I am on day 12 of my elimination diet and I am frustrated. You see, I love food. I write this blog about living a lifestyle that revolves around particular food choices. I run a Meetup group that encourages others to not be afraid to socialize (many times with food) outside of the home. I enjoy meeting up with friends for a bite to eat and to catch up. But over the past 12 days, food has become a nuisance. Planning a meal is a chore, not something that I enjoy doing anymore. I get annoyed in the kitchen when I have to spend so much time thinking about what I am going to eat and not just grab something and go.
On this elimination diet, I feel very restricted. I realize how much I love fruit and how often I eat eggs. These are two big no-nos on this elimination diet. I also realize that sugar is in damn near everything. I know there are still a ton of things I CAN eat, but for some reason I cannot get over what I CANNOT eat. For me, this is the first major elimination diet of my life. I was diagnosed with Celiac when I was only 2.5 years old, so I don't remember what it is like to cut out gluten. In my mind, I just always ate gluten-free. This is different and this is hard. Really hard.
Last night, I hosted an awesome NYC Celiac Meetup event at S'MAC. This is one of my favorite gluten-free places to eat in New York City. Who doesn't like gluten-free mac-n-cheese? I sat there chit-chatting with the group members but I was not eating anything. Everyone else was devouring their gluten-free dinner and I was just talking and getting more and more hungry and a worse headache by the minute. It wasn't fun at all. I met great people but I was so annoyed that I couldn't kick back and enjoy the food that they were eating right next to me.
I know I need to eat more on this elimination diet and that I am not eating nearly enough. This is obvious to me, my daily headaches are proof. But with such a busy weekday schedule and a lack of ideas, I just eat what I can. This is not good enough. If I was home all day every day, perhaps I could make a meal plan and spend more time actually planning ahead but I do not have this luxury. I am actually somewhat jealous of these stay-at-home bloggers who make these elaborate meal plans for each week and then cook those meals. Or these people in New York City that spend a quarter of their weekly paycheck to get fresh meals delivered to their homes each day. I know I CAN cook these meals but I just don't have the time nor can I justify paying that much money for someone to do what I know I can do myself.
I called this blog Gluten-Free Fun for a reason. I really do love living a healthy, gluten-free life and having fun while doing it. So this elimination is putting a temporary kink in my fun for the time being and I need to deal with it. End of story.
Ok, I am done venting for today. Thanks for bearing with me, dear readers!
On this elimination diet, I feel very restricted. I realize how much I love fruit and how often I eat eggs. These are two big no-nos on this elimination diet. I also realize that sugar is in damn near everything. I know there are still a ton of things I CAN eat, but for some reason I cannot get over what I CANNOT eat. For me, this is the first major elimination diet of my life. I was diagnosed with Celiac when I was only 2.5 years old, so I don't remember what it is like to cut out gluten. In my mind, I just always ate gluten-free. This is different and this is hard. Really hard.
Last night, I hosted an awesome NYC Celiac Meetup event at S'MAC. This is one of my favorite gluten-free places to eat in New York City. Who doesn't like gluten-free mac-n-cheese? I sat there chit-chatting with the group members but I was not eating anything. Everyone else was devouring their gluten-free dinner and I was just talking and getting more and more hungry and a worse headache by the minute. It wasn't fun at all. I met great people but I was so annoyed that I couldn't kick back and enjoy the food that they were eating right next to me.
I know I need to eat more on this elimination diet and that I am not eating nearly enough. This is obvious to me, my daily headaches are proof. But with such a busy weekday schedule and a lack of ideas, I just eat what I can. This is not good enough. If I was home all day every day, perhaps I could make a meal plan and spend more time actually planning ahead but I do not have this luxury. I am actually somewhat jealous of these stay-at-home bloggers who make these elaborate meal plans for each week and then cook those meals. Or these people in New York City that spend a quarter of their weekly paycheck to get fresh meals delivered to their homes each day. I know I CAN cook these meals but I just don't have the time nor can I justify paying that much money for someone to do what I know I can do myself.
I called this blog Gluten-Free Fun for a reason. I really do love living a healthy, gluten-free life and having fun while doing it. So this elimination is putting a temporary kink in my fun for the time being and I need to deal with it. End of story.
Ok, I am done venting for today. Thanks for bearing with me, dear readers!
Labels: elimination diet
6 Comments:
Oh, Erin! I so sympathize with you! Sorry I missed last evening or I we could have complained together!
Oh, Erin :( I'm sorry you're going through this. I love what you said about some bloggers having the luxury of making elaborate meal plans each week and then actually having time to make those meals. It's hard for people with a different schedule to match that. I hope it gets easier for you.
Thanks ladies! I don't usually have a food pity party, but these past 12 days have been hard.
Beth, we should complain in Astoria together one day. :-)
Janelle, you are such a sweetie! Hope to meet you in person one day.
If it makes you feel any better, I just bought baby food for myself, after experiencing a hypoglycemic near-crash on a hike (I had made myself chicken and steamed-to-mush vegetables in Nori wraps, but left them in the cooler in my car while everyone else brought a sandwich for mid-hike). I need to be better about carrying a container of veggie baby food and a packet of sardines or salmon for emergencies (and without embarrassment...). I have yet to find better to-go options! Nuts and dried fruit seem to be in all of the bars. Hang in there!
How long is this elimination diet, Erin? It can be most unsatisfying focusing on what NOT to eat. Luxurious stay-at-home folks or those who can inspire - rally if you read this. Could it be helpful if those of us interested in helping Erin over the hump PLAN 1 MEAL for her? Would you be able, Erin, to temporarily post prominently your okay-to-eat items so your friends can help you? You blogged it but posting where all can see it could inspire some to help you over this hump. We want you well, happy and satisfied.
Hi Erin,
I hope you do a follow-up and let us know how the elimination diet ends up. I'm dragging my feet on needing to do the same thing. I have been gluten-free all my life as well. Best of luck!
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