Elimination Diet- Week 3 & 4 Reflections
The Rundown:
At the beginning of Week 3, I decided I would go ahead and eliminate the specified items in the meats and spices groups, along with starch, beans and sweeteners. It started out a little rough (Olive Garden breadsticks- Enough Said!) but I soon redeemed myself. I went food shopping the day before, looking for reasonably priced gluten-free and soy-free products. I was more than a little wary of giving up my filling and cheap wheat products; but I had two weeks to prepare myself (in the weeks before I had already given up extra refined sugar). I found a lot of good products at a nearby grocery store. They even had a whole organic, diary-free and gluten-free aisle. I ended up finding gluten-free: brown rice pasta, hot cereal mix, a chocolate bar (also diary-free) and some other really good food. I also picked up a bunch of fresh fruits and vegetables. I definitely prefer that set-up to stores where the regular and special diet foods are just all mixed together. It feels like I am searching for a needle in a haystack. Since I was planning to go out of town that weekend, I prepared/cooked a bunch of food and came up with a meal plan. Once I packed everything in Ziploc bags and Tupperware, I loaded up my cooler and was on my way. I ended up doing a really good job that weekend, only veering from my diet a couple times. Doing well gave me the confidence I needed to stick to the plan the rest of week 3 and 4.
The Benefits:
So first off, I have more energy. A month ago, I was basically in a comatose state. All I could do was go to work and maybe work out a little. Now, I have the energy to cook dinner, wash clothes and clean the kitchen, along with everything else I have to do (this is without my vitamin B supplements, during the change of seasons, and a super busy, stressful couple of weeks). This is a big deal! I haven't had a dizzy spell in a couple weeks (I was having like two a week). I also still can't believe that I don't have to take a Tums after every meal. I rarely have heartburn anymore. I used to constantly be afraid of when my next episode of IBS (one of the worse feelings in the world) was coming. Every time I ate, I felt like I was playing Russian Roulette. Now, I'm no longer afraid of what I eat. And I have lost 8lbs in four weeks.
With things going so well, I am a little afraid to start adding restricted foods back into my diet for two reasons:
1.) I am afraid of feeling worse again
2.) I'm afraid I may gain back some of the weight I've lost
Within the next 1 to 2 weeks, I will start readmitting food back into my diet. So I guess we will see how it goes!
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