Gone Gluten Free

So since I posted in November, I’ve done a 180 on you all. Me, champion of moderation. Me, the “no food is bad” girl. Me, variety is the spice of life, personified. I have given up gluten. Yup. And I have felt terrific. So terrific that I have passed up at least 1/2 dozen opportunities to snarf baguette. I am a baguette-lovah from way back. And remember those resort croissants that I have trouble with too? I just spent a whole week looking at them and they didn’t even call my name. That’s how good I feel.

It all started around Christmas, when I read William Davis’ Wheat Belly.

The book is a manifesto against grain. It goes into all sorts of detail on how wheat amps up your blood sugar, causes inflammation, etc. etc. It’s science-y enough, but an easy read, too, and it’ll make your hair stand on end. Combine this with all the testimony I’ve read in the on-line arthritis communities about how super-fab people feel when they give up gluten, and it made me stop and think – “why not try this for a few weeks and see what happens?” So I did. And within a couple of weeks I was PAIN FREE. I haven’t had gluten since. That’s two full months?!

Has it been challenging? Really, not so bad. Now I’ll admit that I have never been a huge sandwich eater, or toast maker so I haven’t had to revise too many habits. I also don’t eat much pasta or other refined carbs when I’m watching what I eat, which is most of the time. Around the end of January, I got a hankering for something crunchy that wasn’t a nut, so I got some Glutino gluten-free pretzels, and let me tell you – they are terrific. Even my daughter, who is not a pretzel lover, loves them. But they’re junk food, so they’ll be on the list for when I want to enjoy something nutrient-free and fun, but they won’t be in the house every day.

Reading about the effects that wheat has on our blood sugar levels (raises ‘em thru the roof), got me thinking about insulin and hormones and their effects on body composition . . . and let’s just say I’ve been doing A LOT of reading on the subject. And I’ve found that keeping my blood sugar at a more steady state and eliminating added sugars from my diet has made me feel better and helped me with my training goals. Stay tuned for lists and reviews of all the good stuff I’ve been reading and doing!

What about you? What tweaks have you made to your diet and/or exercise program since the new year rolled around? How are you feeling? Have you stuck with them? Why or why not?

*Disclosure: If you click on the Wheat Belly graphic above, it’ll redirect you to my Amazon.com store, and if you purchase the book, I’ll make a teeny tiny commission. To date, I’ve made $.04 from this blog!