Showing posts with label Gluten Free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gluten Free. Show all posts

Gluten Free - Conclusion

As you can tell the gluten-free challenge didn't go as planned.  I didn't stick to the diet as strictly as i would've liked and i didn't keep you all updated either.  I'll go back to the daily postings to keep you interested and myself on track.

My girlfriend is out of town so i don't have pictures, but i did lose 8 pounds in the three weeks that i limited gluten.  I will continue to keep an eye on my gluten intake in the future.  I'm now aware of its' evils.  It definitely drains my energy and it's addictive.

I encourage you to remove gluten for a couple of weeks and see what kind of changes you notice.  Feel free to comment on this post if you give it a try.

Gluten Free - Day 19

As you can probably tell by my lack of posts, i'm not committed to this challenge. Although i have made some conscious decisions to avoid gluten, i have not been gluten free.  I haven't prepped meals like i thought i was going to and i enjoy beer too much.

I'm going to have to chalk this challenge up as a "loss" but everything is a learning opportunity.  Going forward, i will look choose the gluten-free option on the menu when it's available.

It has been difficult because gluten is found in a lot of convenience foods and it seems like it has an addictive quality.  Even more of a reason to avoid gluten as much as possible!

Gluten Free - Day 13

An update on my recent gluten-free happenings and such:

  • I love beer and i have been cheating by drinking pretty regularly
  • On my (official) cheat day i ate a bunch of gluten (in the form of pizza) and needed a 3.5 hour nap to recover
  • I haven't weighed this little in years as i'm below 170 pounds
  • I've found that daily posts hold me accountable and keep me enthusiastic about the challenges
I'll share a recipe or two in the final week.  I plan to post some updated body pics at the end of the month, too.  It's hard to believe that in July 2012 i was nearly 200 pounds.  I'm pleased with the progress thus far but it's only the beginning of a lifelong journey.



Gluten Free - Day 8

A quick update on the Gluten Free challenge.  I haven't been cooking very many exotic meals so i didn't think step by step instructions would be helpful.  Tonight, for instance, i had a veggie stir fry.  I'll make some more exciting meals in the weeks to come.

I've noticed that a lot of products use corn or rice to avoid the gluten aspect.  I don't have the stats, but corn is one of the most genetically modified crop in the United States.  I'd rather have gluten than Monsanto corn..

I tell the above to say that being gluten-free doesn't automatically translate to healthier.  There are plenty of gluten-free foods that still aren't good for you.

Gluten Free - Day 4

This morning i made one of my favorite gluten-free breakfasts, the eggocado.  I was first introduced to this meal in Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Chef.  The recipe is simple and the result is delicious.  Allow me to walk you through the steps.

Preheat the oven to 425 and get all your ingredients together. (Not pictured is the baking dish, a bowl to beat the egg, a knife, a fork, and salt & pepper)

the Ripening, Gluten Free, avocado, egg, recipe

Beat one egg.  Split the avocado in two and remove the pit.  Scrape out some of the insides (if necessary) and carefully pour in the egg.  I spilled some...
the Ripening, Gluten Free, avocado, egg, recipe

Bake for 16 - 18 minutes or until the egg is firm.  Add salt and pepper if desired and enjoy!
the Ripening, Gluten Free, avocado, egg, recipe

All is not well, though, in 21-day challenge land.  I allow myself a cheat day where i eat anything i want.  Friday we decided to go out to dinner so i decided that Friday would be the day.  Instead of enjoying an adult beverage with my dinner, i decided that i'd forego the overpriced drink and just go buy some beer at the grocery store afterward.
the Ripening, Gluten Free, fail, Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Big mistake!  That beer is delicious.  I only drank one on Friday night, meaning i had three more to stare at all weekend.  Tim Ferriss warns in his aforementioned book that on cheat days you should either completely consume everything or throw it out.  Leaving it around is too much of a temptation.  He was right.  I drank one on Saturday and the remaining two on Sunday.

The good news is that the beer's gone.  I know there's gluten-free options out there but i have yet to try any.  

Gluten Free - Introduction

I've been kicking around the idea of going gluten-free for a while now.  Coming off of the success of the "No Vehicle" challenge, i'm going for it. 

Gluten is contained in foods that contain wheat and grain.  It is supposedly derived from a Latin word meaning "glue."  Not necessarily something i want swimming around in my gut.

I subscribe to eMeals and i've recently switched over to the gluten-free meal plans to give myself some good dinner ideas and went grocery shoppoing

Unlike the "Food Journal" challenge, i don't plan to post what i've eaten every day.  Instead i'll walk you through a couple of meals step-by-step.  


I'm also going to experiment with posting less often.  Instead of daily updates, i will post two or three times a week.  The hope is that the posts will better thought out and more informative.  Sometimes i find myself scrambling and just throw up a post.  I'd prefer not to do that moving forward.