The Best Thing?

The very best thing about following this well-defined food plan has come to light. Finally, finally, finally travel without the bloat.

It's so easy to put weight back on after a diet. Establishing a way of life and never straying is amazing. I've had people suggest that Christmas or my birthday would be a good time to stray... the answer is no! If I change what I do then the results will change.

I thought it was great going on vacation without gaining any weight. It's even better going on a road trip for over a week and not gaining an ounce! Not only that but I drove 3800 miles and went into countless greasy spoons without any G.I. symptoms! Does it get any better than that?

Cracker Barrel - On the Road Favorite

The national chain, Cracker Barrel, is a great place for me on the road. Not only can the be found all along the interstates, but I can get vegetables. More importantly I know what I can eat without the horror of getting symptoms on the road. For sides I tend to get the turnip greens and green beans. I go for a double order of green beans as they are just so darn good!

There are a large variety of meats to choose from including trout or steak and sometimes turkey (on Thursdays I think). Just stay away from gravies and other carbs such as biscuits and cornbread or starchy sides. They really do give us a delicious way to feel like we've had a real meal while traveling (or when you just don't want to cook). It's about twice as much as a fast food stop... but often provides a much needed respite.

Read Up!

My new favorite book is Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter. It is rather eye opening in terms of brain health in relation to the foods we eat. I find the recommendations in this book to be compatible with The Body Ecology Diet (BED). Dr. Perlmutter recommends eliminating grains and concentrated sugars.  In terms of differences it involves limiting carbohydrates more than BED and does not mention probiotic foods. I read the Kindle version of this book on a Kindle app on my smart phone - it was a good way to read this book

I recently watched a PBS special featuring Dr. William Davis, the author of Wheat Belly. In his talk he discussed the reasons that modern day wheat is the culprit in so many modern disorders. It was very interesting. Dr. Davis recommends eliminating grains and concentrated sugars and does recommend taking probiotic supplements. Again I believe BED is compatible with Dr. Davis's recommendations.

The Paleo Diet is another diet that is essentially compatible with BED, Dr. Perlmutter and Dr. Davis. In Paleo grains, sugars and other processed foods are avoided. Because each of these approaches to food come at the problem from a slightly different perspective the recommendations are also slightly different. On balance I find the essence of each to be in line with each other.

To purchase on Amazon, see links below:

On the Road Again

I am on day four of a road trip. The two biggest challenges I face are internet access and eating on the road. If you find yourself in this situation may I suggest vigilance.  I brought sprouted nuts and seeds to help get me going in the mornings along with a few berries.

I experimented with both kefir grains and a kefir starter culture. This meant two jars of milk andone for each method. I am sad to say the grains are not performing well (though this may be because they were frozen before the trip and need to be revived). Good news ... the culture starter is stellar. I started with one pack in a quart of milk in a mason jar and am using a bit of the kefir each day to start a new batch. I am working hard to keep them warm enough while "brewing" as December is cold almost everywhere. A cooler is a must!

For fast food I generally get a plain side salad (hold the croutons, cheese and dressing) and some kind of animal protein -- like a burger or chicken sandwich (hold the bun, cheese, ketchup and onions). Its fast cheap and decent. Try not to have expectations about the perfect meal. Enjoy the journey and fuel yourself the best you are able. Oh, and don't forget the water... Staying hydrated is half the battle.

Crazy Hungry

I used to get sort of crazy hungry. That doesn't happen anymore. It was like the food was controlling me. Stress or fatigue always meant reaching for sugary foods and refined carbohydrates. Then whatever I purchased I would compulsively eat until it was gone and I felt worse and worse. Interestingly the worse I felt the more I wanted to eat that junk.

Now I don't get psycho with hunger anymore. If I wait too long to eat I still get attracted to carbs. I have a few strategies that keep me on track
1) I absolutely do not eat sugar or grains, so if I wait too long to eat and get overly hungry I won't go
    really crazy with my choices.
2) I plan and bring snacks with me, snacks with fat that fill me up
3) I have a game plan for fast food places, things I can eat without getting off track. If I run out of
    snacks, I am hungry and far from home I have a plan.
4) I eat things that taste sweet, but are not sugar or artificially sweet. Stevia is my friend. Just
    bringing Sobe with me can make all the difference.

Be good to yourself and have a game plan!

Suspect Foods

When you cannot keep it simple or be your own chef, there are a number of things to watch for on the label... or just plain avoid in a restaurant.  
Note-- I do note touch most of the things on this list, but if you are still indulging be afraid, very afraid...

Suspect Foods  
ale, baking powder, barbeque sauce, beer, breads, broth, casseroles, cereals, chocolates, chocolate bars, coffees (flavored), cookies, crackers, condiments, deli meats, drinks (flavored), gravies, grilled fish, grilled meats, hamburger patties (unless stated 100% beef), hot dogs, ketchup, lager, licorice, meatballs, potato chips and french fries, ice cream, imitation bacon bits, imitation seafood, marinades, meats, medications (check with your pharmacist-- even for topical medications), pastas, processed meats, processed foods, sauces, sausages, seasoning blends (herbs, spicing, and other agents), salad dressings, sauces, sausages, seasonings, seasoning packets (generally have thickening agents with hidden grains), spice mixes, stews, stir fries, soups, soup bases, soy products, soy sauce, syrups, taco seasoning, teas (flavored), Worcestershire Sauce.

