Easiest (and most effective) diet EVER - no joke.

[jina]

Hi Sheila-

I also tested negative for celiac - I did the blood test and an endoscopy, although the doc found tons of inflamation in my small intestines. I had already tried going off of gluten for 2 weeks the prior month which may have skewed results, although I did force myself to eat gluten for 3 weeks prior to the endoscopy- I was miserable! Gluten intolerance is mainly genetic, and I have both genetic markers for it, although a large % of people in the world also have the genetic markers, hence the belief that gluten is probably bad for a very large % of the world but most have no idea as they have a different idea of what normal/good health is, and often the symptoms are hidden until some sort of stress happens (injury, divorce, death in the family, etc.) which triggers the onset of symptoms. I'm happy to hear you've also had some chronic health issues disappear after going gluten free. I used to catch every cold that came into the office but since going gluten free (now nearly a year later) I have yet to catch a single cold - amazing huh! I really hope people do not view gluten free living as a fad diet as for me, it's really a matter of being healthy - I get really sick when I accidentally ingest gluten, and my health is overall many magnitudes better than it was when I was consuming gluten.

 

So I'm on day 1 of reducing sugar intake - I decided going cold turkey when I have a freshly baked batch of gluten free chocolate chip cookies around won't fly, so I'm reducing sugar intake for a few days before going completely off of sugar. In fact, if I am able to get good weight loss from simply reducing sugar intake instead of elimiating it, I may stay with reduced sugar- but we'll see.

 

Regarding recipes, I've found the best ones online. For baking, my favorites are at http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com. I love the oatmeal cookie recipe and have made some others as well. I also adapated the Mrs Fields chocolate chip cookie recipe I used for decades to be gluten free by substituting the white flour with equal parts of brown rice, teff, millet and tapioca flours, plus 2 tsp xanthan gum for each cup of flour and I use gluten free oats from Bob's Red Mill (normal oats milled in the USA are almost always contaminated with wheat since there is crop rotation and they use the same mills- GF oats are pricy but worth it). The secret to good gluten free baking is to replace the wheat flour with a mixture of other flours which combined have similar fat, protein and fiber %'s to wheat flour. Just substituting a single flour like rice won't yield good results. So it's a bit more complicated but well worth the extra work. Many folks will pre-mix flour combinations for future use so they just have to measure out one flour mix per recipe - there are differnet mixtures good for cookies versus cakes versus breads. I've made some amazing scones - found the recipe on the back of the Bob's Red Mill sorghum flour bag.

[WeirdEyes]

Jina ~ Thanks for the info and the link! You misunderstood me earlier, I've just started eating gluten-free (day 2) so my symptoms are still there except for the bloating. I'm looking forward to having the rest of my symptoms disappear. :D I'm glad that gluten-free is working for you.

[R&D'sNona]

This is Week #5 on this diet and DH and I are having enormous success. We only have 1-2 lbs more to go before sailing in 2 1/2 weeks and should make it no problem. The best part is flat tummies and no bloat! We find the diet easy to follow, we are never hungry nor feel deprived. And after all this time without sugar I have no cravings... EXCEPT chocolate. So I tried mixing a 1 part unsweetened cocoa powder in a 3 parts coconut milk (unsweetened, canned - we had some leftover from a Masala recipe). Then I dipped a banana in it for sweetness. DH thought it was totally gross but it satisfied the chocolate yearning for me without breaking any of the rules.

 

Looking forward to trying those non-flour recipes just posted, thanks!

 

Also - I just bought Bob's Red Mill "Mighty Tasty" non-gluten cereal, with corn and rice. And it was mighty tasty!

[CurleyDog]

Yesterday I read the whole board, went out shopping, and today I've started.

 

One hilarious fact. I dont eat eggs, so I bought the can of steel cut oats at TJs which is in a cute container that opens like a paint can. I read the directions to put 1 cup of oats into 4 cups water which I thought was a little strange. So when I started, I thought to myself that 1/2 hour of cooking was a little long for breakfast in the morning, I'll make 2 servings and just nuke it in the microwave tomorrow. So I put in the 8 cups of water and 2 cups of oats. WELL, now I have enough oatmeal to feed an army! It made about 8 cups. Do you think I should freeze it?? BTW it is tasty! Added some TJs no sugar cherry jam in it today, tomorrow I'm going to try a little vanilla.

