken breast. That gets tired real quick, in case you were wondering. The same meal (ok different salad dressing, big whoop!) day in day out. I was finding it hard to avoid the pasta, and bread, and oh the pizza and stuff crazy bread I loved so much. So I gave in and half of one of those mini ice cream sundays with cookies in it (cookies that have wheat). I immediately felt like crap, couldn't even finish the tiny cup of ice cream, and discovered what it means to be ignorant of the poison you were taking. I had, at that point, only been wheat free for half a week, and already my body was being affected by the reintroduction of wheat in such a way!
Since the weekend has passed and my aunt brought over some rice pasta, which though the consistency is a bit weird at first, is remarkably similar (and I checked the ingredients, wheat free and gluten free). I have found it alot easier to cope. One because I then took a better look around my local grocery store and found more gluten and wheat free alternatives. Because I am going wheat free as well as gluten free, i have a little bit less options. I am still avoiding any bread substitute because I don't want to tease myself, or rather feed the urge for bread, much like how I couldn't have a "fake" smoke while quitting smoking. Finding (not just being told) Wheat Free and Gluten free alternatives to my favorite foods (like perogies!!!!) was a godsend. It has made this whole change 10 times easier.
Now I will point out that it doesn't necessarily change my "boring" meal plan, these substitutes. My reason for that is simple, these substitutes are still (or can be) high in carbs, which is what I need to keep low for my PCOS and insulin levels. So once in a while they are good for curbing a craving, or a little "reward" for my good eating habits, hell even as a consolation "junk" meal for my husband when he's sick of salad and chicken... but it's not what every day meals should be made of, not if I want to keep up this true health kick.
So now that I'm well on my way to having a wheat free lifestyle, it's time to think about what I need to add to my life. I have talked, on and on, about adding exercise. yes I know I need to do it, and yeah, i always end up not doing it... so my solution, to do both. to add and not add. I've got a nifty little kettle weight I'm going to stick on my coffee table. If I'm watching TV, well every commercial I'll do some sets as I'm sitting or standing, watching the ads go past. Or if I'm playing video games, well the intermissions become my work out time. It's not exactly a vigorous work out, but I'm still doing more then I was before, and I can (theoretically) relax and work out at nearly the same time. Of course this doesn't work if I start watching only movies, or suddenly have to pee every commercial break - but I'll try and keep myself honest.