Blog Restructure

Change is sometimes painful, but needed for growth. This blog has been re-structured a bit to reflect how I am doing things now. The page links are now moved to the right and will no longer be found at the top.

All of the Low FODMAPs resources are now under one page called Low FODMAPs. I promise it's all still there. This Low
FODMAPs page has all the resources that were previously on separate pages, including:

• restaurants
• books
• recipes
• websites
• stores

I am beginning similar resources for the Body Ecology /Paleo /Ketogenic page. This way you can click into the page that reflects where you are at in your journey.

Additionally there is a new page that for now has my before and after pictures, with the plan to add others as they succeed through my new 30, 60 and 90 day challenges (coming soon).

All the Best -- Lisa

Straight Up Sugar

Sugars are hiding everywhere... lurking in all those crazy processed foods that we love so much. (Beware... be very ware ;)
 

Sugars:
agave, agave nectar, barley malt,blackstrap molasses, blue agave,brown rice syrup, cane sugar, cane syrup, corn syrup, dastatic malt, dextrose (sweetener made from plant starch generally corn, rice, tapioca or wheat), diastase, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit concentrate, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate (apple, pear, grape), dextrose, galactose, glucose, glucose syrup, golden syrup, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), lactose, malt, maltodextrin (sweetener, filler and binder from rice, corn, tapioca or potato starch), maltose, molasses, panocha, rice syrup, simple syrup, sorghum syrup, sucrose (half glucose and half fructose), syrup, treacle.

Sneaky Sneaky Grains

Watch out!! Hidden grains are everywhere, especially in processed foods. Single source foods are of course the most safe (you know, a zucchini, spinach, an egg). Here are ingredients that are of concern.

Grains, Grain Ingredients or Likely Grain Ingredients:
artificial colors, artificial flavors, baking powder, barley -flakes/flour/pearl, binders, blue cheese, bread, breading, bread stuffing, brewer's yeast, brown rice, bulgur, bulgar wheat, cereal fillers/protein/starch, cheese -grated (if anti-caking agent used), citric acid, coatings, colorings, colors, corn, corn starch, dextrins, dinkel, durum (it is wheat), dispersing agents, emulsifiers, excipients (in prescription medications), farro/faro (type of wheat AKA spelt or dinkel), flavorings, flours (barley, corn, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, tapioca, wheat), food starch, graham flour, grated cheese ((if anti-caking agent used), grain alcohol (ale, beer, bourbon, grain vodka rye, scotch), hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), hydrolyzed wheat protein, kamut (type of wheat), malt, malt extract, malt flavoring (barley malt, malt vinegar), malt syrup, malt vinegar, malted milk, matzo, matzo meal, modified food starch (from wheat), modified wheat starch, maltodextrin, natural flavors, rice, thickening agents (dextrin, corn starch, modified food starch, etc.), mono-glycerices, di-glycerides (made using a wheat starch carrier), natural flavorings, oatmeal, oat bran, oat flour, oats, oils (wheat germ oil and others with gluten additives), preservatives, rye bread, rye flour, seitan (vegetarian protein made from wheat gluten), semolina, spelt (type of wheat AKA dinkel, faro, farro), semolina, spelt (type of wheat AKA dinkel, faro, farro), sorghum, soy sauce, spices (if anti-caking agent used), starch (modified food starch, edible starch), textured vegetable protein (TVP), triticale, vegetable gum, vegetable protein or starch, vinegars (white, or malt), vital wheat gluten, vitamin e oil, wheat bran, wheat flour, wheat germ, wheat starch.

I have probably missed a few things, be vigilant!

6 flights of stairs

Who me? I walked six flights of stairs at work yesterday-- what?! My limit before all of this was two to three flights... which was not pleasant. So unpleasant... I basically decided never to do it again.

However, yesterday I needed a movement break from my desk job and ran down the six flights of stairs from my office to grab a Sobe at the gift store. Then I thought, "Hey, maybe I'll try a flight or two up and take the elevator the rest of the way." I figured I would get out of the stairwell when I could no longer breathe.

It wasn't until I finished the fourth flight that I even thought about it. I stopped briefly, recovered quickly and decided to keep going. Then I popped up the next two flights and got off on six hardly winded.

Just before thanksgiving I picked up a 28 pound turkey for a friend and did get winded before I got to my car after taking the elevator down. I thought about how I used to carry around 50 extra pounds all the time. No wonder I got winded on the stairs... apparently that was a lot of work!

These Tastebuds They are a Changin'

It's so challenging to get started with a new eating plan. Especially when we think it's going to be difficult or boring.

I've learned something though. If you change how you eat the things you like to eat change too... REALLY!  It doesn't happen in a week or two... but it happens.

When I talk about my diet people seem to think it's not something they would be capable of accomplishing. They say things like, "You're so good." or "I don't know how you do it." I have a big secret though.

I am not being good. I never suffer or sacrifice. My tastes have changed. I love what I eat now. Things I did not like initially, I look forward to now. Did I suffer initially? Yes!

At first I did not like what I was eating and did not feel well at all!  After two weeks I began to feel better. Slowly since my new foods became more and more appealing. I enjoy the food I eat now more than I ever enjoyed my food before changing my diet.

I spent endless amounts of time seeking out substitutes for wheat and came up with some good tasting things. However, nothing compares to how things are now. I have no desire to go back, none!