As of today, wheat-free for 3 months

[K8-EEE]

I thought this would be much harder than it is. I used to LOVE pizza, pasta, and my all time fave SOURDOUGH BREAD! But honestly I don't miss them half as much as i thought. I have so much more energy, have lost 16 lbs without hunger, had to go buy new jeans yesterday in a size I haven't worn in 6 years, and altogether feel greatly improved physically from losing the wheat!

As for the other grains, I am minimizing them as well. If I am craving something starchy I will put some potatoes wedges in the convection oven or make some brown rice, also am fond of soft tacos on corn tortillas as a special treat, but on most days I try to stick with fruit, veggies, beans, eggs, lentils and lean protein. I pretty much have salad every day, sometimes twice a day but luckily I've always loved salad and have learned to love it just ass well without the croutons, sourdough rolls etc!

Recommend the book "Wheat Belly Diet" for anybody interested in trying this. The book and the Wheat Belly Blog really helped me in the beginning, I did struggle at first with cravings, but they are mostly gone, it gets easier every day.

[MuseRider]

1. Good job!

I saw this as it passed through Latest. I never knew about this. Very interesting. As I have gotten older, almost 59 now, I have put on some unwanted weight that is almost impossible to rid myself of. This may be the answer. I never could figure out why I did not lose weight when I gave up meat and most bread. Thanks for posting this. I will add this to my otherwise very healthy thought out diet. I had been recently thinking about wheat but did not know about all of this. Sounds like my problem. Yay! Maybe by my birthday I can rid myself of the belly I never had before.

[K8-EEE]

2. The author of the book feels that the wheat we are eating now is "Franken-wheat"

Because there is something about wheat where, you can add genes or chromosomes or something, oh gosh I forget, it is so technical, but they have messed with it to the point it is not the same plant as 50 years ago, bigger yields and more resistant to problems as far as growing but side effects from consumption can include adding belly fat ("beer" belly not alcohol belly since beer = wheat) and is an appetite stimulant, also can contribute to a variety of ills, fatigue, auto-immune diseases and other bad stuff.

Although weight loss was my primary goal, I have had some bonus goodies from about the 2nd week: clearer, less foggy head in the mornings, more awake when the alarm goes off, my minor joint twinges are gone (I'm sure the weight loss helped,) I have more endurance when exercising and my mom complemented me that my skin was brighter - no under eye circles!

Check out the blog, here is an inspiring story of somebody our age:

http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/09/you-know-what-wheat-you-give-me-a-headache/

[MuseRider]

3. Again, thank you.

I am always looking for ways to feel better without taking meds. The solution for feeling sluggish, older and the weight gain have eluded me when trying to be at my optimum. This looks like the solution perhaps to what is missing and another way to drive the rest of my family crazy , they long ago quit trying to keep up with my diet changes but you know what? Eventually my kids made many changes and even brought some to me. We are all healthier than we were and that is so good, to know my children as adults will take good care of themselves instead of ignoring everything I have told them over the years.

Off to go read the blog and figure out if I should even eat all the gallons of soup I just put up........egads I hate to think that was wasted.

[auntAgonist]

4. Congrats and thank you K8-EEE ! I too am off to read that blog. I'm always

so thankful for all the wonderful posts here.

Keep up the good work, your body will love you and work longer for you


aA
kesha

[sense]

5. Glad to hear there are others benefitting!

I went grain and sugar free last Sept. I no longer have type 2 diabetes and have gone down 4 to 5 sizes, depending on brand. Energy is way up, depression down. I feel better than I've felt in more than 25 years! Oh, yeah, lost the high blood pressure too!

[K8-EEE]

6. Yay!!

Wow you REALLY gained a lot of good things when you lost the wheat! That is fantastic.