 

I also need a suggestion for drinks. I dont care of water, and I dont like selzer. I do like tea (even non sweet). I am a diet coke addict which I'll give up for the cause (and the bathing suit in less than 50 days). Anything else I can drink?

 

I'm glad to be aboard!

[happysinglemom]

I read the directions to put 1 cup of oats into 4 cups water which I thought was a little strange. So when I started, I thought to myself that 1/2 hour of cooking was a little long for breakfast in the morning, I'll make 2 servings and just nuke it in the microwave tomorrow. So I put in the 8 cups of water and 2 cups of oats.

 

Holy smokes!!! I guess you've never made oatmeal before? Too funny!! I'm think that 1 cup was for about 4 servings. :D

[happysinglemom]

 

I also need a suggestion for drinks. I dont care of water, and I dont like selzer. I do like tea (even non sweet). I am a diet coke addict which I'll give up for the cause (and the bathing suit in less than 50 days). Anything else I can drink?

 

Learn to like it. That's the best advice I can give you. Water is one of the best things you can do for your body. Have you tried adding the little flavor packets? I love my diet coke too, but after a week of drinking nothing but water (and my skim milk!), I could totally live w/o the DC!

[Gathina]

She's right. Suck it up and learn to like water.

 

Diet coke is one of the worst things you can put in your body. There are chemical compounds in the soda that can trigger other chemicals in your body that make you crave certain things.

 

Having said all that,why would you want to put crap in your body? Did you ever read about all the chemicals that are actually in it? Coke compounds are also a corrosive. You can pour it on your car battery and see it eat away the acid !

 

Giving up diet coke just to fit in a bathing suit is the wrong reason to give it up, because that means your planning on going back to it and if you are addicted to it then you won't be able to control it, unless you lose your taste for it.

 

Learn to like it. That's the best advice I can give you. Water is one of the best things you can do for your body. Have you tried adding the little flavor packets? I love my diet coke too, but after a week of drinking nothing but water (and my skim milk!), I could totally live w/o the DC!

[PunkiC]

I wish it were so easy. I only eat chicken white meat, fish, eggs, cheese, olive oil, vinegar, and lots of vegetables, and work out six days a week, dance several nights a week, and still struggle constantly with my weight. I love water and herbal tea and sometimes drink wine when I go out, but have totally given up wine at home. The only prepared foods I eat are a little mayo and dill pickle relish with my tuna at lunch. I don't even recognize sweets as food and haven't had any bread, pasta, rice, potatoes or any other starches since June 4th.

 

Once my doc told me that my metabolism was so "efficient" that if there were ever a famine, I would still be trying to lose five pounds a month after everyone else was dead. :( It is so not fair.

 

Oh well, what can I do but continue to plug along.

 

Off to the gym. ;)

[CurleyDog]

Looks like my family helped themselves to the oatmeal this morning, so my crises is over. 1 cup oatmeal definatly makes 4 servings.

 

Going cold turkey today from the diet coke. I usually drink caffeine free so I'm not expecting any physical problems (ww habit). I brewed up some ice tea so I'll keep drinking. Thanks for the pep talk. With all you hear about the increase in cancer rates that run parrallel to the increase in soda intake, it cant be a coincidence. Now I dont have to buy the soda plan on the cruise to save some dough :) .

 

BTW, a major ingredient in pickle relish is sugar, was going to make some tartar sauce last night for my fish and read the label.

 

Going to weigh myself today for the 1st time in months. I'll give you an update next week.

[Gathina]

OH that sounds like such a boring diet! Visit a chinese, indian, or jamaican food store and explore. You'll find so many wonderful things there that are high protein, no wheat, no gluten.Just have to read the ingredients. Many of these dishes are made with casava (yucca..a vegetable), lentils, rice. I have a good tunafish recipe for tunasalad made with lime juice and some other spices and herbs,from Brazil, I'll try to post it.

