This means no more wheat, rye or barley for me. I am relieved in a way to have a diagnosis.
I have been feeling crushing fatigue, outrageously moody and unreasonable depression for years. I am hoping that this is the light at the end of the tunnel and that I will eventually begin to feel normal again... what ever that might mean. :)
So you would think that given the motivation to change that I would walk away from gluten readily. I found myself eating out a couple of times this week. There I was NOT asking questions about what has gluten in it or contaminated by it. "I am sure it will be fine, I THINK those ingredients are gluten free". Of course there was today at my sushi club luncheon where I just happily popped the tempura rolls in my mouth with out a second thought. I mean.. I thought about it but ate it anyway.
Those of you who cannot tolerate gluten understand that there is no such thing as just a little bit of it. Even a minuscule amount can set off a reaction. I know better. I know I need to be super careful especially for these first few months. And yet....I am not working too hard at changing my behavior.
The other event that motivated this post was me watching the premier of season 10 of the Biggest Loser. It is heart breaking to see all of these obese people on the show and knowing that America is getting larger by the day. Why? We eat all the wrong foods, too much of it and don't move enough. I don't believe people WANT to be obese. It makes people miserable and yet they keep piling the food in.
While I think the obesity epidemic is complicated and change is hard, here are my thoughts on what can help change (as it relates to eating ) take place:
1) What is behind you reaching for food? Are you really hungry? Did you just eat in the past 1-2 hours? Maybe you are thirsty? Maybe you are hurt, tired, angry, bored, happy, sad, jealous, feel unheard, feel ignored, feel too much attention, lonely, overwhelmed, etc?
Learn to know the difference between hunger and something else going on. Then give your body what it is REALLY wanting. If you struggle with emotional eating, PLEASE see a therapist who can help you work through all of these issues. It is very hard to change emotional eating on your own.
2) Make small changes. Not many people can be successful on going from a full junk food to a whole food diet over night. Junk food, processed food is addictive as hell. It takes time and desire to make that switch. Pick small things each week to work on - more water, smaller servings, 8-10 servings of fruit and veggies every day, 25 grams of fiber, etc. You have to transition in a way that you can maintain for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. No more of this dieting crap until you reach your goal and then I am going back to McDonalds every day and expect my weight to stay off.
Small changes made consistently everyday bring about big life changes.
3) Get support. I am not sure how many people succeed in a vacuum. I know I don't. I believe that most successful people don't. Successful people know that they need mentors and supporters through out their journey. Find people that will support you. Online communities can be great for this. Support can also come from people that you never expected if you give them a chance.
Be prepared however as some times changes make others around you uncomfortable. Give them time and share with them why you are wanting to make these changes. I bet they will come around.
4) Keep trying. Again and again and again. Your health is worth the effort! YOU are worth the effort.
I am going to follow my own advice here and focus on eating completely gluten free! I know I am worth the effort to feel better.
Keep healthy!!
Kara
