Guys, we’re OVER HALFWAY. I can’t believe that I can already see the finish line of the Gluten Challenge. In some ways, it feels like I just took my first bite of bread in 8 years. In other ways, it feels like I’ve eaten a few too many loaves already.
If you’re unsure of what exactly the Gluten Challenge is or why I’m doing it, you can read all about the theory behind the challenge, as well as what weeks 1+2 looked like here. Curious as to how weeks 3+4 have been or how I’m continuing to tackle this challenge Jessica Eats Real Food style? Let’s jump right in:
How the Gluten Challenge Is Going
Weeks 1 + 2 of this challenge were easy breezy. Once I got over the initial shock of purposefully eating the stuff, I quickly adjusted to incorporating wheat based items back into my every day. I hate to admit it, but it’s actually been kind of fun! Peanut butter toast? Yes, please! It’s also so nice to not have to grill the waiter about every menu item when I choose to eat out at a restaurant.
However, weeks 3 + 4 have been a bit of a different ballgame. As is common with auto-immune style illnesses, the more I eat, the worse it’s feeling. The honeymoon period is over. This has absolutely become a full blown challenge. My body hasn’t been as cooperative as I’d hoped it would be + my mental health has struggled because of it. Many an internal pep-talk have been had before tackling another meal of pasta or bread.
What I’m Eating
Since the food is the only fun part of this experience, I’ve really tried hard to make even my “real food” options taste freaking great. Creating new recipes has been cool + my husband has hugely enjoyed the spoils of my labour, ha!
Barley Flakes – Barley is still on the menu for nearly every breakfast. It cooks up exactly like oatmeal, but has a higher gluten content. It’s one ingredient, which I love. I’m still stirring in some egg whites at the end of the cooking process + topping it with yogurt and all of the nut butter. For some extra crunch (and gluten), I’ve started adding a handful of granola to the top. This is absolutely my favourite meal of the entire day. I think I’ll miss it a little bit when I have to cut it out again!
Bread – Praise God, I’ve finally found a simple, REAL loaf of bread that makes my heart sing. It’s by a London based bakery called “The Polish Bakery”. Its crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside + free of all of the nasties! It’s almost like a sourdough loaf + I really can’t get enough. I’ve been slathering it in avocado, lemon juice + sea salt. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner honestly.
Snacks – Making my own healthy snacks has continued to be my go-to option. If I’m not snacking on the Polish Bakery bread, I’m LOVING these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Energy Bites. They’re full of ingredients I feel good about, but I get a bit of extra gluten too. (I’ve modified the recipe slightly + am using barley instead of the oats.) This No Sugar Added Banana Snacking Bread is still a major win too.
Non-Gluten Goodies – I’m trying to have 3-4 servings of gluten a day, which equates to 2 slices of bread, a bowl of barley + a serving of cereal. Quite frankly, it feels like a lot. However, I know that I need to push my body to see how it actually handles this much gluten. But aside from these items, my diet has stayed completely the same. I’m eating 5-10 servings of vegetables a day (including these Cinnamon Roasted Breakfast Carrots), which is just how I feel best. I’m also eating lean protein (like this or this) , fruit, eggs (especially this Frittata) + drinking tons of water.
How I’m Feeling on the Gluten Challenge
At the risk of sounding like a Debbie Downer, these two weeks have been hard, much harder than the first two. I can tell that this change in diet is starting to stress my body + my poor digestive system. In the last few days especially, I’ve noticed a few main symptoms that have really got me down:
- Painful joints – Inflammation is a tell-tale sign of some sort of infection or autoimmune issue, and this week I’ve experienced it big time. Walking up the stairs? Achy knees. Running on the treadmill? Achy ankles. Lying in bed? Achy elbows. It’s super frustrating and a big bummer. I’m doing my best to care for my body, but also to not just become a blob. I’m still working out, still being active, just taking it easier as needed. In spite of this, I’m choosing to be grateful that I’m still able to move at all!
- Bloat Central – Do you know how your stomach bloats after a meal that it doesn’t agree with? But then, you go to bed + wake up the next morning as normal, right? That is absolutely what happened during weeks 1 + 2. Now, I’m just bloated all of the time. And I’m not talking about a little bloat, I mean my jeans don’t fit anymore. It’s not pretty + it’s not fun, but it’s also not permanent. So, I’m clothing myself in stretchy fabrics + offering up gratitude to Lululemon.
- Depression/Anxiety – As I see my body changing, both in how it looks + how it feels, I’ve definitely had to fight to stay in a positive headspace. It’s been really hard to not get down on myself when I need an afternoon rest or when said-jeans are even tighter. Negative self talk is all too easy to slip into. So, I’ve been sharing all of my thoughts, good + bad, out loud with my husband who has graciously helped me reframe each + every one into a self-love exercise.
In reality, guys, this challenge has been just as much mental as it has been physical. Watching all of my hard healing work seem to slide down the toilet has been really defeating at times. It’s been hard , but it’s also been so good for me. Pressing into anxiety, and sitting with feelings of discomfort, is such a valuable exercise. I’m learning to be more self aware and how to cope with moments that feel overwhelming. This will continue to serve me long after this challenge is over.
What’s Next?
I’ve got roughly 2 weeks or so left on this challenge, and we’ve decided to go out with a bang! The last week of this challenge just happens to fall over my 2 year wedding anniversary + we’ve decided to go on a little trip….to FRANCE + ITALY!
So, funny story, I actually have a bucket list that I wrote when I was 14. It’s super embarrassing + I carry it around in my wallet all of the time. (Girls, remember when A Walk to Remember came out? Didn’t we all make a list then or is it just me?) Regardless of how cheesy this list is, it exists. And right alongside “read all of War + Peace” sits item number 13: “Eat real pasta in Italy”.
Do you know what I’m going to do to end this challenge? Eat real freaking pasta in Italy. And while I’m at it, I’m going to throw in a croissant or two in France too! Take that, Gluten Challenge!
I’m absolutely prepared for the next two weeks, as best I can be. I have space in my schedule to relax if my body needs it, but plenty to keep my mind occupied. After the two weeks are finished, I’ll trot over to the local hospital, have a bunch of vials of my blood taken + wait to see wha’s in them.
How I’m Healing After The Gluten Challenge
When this challenge is finished, my body is going to be very confused. Eating this amount of gluten (+ dairy) has really thrown my gut bacteria all out of whack. There will absolutely be a detox period where it struggles to readjust to a lesser simple carbohydrate intake. To support it as much as possible in this process, I am going to walking through another round of the Whole30.
The basic program rules of the Whole30 require that you eliminate the most common craving-inducing, blood sugar disrupting, gut-damaging, inflammatory food groups from your diet for a full 30 days. It’s basically my knight-in-eating armour. This means:
- no dairy
- no grains
- no soy
- no sugar or artificial sweeteners
- no alcohol
- no legumes.
During the Whole30, you don’t weigh yourself, you don’t count calories. You just eat enough real, whole food to fuel your day. This program changes how you eat, your feelings around eating, and it absolutely changes how your body feels. The Whole30 is my post-gluten-challenge magic bullet. Anyone interested in doing it with me?
2 more weeks, people, 2 more weeks!!
P.S. If you’re curious to know what happens next, check out my other Gluten Challenge Updates for weeks 1-2 and weeks 5-6, plus the final results!
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