 

I posted some recipes once on the "recipes" thread on this board, I dont know how to get it back up here but there were a lot of wheat and gluten free things I posted on it.

 

 

 

I wish it were so easy. I only eat chicken white meat, fish, eggs, cheese, olive oil, vinegar, and lots of vegetables, and work out six days a week, dance several nights a week, and still struggle constantly with my weight. I love water and herbal tea and sometimes drink wine when I go out, but have totally given up wine at home. The only prepared foods I eat are a little mayo and dill pickle relish with my tuna at lunch. I don't even recognize sweets as food and haven't had any bread, pasta, rice, potatoes or any other starches since June 4th.

 

Once my doc told me that my metabolism was so "efficient" that if there were ever a famine, I would still be trying to lose five pounds a month after everyone else was dead. :( It is so not fair.

 

Oh well, what can I do but continue to plug along.

 

Off to the gym. ;)

[happysinglemom]

I posted some recipes once on the "recipes" thread on this board, I dont know how to get it back up here but there were a lot of wheat and gluten free things I posted on it.

 

Try here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=807972&highlight=recipe

[happysinglemom]

I wish it were so easy. I only eat chicken white meat, fish, eggs, cheese, olive oil, vinegar, and lots of vegetables, and work out six days a week, dance several nights a week, and still struggle constantly with my weight. I love water and herbal tea and sometimes drink wine when I go out, but have totally given up wine at home. The only prepared foods I eat are a little mayo and dill pickle relish with my tuna at lunch. I don't even recognize sweets as food and haven't had any bread, pasta, rice, potatoes or any other starches since June 4th.

 

Once my doc told me that my metabolism was so "efficient" that if there were ever a famine, I would still be trying to lose five pounds a month after everyone else was dead. :( It is so not fair.

Off to the gym. ;)

 

Oh my, yes I agree with Gathina, that IS a boring diet! :(

 

And I feel your pain on the efficient metabolism, you are definitely not alone!

[jina]

ok -so I finally managed to go a day without sugar... and I have a few more hours before bedtime. How many days before I should lose the sugar craving? I am dying for some sugar, but I'm determined to push through the cravings. I've upped my exercise considerably the past week and have tracked my calories (yes, with sugar) but I've been gaining weight instead of losing - I hope cutting sugar will be what my metabolism needs to kick into gear. I have less than 2 months to reach my goal (was 20 pounds, now it's 23 pounds due to the last week's weight gain- I am so hoping it's muscle weight as my clothes are looser this week than last week).

 

BTW I also had a horrible time earlier this year losing weight after I had to take steroids for 4 months - let me tell you, steroids are the worst thing you can do to your metabolism. I hope I never have to take them again.

[Gathina]

Good job. Way to get that crap out of your body. I bet if you eat sugar now you'll get even more sick.

 

No wheat, no gluten, no sugar. do a google search on the best fruits/vegtables to eat that have low natural sugars.

 

Nobody can tell you how many days it takes to lose the cravings. Your body will tell you. How will you know? when you eat it again and get sick.

 

ok -so I finally managed to go a day without sugar... and I have a few more hours before bedtime. How many days before I should lose the sugar craving? I am dying for some sugar, but I'm determined to push through the cravings. I've upped my exercise considerably the past week and have tracked my calories (yes, with sugar) but I've been gaining weight instead of losing - I hope cutting sugar will be what my metabolism needs to kick into gear. I have less than 2 months to reach my goal (was 20 pounds, now it's 23 pounds due to the last week's weight gain- I am so hoping it's muscle weight as my clothes are looser this week than last week).

 

BTW I also had a horrible time earlier this year losing weight after I had to take steroids for 4 months - let me tell you, steroids are the worst thing you can do to your metabolism. I hope I never have to take them again.

[PunkiC]

CurleyDog writes:

 

BTW, a major ingredient in pickle relish is sugar, was going to make some tartar sauce last night for my fish and read the label.

 

I think you must have been reading the label on a jar of sweet pickle relish. That has lots of sugar. Dill pickle relish, on the other hand, has no sugar, and no carbs.

