Food journal day 1

As of this morning when I nearly threw up my bagel, I have decided to go gluten free.

I actually hadn't known anything about what being gluten-free meant until my niece was diagnosed with a thyroid disease at 3 years-old. She can't have gluten or dairy and this last summer we just learned that her older sister has a gluten intolerance as well. Naturally my sister has learned a lot about alternative food options having to feed 2 picky young girls. She suggested that I cut gluten out of my diet, and then after 2 or 3 weeks, try it and see what the reaction is.

My first feeling was anxiety about cooking. I am not a creative cook in the slightest. If it comes in a box, it works for me. I also eat on the go a lot. I often have long work days with short meal breaks. A huge part of my job is to plan ahead so you think I could do that in the kitchen, but.... a Subway sandwich sounds better.

Fortunately, I have recently changed where I go grocery shopping. Instead of a chain store, I shop at a more local organic store. For me (and many other people, I believe) 'organic' is usually synonymous with more expensive. Well this store drew me in with a reputation of very cheap poultry, and snagged me as a new customer by showing me that organic is actually very similar to the name brand 'regular' items. It sometimes mean smaller portions and I once accidentally purchased rice cakes not knowing that they were gluten free, bit into them and wondered if they were stale. So I guess flavor can suffer. But now I can say that I don't look helplessly lost wandering up and down their narrow isles anymore and I've learned that the less flavorful organic tortillas work well with the more flavorful organic avocados and tomatoes in a wrap and stuff like that.

So that's the mind set that I'm trying to start with this new gluten-free diet. I'm nervous to try the gluten-free bread that I found (weird, huh?), but fruits, veggies, and meat are all still available and I know that even if I wasn't going gluten-free, I need to eat more veggies. So after I got home from the grocery store, I traded out my Raisin Bran for Chex, my old pasta for new pasta, etc. and then I put a pot roast in the oven with at least 10 kinds of vegetables. It was incredibly satisfying to realize that I just made something gluten-free, but also VERY healthy! (and, believe it or not, I think my husband will like it, too!!)

The other boost towards this food transformation came from a book I started reading (it was free on iBooks!) and it was called "How to lose weight without dieting" and mostly talks about portion control and really listening to your body. If you're hungry, then eat. When you're full, stop eating. Really being aware of what I'm eating is going to help me a lot now so I don't find myself reaching for my old gluten favorites.

I hope I write more as this experience continues. Here goes!