3 weeks into my diet
I am 3 weeks into my diet — avoiding wheat, gluten, soy, eggs, dairy, and baker’s yeast. I can start to reintroduce foods very soon. My next appointment is on the 28th, so about a week and a half and I can start adding things back.
Butter, cheese, and eggs are the foods I miss the most. Eggs are in so many foods, and if I could use eggs I could bake with coconut flour much easier. I have an egg substitute but it’s just not the same. Butter, because mmm butter. A baked potato without butter and sour cream is just sad. Oh, and sour cream. Miss that for atop potatoes or tacos. Cheese was always a yummy snack and topping for so much. Arg!
I don’t really miss drinking cow’s milk though. I used to guzzle the stuff by the gallon, but lately it just does not sound appealing to me. I accidentally had a sip of some (and spit it out!) and it just tasted really bad to me. Almond milk took a little adjustment, but I like it now (certain brands, anyway).
I have absolutely lost weight, though I don’t know how much since I don’t have a scale. My jeans that fit fairly recently are now falling off of me. I’m fitting into jeans that I thought I’d never wear again — tiny pre-Johnny jeans. What! I am not in a place where I need to lose weight right now, so I’m trying to make sure I eat enough though it’s pretty hard given my limitations. I do not feel hungry, though. My sugar cravings are gone.
I’m eating a lot of meat and veggies. Thankfully, I can still have other grains and starches, so I’ve enjoyed rice, quinoa and corn-based things such as tortillas.
The fake substitutes of things don’t do much for my palate. I do not like the fake safe cheeses such as Daiya. Don’t like the “safe” bread I tried, which was based on tapioca flour (and I forget what else is in it). Just…ugh. If I can’t have the real thing, then I don’t want a fake alternative.
What I’ve noticed most is how I perceive flavor. I’m a little concerned that I went and broke my tastebuds. Things don’t taste amazing anymore. I used to make some of my favorite comfort foods (or buy them at a restaurant) and just think “wow this is the yummiest thing ever.” Lately, nothing tastes delicious. Things are edible, sure, but nothing to write home about.
Maybe I just have a sweet tooth and dessert-type things will do the trick for me. Maybe when I can have chocolate again it’ll be all better. Or maybe a big steaming bowl of Panera mac & cheese and some french onion soup (previously my favorites!).
Or MAYBE I need to go on a fancy cruise again. Everything on our Holland America cruise was delicious.
Not sure what is up with all that.
Next week is Thanksgiving and that’s kind of a bummer since I won’t officially be off my diet yet. I suppose I could cheat a little but why undo all of my progress if I don’t have to? I’ll be able to eat plenty of meat, any strictly veggie sides (though honestly if there’s a little butter in something I might eat it anyway), and I’ll make some side dishes that I can eat, so I can load up on those things if I’m left with few other options. And probably take a bunch of LARABARS in the van just in case. I’m going to check with the nutritionist to see what she thinks about me cheating just a little. heh.
Let’s end this update on a good note. I do feel different and better for making these dietary changes. I absolutely think this whole thing was worthwhile. Most of the time, I’m totally fine with what I can eat. It’s just…Thanksgiving is a big day of dairy and wheat and eggs and all the stuff I can’t have, and bummer! And restaurants are really, really hard. I thought I could eat a salad at Wendy’s. It had pecans, so…safe, right? YEAH until they went and ruined them by putting all kinds of stuff in their coating, including 3 things I wasn’t allowed to have. Jerks.
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Can you have the Udi’s gluten free bread? It is actually pretty good! I really like it, especially for pb & j!
I am glad you are feeling better and your sugar cravings are gone. Good for you for sticking it out!
I’m with you on the substitute foods — I don’t like ‘em, usually. Although when I was a vegetarian I ate a lot of the fake bacon. But now that I’m not, I won’t go back! I do like almond milk — I drink the vanilla unsweetened, and it satisfies my cravings for milk with certain foods. I also stir it into my oatmeal. Keep at it! You’re so close to the end! I’ve been pretty bad at avoiding processed foods and sugars lately. I need to get back on the wagon. But I know what you mean about things not tasting as good. I think that’s why I end up eating cheat foods. And once you get a taste of sugar again, you only want more. Ugh.
My go-to lunch is a big salad with mixed greens, chicken, walnuts or almonds, sesame seeds, sun-dried tomatoes or raisins, pepper, basil, and I make my own dressing with different vinegars and olive oil. Pretty easy and usually really tasty!
I am with you on the restaurant thing. I get very irritated because all fast food has fillers in it, which means gluten is in their chicken, burgers and fries. it’s just not right, why can’t meat be meat and potatoes be potatoes? and I am sorry about thanksgiving, I know I would cry if I didn’t get pumpkin pie on thanksgiving! (i did last year… it was worth it though, I was in the hospital having a baby)