 

Actually, I am a pretty amazing cook, even if I do say so myself, and while I am not a big foodie (Praise the Lord) my soups and salads are absolutely delicious. My husband is amazing when it comes to the grill. Only the very finest restaurants in Seattle can even come close to preparing fish or chicken as tender and succulent as his, so I am cool with my diet.

 

Lately I have been making soups using McCormicks beef or chicken base. They sell it at our local Costco.

 

Now that is really good stuff. My current soup is made with McCormicks beef base and filled with cabbage, carrots, red peper, celery, brown onion, fresh sliced Sweet 100 tomatoes, bay leaves, Brussels sprouts, sweet basil, salt, pepper, and a dash of Cholula Hot Sauce, just to perk it up.

 

It is a wonderful soup and it is fabulous to have a big pot on hand at all times. That way, if you come into the house starving, there is no excuse not to heat up a bowl of soup and eat it before you start grazing on an empty stomach.

 

My two deviled eggs for breakfast are also yummy--made with a little mayo and coarse ground mustard--and they are fast and easy so I have no excuse not to eat them. On the weekends, I will make very tasty, fancy omelettes instead, but the deviled eggs do just fine during the week.

[Gathina]

Prepared spices can be dangerous..you know why? they often have sugar, wheat, and gluten..no kidding. Anything ending in "ose" (fructose, cellulose, sucrose, etc) means sugar. Plus they have a ton of sodium in them too.

 

If you can, use fresh herbs and spices. I like Indian cooking a lot because the spices are prepared by hand..a lot of work..but worth it. IF you google some Indian recipes on line you'll find a bunch. At the indian grocery I buy some of the ingredients whole then use an old coffee grinder to make them. I like my basil, oregano, cilantro plants too. Dill pickle relish has a lot of salt in it doesn't it?? There are some ways of making tuna salad with a yogurt based dressing.

[PunkiC]

My doc says that with my blood pressure 102/62 I don't really need to worry about salt. All of the spices we use are 100% whatever they are--basil, oregano, paprika, whatever.

 

Why type of spices have additives?

[Gathina]

Well, the easy answer to that is that if it is not an herb and you can't pronounce it, it is some sort of additive. Any sort of chemical, preservative, etc. I believe gluten is also used sometimes as an anti caking agent so the spice won't get hard in the jar. Not certain. By the way, I see you are in seattle..that is my FAVORITE city in the USA. I always stay at the Marriott Waterfront, and love Etta's restaurant near Pike Place. Love the fresh fish especially the Manila Black cod...the only fish I've ever tasted that had a sweet type of flavor to it.

 

 

My doc says that with my blood pressure 102/62 I don't really need to worry about salt. All of the spices we use are 100% whatever they are--basil, oregano, paprika, whatever.

 

Why type of spices have additives?

[PunkiC]

And I see you live in Palm Beach. I went to high school in the winters in Palm Beach and am going to be flying back in early November for the 100th Palm Beach High School Reunion. The schools hundredth reunion, not mine. :D :D

 

Of course our beautiful old building no longer houses a high school. It should be a very fun dance and party, especially if I am slim enough to fit into something sexy. ;)

[Gathina]

No kidding! I didn't realize the building was different..you are talking about on the island, correct? We go to church at Bethesda by the Sea. I love Palm Beach, feels more like "living" to me than in Miami. Different kind of crowd at the beach, too. Don't know when you were last here, but it was a big scandal on the island when Starbucks opened up last year there. It's the only Starbucks I've seen outside of Europe that closes at 6:30 pm!

 

And I see you live in Palm Beach. I went to high school in the winters in Palm Beach and am going to be flying back in early November for the 100th Palm Beach High School Reunion. The schools hundredth reunion, not mine. :D :D

 

Of course our beautiful old building no longer houses a high school. It should be a very fun dance and party, especially if I am slim enough to fit into something sexy. ;)

[dondiane]

so no sugar means no diet beverages???

[Gathina]

Nobody said you can't, but the question is "why"..there is some pretty conclusive research that says the chemicals in the artifical sweetners can actually trigger other brain mechanisms that make you crave certain nutrients (like in breads, etc) so you end up eating more in the end of things you shouldn't. I believe it was the B vitamins and the niacin.

