The 30th day was Feb. 26, 2013 and I have to say that overall the gluten free challenge was a great success. Both Mike and I noticed subtle differences in how we felt (better sleep, better bowel movements, less puffy, more energy) and just as importantly other people noticed the difference in how we looked (smaller bellies).
The 30 days were not without their challenges. There was a pizza party to attend and we had to find GF substitutions for our favorite staples; pancakes, pizza and sandwiches, but all in all it was fairly easy. Much easier than either of us had anticipated. We did find some delicious GF recipes for all 3 of our wheat weaknesses and somehow, somewhere along the way our obsession for these foods diminished. Recipes have been posted on the blog and can be linked to fairly easily by clicking on the recipes link above.
Since the end of the challenge we have incorporated some gluten back into our diets, or more accurately we haven't been as careful to avoid it, and it has been obvious in how we feel, if not in how we look (yet). Neither of us is feeling terrible. We didn't have the cramping and other issues commonly reported by gluten free people with true gluten intolerance who eat gluten. But neither of us is feeling quite right either. There is just something that is a little off (bowel movements for me).
The conclusion. Is a gluten free diet right for us? YES, yes we do believe it is. While we are not going to be fanatical about avoiding gluten, say should we be invited to have a meal at a friend's home (because we really don't want people to stop inviting us to dinner just because they don't know how to accommodate out gluten free lifestyle), we will be gluten free at home and as much as possible when dining out.
Some of the benefits we have personally experienced;
- fewer/no cravings after just a couple of days (May take longer for some people. We were lucky!)
- better sleep
- inches lost, especially around the waist and belly
- better bowel movements
- more energy
- better moods
- more mental clarity
- increased libido
- I don't have dandruff anymore. Mike never had dandruff.
- less menstrual cramping.
Back to not being fanatical. Tomorrow we have been invited to brunch. On the menu, breakfast pizza, coffee cake and whatever we decide to bring. Leaning towards some type of fruit, but it will depend on what looks good at the grocery store. So tomorrow we will be eating wheat for one meal and we are going to enjoy it.
The future....incorporating more produce.
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