Friday, February 3, 2012

Will You Ever Eat Grains Again?


My friend and colleague asked me that question today when I showed her my meals for today.  I prepped my breakfast of 1 egg + 1 egg white, which I made into a fritata with kale and leftover meatloaf that I made with parsnips, carrots, onions, garlic, and kale, and a banana.  Lunch was a salad with left over pork chop and french dressing (it was authentic--from a bottle), and grapes.  She marveled at the amount of salad dressing and asked how much I had in a small glass container; probably not more than 2 tablespoons--because that is fattening, she exclaimed.  I also had fruit for snack.  

My friend has enrolled herself in a weight loss program at one of the local hospitals.  She has been struggling with her weight for many years.  She credits me with inspiring her to workout and eat better.  However, she is doing "conventional dieting" through this nutrition program.  She asked the physician at her meeting last night what he thought about going grain free.  As a cardiologist, he didn't recommend it.  He said it wasn't sustainable if there weren't any medical reason to be off of grains, then one shouldn't.  Maybe gluten can be eliminated, but other grains were impossible to remove totally because we need them in our diet.  He stated that we needed grains in our diet.  My friend noted that he didn't promote a high carbohydrate diet either.  

I've been reading about Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly.  I've read several articles in which he was interviewed about his theory on gluten.  Everything I've read in his interviews, without reading his book, resonated with me.  Essentially, grains (most specifically gluten) are genetically modified and do not add any real nutritive value and can actually harm us.  Dr. Davis' patients, upon removing gluten from their diet, recovered from many of their illnesses, such as diabetes, asthma, arthritis.  Those recoveries also supported their heart health.  Patients who did not stick to the diet had reoccurring heart attacks.  Patients who followed the "no gluten diet", did significantly better.

When I first got into Paleo, I wanted to lose weight.  It was my way of losing this fat and getting out of a rut that I physically and psychological couldn't get out of.  But when I realized the added benefit of not adding a steroid into my lungs twice a day everyday, which I'd done for the last 9 years, I was pleased that I could save my lungs and save so much money.

I gave up dairy 2 years ago because it did more harm to my body than good.  Once I got medical confirmation that I am actually allergic to dairy, I also confirmed within myself that I made the right call.  I listened to myself and went with my "gut" instinct.  I am doing the same with grains because it has caused more harm to my body than good.  I am planning on doing some food allergy testing and get confirmation that I am gluten intolerant.  Once I do, I will share on the blog.  However, I do feel so good mentally and physically, that I may keep this up indefinitely even if the results prove negative.

How do you deal with people who doubt your weight loss method?

7 comments:

  1. You seem SO peaceful with your choice. As a longtime low-sugar person, I find it exasperating to explain my food choices to people. So I stopped...

    There is this competitive thing here where hunger is identified as discipline. I can't do it. If I have to be hungry (which I generally am not eating more fat and less sugar, which often means fewer grains) I will keep these last couple pounds...and EAT.

    Anyhoo, sorry for that aside, but I'm glad that you're feeling satiated and satisfied with your food choices. Cheering for you.

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    1. I am at peace. It has been a long time struggle, and even if this is for a limited time, I am feeling great with my choice. I am not hungry or limited by no grains/no legumes/no dairy/no sugar. I actually had so much food last night, but it was all healthy and reasonable on this plan. And the best thing for my life is that I don't have to count calories or write anything down. I just am. Thank you for the support.

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  2. It doesn't matter what other people think or say, it's all about what is happening in my own body. I feel so much better without dairy, beef, corn and sugar. Keep true to yourself and keep making healthy choices!

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    1. Thank you for the support. I felt better the moment I stopped dairy 2 years ago. And I feel significantly better giving up grains this year. I am still working on the sugar, which is limited to 3 pieces of 85% dark chocolate, which is my way of weaning off sugar completely.

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  3. I am new to paleo but I do like what it is doing to my body. The energy I feel is amazing. I have been grain free for just a bit over a month and sugar (other than the dark chocolate)/dairy free since Jan. 2nd.

    I too have to deal with people wondering when I will be "giving this up" and go back to real eating...but I just smile and eat my delicious food and feel good about it!

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  4. Rosa, I agree that you do seem "at peace" with eating grain free and that is what counts. I'm only on day 9 of grain free eating and the abundance of food that I get to eat makes this plan manageable. I'm still waiting for the "burst of energy and clarity" to kick in but I must say, it's easy to walk past the snack table at work. Thank you for encouraging me.

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  5. I think you have to stay strong to what works for you. I find that tolerance sometimes runs in one direction, which can be frustrating. I know that everyone has a different plan and focus for their weight loss, but what matters in the end is that you both lose the weight and can maintain the loss while still staying healthy.

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