Three weeks into working on weight loss and I’m feeling energized! At the beginning of the week I simply felt good and I’m still thankfully on that high note. It feels great to be three weeks into working on a healthier me.
How are you doing along your journey? Are you finding things to be a little harder during the holidays?
Halloween was a bit of a kicker for me, but I allowed myself some slack and indulged in a few special treats. Then got right back on track the next day.
Week three was ultimately a success (see below for more insights.) Being 100 percent gluten free was a bit challenging! It’s amazing how many hidden glutens are in foods that we love like salad dressing and cream-based soups.
Results of counting eating gluten free during week three
If you just started following along, I started my dietary lifestyle change with the simple act of counting calories and adjusted my calorie intake to target a 2-3 pound weight loss each week. In week three, I completely eliminated gluten from my diet to see if it would help or hinder my weight loss efforts and to see if it would help reduce inflammation. (Ultimately, I’m seeking a life plan, not a temporary program that helps me rapidly lose weight but doesn’t help me keep it off for the long haul.)
I normally trend toward making gluten free choices as with Hashimoto’s I am gluten sensitive, but I stray too often and I think this is one of the contributors towards my occasional belly bloat and overall inflammation problems. I have noticed when I’ve added bread choices into my current diet, there are some issues.
During my gluten free week, I lost 1.5 pounds, which puts me at a total weight loss of exactly 10 pounds!!
In addition to finding lots of hidden glutens in foods in my home, I also found that eating outside my home was doubly challenging. A great resource for me was the Celiac Disease Foundation website (https://celiac.org). It was super helpful in navigating my refrigerator, pantry and the grocery store.
As I’m counting calories along with eating gluten free, I also learned that many gluten free foods are high in sugar and calories. So I had to tread carefully not to fall into the pitfall of consuming too many gluten free pre-made foods.
Throughout the week I had very little bloating issues and I noticed I had less brain fog. I’ll definitely be sticking with a low-gluten lifestyle and being a lot more conscientious of hidden glutens in everyday foods.
What’s next?
I’m going to continue counting calories, keeping them between 1700- 1800 per day, limit my gluten intake, and I’m going to try eating Paleo-style for a week!
I’ll be using online resources, a Paleo cookbooks I already have, and incorporating a favorite recipe or two like Paleo and Gluten Free Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake With Maple-Vanilla Frosting. I may turn to our local health food store, too, to get a few pre-made options to help me along with lunch time and snacks.
I’d love for you to join me! If you need to make a big change and take off a few pounds, let’s do this! Join me in any way you see fit, whether you want to follow along with what I’m trying each week or whether you just want some company along the way for your own personal weight loss journey. Feel free to comment below or chat with me on any of Rural Mom’s social media channels. I’d love to connect and share!
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I find the different food choices you are making interesting. I also appreciate your sensible goals in weight loss. I have been doing my vegan plan and I find it so encouraging that there are so many resources available to help me. Today after using sunflower seed butter on my brocoli, as a butter substitute and loving it, I loved feeling that I can do this.