Being G-Free: Part II

I am losing my battle with gluten.

Friday night I ordered pizza as a sort of farewell to gluten.  I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it anyway.  Bad idea indeed.  It was not a great start to the weekend as I spent the remainder of Friday night in pain and filled with regret. Truth be told, it was the best damn pizza I’ve ever eaten.  Was it worth it? I’m undecided. 

As a result of my impromptu gluten binge, I promised myself a fresh start to the week and headed to the grocery store yesterday as I typically do on Sunday mornings.  I found myself staring at a freezer full of “Glutino” products.  Who the hell wants to buy a loaf of bread that is frozen, not fresh and called Glutino?? Not me.  The bread looked super dense, was super small, cost twice as much as normal bread and had twice the calories, fat etc.  Result= no bread of any kind for me.  Gluten- 1: FGIALC-0.

I then proceeded to the organic, gluten-free, yeast-free, egg-free, taste-free section of the store to buy some snacks. If I can’t eat anything with wheat, I am going to need some snacks to help me through this…right? Wrong.  I could not bring myself to buy a bag of G-free pretzels for $8.99…wasn’t going to happen. How can you even justify a handful of pretzels for $8.99?!?! Gluten-2: FGIALC-0.

Round 3: family dinner at my fiancé’s aunt and uncle’s house. Dinner went well as there was no wheat around to tempt me.  I filled my plate with salad, broccoli, meatballs and brisket (a Jewish staple food) and was quite content…that is, until dessert was brought out.  Loblaws white-on-white cake.   My kryptonite. I don’t know anyone who would dare say no to this cheap, children’s birthday party, sugary, white-trashy cake.  It’s the best.  And of course, I had a piece.  Fast forward an hour later…I’m home, on the couch, with stomach cramps.  Gluten-3: FGIALC-0.

Lessons learned:  
1) I have no willpower
2) Gluten substitutes suck
3) I am not cut out for this no-wheat-nonsense

The battle continues…

Being G-Free

I will caution you that this post is the result of a Dr. Oz show I saw last week.  So, for those of you that think Dr. Oz is full of shit, you do not have to read on.  

I’ve admitted before that I am a closet Dr. Oz fan.  I know he’s an alarmist but sometimes his show provides some useful information. It is not rare that when I do watch his show I project his diagnoses onto myself and automatically think something is seriously wrong with me.  It’s usually my fiancé who talks me off the ledge, but last week’s episode did not ignite the hypochondriac in me.  Rather, it opened up my eyes to the fact that I can potentially live my life migraine-free, bloat-free and without the major stomach issues I’ve been having over the past couple of years. 

I have been a migraine sufferer since I was 16.  On top of that, I have spent the last 2 years suffering from stomach issues, extreme bloating and lately, fatigue. I had done some reading on these symptoms as they have gotten pretty bad over the last month or so.  I’ve pretty much had a headache for a month straight, am extremely tired and have been walking around super bloated and with terrible stomach upset. All my readings suggested that I should probably give up gluten but I was in denial until I saw the same list of symptoms on Dr. Oz.  The solution: eat G-free.

So many people walk around feeling like complete crap as a result of consuming gluten.  Why? Gluten as well as many other grains are super hard to digest and are quite hard on our stomachs.

The thought of giving up grains altogether pains me.  There is nothing like a fresh croissant on a Sunday morning with a cup of delicious bold coffee and a crossword puzzle. Friday night won’t be the same without ooey-gooey pizza to accompany the movie I’ve been waiting to watch all week.  The Montreal-style bagels that I grew up eating will surely be missed.  But, I want to feel better and if that means giving up gluten, I will try it.

Goodbye breads, pasta and couscous…Hello G-free alternatives.  Ugh. Woe is me. 

I’ll let you know how the journey goes and I'll be posting some recipes for gluten free alternatives soon.  Next up…kale lasagna (because I ain’t giving up cheese!).

Fuck Calories.

It has certainly been a long while since I’ve posted anything to the blog; my sincere apologies dear readers.

I started a new job two months ago and it’s been quite hectic getting used to a new routine and finding time to do the things I love: read, write, cook, exercise, socialize etc.  Holidays came and went and my promises to post in the New Year seemed quite empty.  But, I am back.  I have found my footing and feel way more in control of my daily routine.  

If you read my blog you likely read other food blogs and are interested in health, fitness etc.  So, like me, you are probably sick of hearing everyone’s views on dieting.  Dieting goes hand-in-hand with the start of a new year. New Year’s Resolutions give way to a flood of dieters and people swearing to shed the 5-10 pounds they gained over the holiday season.

I wish I could shake all those people that swear off carbs, count their calories or drink their meals and tell them this:  Just eat real food. It really is that simple. 

Our bodies need all four food groups to function properly and swearing off foods from any of those groups is merely depriving your body of what it needs.  Calorie counting is bullshit.  Sorry, but it is.  And, you can’t get REAL nutrients from chemically composed meal replacement beverages.  

A friend of mine sent me this little book called "Fuck Calories" and I truly think it is quite insightful.  Read it.  It’s only 45 pages.  You can download a PDF version directly from the link. Everyone struggles with weight or body image in one way or another.  Dealing with it in a healthy way is important both for our physical and mental well-beings.