So, we all read about how and why I decided to go gluten-free a few weeks ago. It was going very well; I mean, it was difficult in a sense that literally everything has gluten in it, however, I tend to eat more "whole foods" anyway (I once heard the phrase, "If you can run your food under water and it stays intact, it's a good food to eat," true, right?!") so giving up the processed foods wasn't hard for me. Also, as we saw, there's amazingly delicious GF equivalents of everything you can think of! (I even had this amazing GF pizza!) My skin was indeed getting better, and I felt great. I was at my lowest weight since well, I was about 15, I had energy, and I was really proud.
Then we went away to Williamsburg and I ate this.
(I also ate other equally as not-GF things on the trip like an amazing hamburger and fries that were totally 100% worth it)
Yikes.
When I came home, I didn't feel great. My chin broke out like crazy (and it hurts!). I felt like I was carrying a ton of extra water weight. Ugh. Back in college I gave up sugar for about 4 years, and I knew I could do that and I always felt great not eating the sugar. It was just one less thing to think about, ya know? However, there was one more bridge I wanted to try to cross: dairy free. I didn't do this out of the blue; I had been eating milk, yogurt, fro-yo, etc. and I felt gross afterward. I felt bloated and off. When talking to my mother about it, she said, "Well, that's no shocker you'd be lactose intolerant, milk made you scream your head off as a baby!" So, there's that.
So, for the time being, and to clear my system out, as well as clean up my skin (fingers crossed!), I am going GF, DF, and SF! I guess I don't see it as that huge of a life change for me, since I gave up cheese months ago, I've done SF on and off for years, and the GF thing is for my skin (which I am desperate to have clear). I never really was into processed food, fast food, etc. Also...I can still eat a lot of things! I also happen to live within 5 minutes of a delicious gourmet market as well as a health food store. Also, I like to cook, so it helps.
This all brings me to my point of the post: breakfast. I love breakfast. I'm also a born and bred New Yorker, so I love bagels with cream cheese, lox, and the works. However, most bagels aren't GF (these are!), cream cheese is full of dairy (though, I did have 2 bagels while we were away....ah, vacation "diet"!). So, I decided to mimic the bagel idea in a more healthy way, and here's how I did it:
- Salt-free rice cakes
- Two egg whites, fried in a pan with Pam
- Red Onion
- Tomato
I'm not any of the above but I did stop putting sugar in my coffee a couple years ago and now I don't even like it. I was proud of this small accomplishment. Haha.
ReplyDeleteHey, every little bit counts!! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia, this is very interesting. I am originally from Chile but I've been living in Chicago for almost two years now. I gained about 20 pounds during my first 5 months in the USA. Yes, a terrible personal record. I was tired all the time, so I checked my lipid profile and it was terrible of course. I started a fat-free diet and yes I lost weight and I felt much better! But it was so hard to do. Every social event includes food and is terrible when you cannot eat it. I feel it is like having social life versus living a good life. Whatever, I don't know how can you go SF, DF, GF... jesus, what do you eat!? =(
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for the comment! Haha. I eat a ton of veggies, eggs, meats, fruits, and also grains like buckwheat, quinoa, etc. I'm not doing this forever, as I do like the occasionally cookie, birthday cake, etc. I'm doing it for the summer, and then I'm going to try to find that balance with the dairy and sugar. Gluten is a definite no-no for my skin!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right in that everything involves food. It is incredibly hard!! I always just "try my best" to stick to my guns, and at the end of the day, when I do (and I don't always!), it feels so healthy and good!
Thanks for reading!
Hi Olivia, I'm excited to find your site and more people who are on the same page!
ReplyDelete3 years ago I found out I'm allergic to gluten and dairy...i miss cheese so much- it's my one cheat but I always pay for it in end sigh...
I know that I am super sugar sensitive too. It's not always easy to cultivate a gf/df/sf diet and not feel restricted while your friend next you eats pizza and chocolate cake Lol. Excited to know there are more people for whom this is the best lifestyle, who are enjoying to process of discovering not just substitutes but just plain yummy meals!!