 

I think someone posted on this thread that they gave up diet soda and lost more. I like diet soda too, but barely drink more than 1 or 2 a week. I used to drink it all the time now I can hardly tolerate it in my stomach. I can't drink those flavored waters or crytal light without having the same effects as the diet soda.

 

With water, herbal teas, etc, why drink diet soda anyway? You can't convince me "just because you like it". You probably like cake and everything else bad for you, this isn't any different. You should try going without for awhile. It won't kill you if you don't have any the same way it won't kill you if you give up gluten and wheat.

 

so no sugar means no diet beverages???

[dondiane]

Okay, just thought I missed a post saying no diet beverages. LOL..you're right I love cake...that's why I'm reading this forum... I tried no flour no sugar on my last cruise, yes actually started it the first day of the cruise. I thought since there were going to be so many choices I wouldn't have a problem. I was very successful on the cruise. T'was coming back home that was my downfall. Went back to sugar/flour about a week after returning. I am currently doing Atkins induction which encourages no diet sugars of anykind except Splenda, claiming not only are they not good for you but stalls weight loss. I'm considering switching to no sugar/no flour because it does allow brown rice/ occassional potato etc. Hopefully, I'll see the scale go down to my goal weight.

[Zakatak]

I stumbled onto this thread last night and read through it all. I can honestly say I am ready for this. I have heard (and experienced) that wheat is bad for my arthirits plus I need to lose about 20 pounds (would like to lose 40 though). So as of today, I am trying this out! I figure, it can't HURT!

 

So, as of breakfast today, October 10th, 2008 I am now gluten/sugar free. This is what I have had today:

 

Breakfast: Hummus & Carrots (yum)

Lunch: made concoction of Artichoke Hearts, fresh tomatoes and Cannelini Beans with Garlic & Basil. Warmed it and yum! Ate with some Tostitos Corn Chips.

 

I don't know what's for dinner yet but so far, so good. I do sense the sugar headache coming on so I stocked up on Excedrin. :) I hope I can have that!!

 

Tea without sugar is going to take some getting used to (Splenda makes me ache so I dispise the product). Waters cool.

 

Vits: Omega 3 Fish Oil, Green Tea extract, Multi

 

I am planning on weighing in on Mondays and Fridays (keep me in check all week and on the weekends, LOL). I will post my progress for whoever is interested.

 

Cruising on the Disney Wonder 10/23-10/26 so hopefully, I'll be on track by then.

[Gathina]

I could never do Atkins. To me it's like eating Stroke on a Plate. I think the only thing Atkins can claim is good is that you can lose fast. I don't know if the majority of the people actually keep it off.

 

I like the no wheat/gluten thing and have done well on that more than anything. I try to eat the foods I grew up on. I eat white rice, not brown and don't notice any changes in my weight. 95% of the world eats white rice except Americans. You never see a fat chinese person do you? Its all the other stuff on the American diet that causes the weight gain, and half of it, I think, is the chemicals they put in the food.

 

I love cake too. Brazilians think nothing of putting 18 eggs in a flan or 4 cups of sugar in a cake. But that's a rare treat.

 

I would rather have a diet that pretty much lets me eat what I want all the time, instead of learning how to "incorporate" things "back" into it. Too stressful the other way, for me anyway. I don't know if there is such a thing as a true "diet". I think if all of us just took what we ate now, and cut it in half, we'd probably not be on a diet all the time!

 

 

Okay, just thought I missed a post saying no diet beverages. LOL..you're right I love cake...that's why I'm reading this forum... I tried no flour no sugar on my last cruise, yes actually started it the first day of the cruise. I thought since there were going to be so many choices I wouldn't have a problem. I was very successful on the cruise. T'was coming back home that was my downfall. Went back to sugar/flour about a week after returning. I am currently doing Atkins induction which encourages no diet sugars of anykind except Splenda, claiming not only are they not good for you but stalls weight loss. I'm considering switching to no sugar/no flour because it does allow brown rice/ occassional potato etc. Hopefully, I'll see the scale go down to my goal weight.