Back on track??

I know it's been forever (ok, a few weeks) since I took the time to blog. My main excuse is that real life wasn't too happy or fun for a while and I didn't have much that I wanted to actually write down. What I'm finding is that it's so easy to sabbotage yourself and get off track without ever realizing it. Old bad habits creep back in and the next thing you know-BAM. You're right back into those patterns that caused all of the problems in the first place. Scary, huh? One of the silver linings in this whole food allergy thing has been getting into better shape. I lost 25 lbs, started running more than I ever thought possible, and starting eating healthy foods that I never would have dreamed of eating before. But over the past 6 weeks I've been drifting more and more off track as real life has presented some nasty speed bumps and I'd like to put an end to that cycle before I throw away all of the positives I've accomplished.

For me, it's the whole snacking when things get bad routine that always throws me off. That's been my weakeness since I was a teeneager, and at 26 it is still an issue I have to contend with. Add that to feeling deprived of normal foods during the week, and the weekends have become a disaster. Granted, I'm no longer eating pure junk food and I run 5 -6.5 miles about 6 days a week or so, all of which helps to minimize the damage. But it doesn't erase all of it, and it's a self destructive pattern that needs to stop. First order of business was finally getting rid of all the snack food in my house. Even the air popped Popcorn and apple crisps went. Unfortunately the dark chocolate had to go as well, being that it's become offender #1 lately. It's so easy to forget that gluten free does NOT translate into calorie free, and vegan does not necessarily mean healthy. This isn't the plan forever, just until I can regain my equilibrium and find the balance that sometimes seems to elusive.

So today I'm making a fresh start. The new goal is simple: find a healthy balance. I'll be sure to update more and actually post some pictures of my progress. Let's see how this goes!

I wish

If you're a drama geek like me you've probably seen the musical "Into the Woods" at least once. Through out the play the theme "I wish" is repeated over and over, with each character constantly wishing to change something about their lives. We all do it, but it's a dangerous trap to fall into. It's one I tend to struggle with a lot, especially this past year. It's sooo incredibly easy to fall into the refrain of "I wish I could be normal again" or "I wish so and so would be more understanding about this" or "I wish my life was more like so and so's". It's insidious! I really do try and avoid this when I can and remind myself that it could always be worse. I've got a great family who understand the whole wacky food thing thanks to my Dad's own gluten allergy. I've been luckier than a lot of people when it comes to having to deal with food allergies. I've only had one or two times when I've had to deal with a less than kind attitude towards "the eating glitch". It's disappointing and slightly hurtful when it does happen, but neither instance was a surprise. That's life.

What has been a great surprise is far more positive. Like the friends who unexpectedly went above and beyond over New Years and went out of their way to find gluten free pasta and to cook me separate gluten and dairy free versions of the meals being served. That’s something I never in a million years would have expected or asked anyone to do, but it meant so much. Or the friends who took the time to call the restaurant they wanted to take me to during a visit to NYC to make sure they would be willing and able to offer me some gluten free options. There have been the friends who have googled drink options for gatherings, sent me pictures of gluten free products they’ve found or who have remembered to check labels before giving me something at their houses. In her book The Gluten Free Bible, Jax Peters Lowell talks about how much we learn about the people we love and how blessed we are when an obstacle like this comes into our lives. While it presents challenges and can often be discouraging, these “glitches” can also open our eyes to how much we truly do have, which means so much more than a slice of cake ever could (and having such wonderful loved ones is always a calorie and allergy free treat :) )

This week has been one of those down in the dumps “I wish” weeks. My goal for the rest of it? Stop focusing on what I don’t have, and look at what I do. I could definitely do a lot worse.

The Ins and Outs of Eating Out

I'll admit that I'm a creature of habit. When I find something I like I have a tendancy to just stick with it until something forces me (often times kicking and screaming) to try something new. That's one habit that's been challenged over the last 6 months! What I'm rapidly finding is that, with so many limits on what I can eat, the repetitive eating thing= misery. It just reminds me of all the things I can't eat, which never leads to anywhere good (usually to the first bag of allergy safe junk available). Getting creative is the only option to combat this problem, and at home with my own ingredients it's a fun and easy activity.

Out in the real world though? That can be a totally different ball game.

I'm finding that the nicer the restaurant the easier it is to have a safe, healthy and tasty meal. Standard mid range sit downs are usually pretty easy to navigate with only a minimal amount of worrying about kitchen screw ups (although Clyde's in Chevy Chase did bring out my entree accidentally cooked in dairy. The waiter came racing out of the kitchen just after my first bite to take it away. Kind of thought they should have comped the meal for that....) Sports bars on the otherhand are more scary. This Saturday I went out with friends to watch the Final Four Playoffs at Buffalo Billiards in Dupont. I'd been to this place once before, albeit pre-Gluten/Dairy allergies, so I new that A) there were options that I could ask to be modified, and B) the food prep facilities there weren't top of the line. It's a typical sports bar, so they just have the most standard, basic fry kitchens. That was enough to set my nerves on edge as we started to place our orders. My last gluten reaction is recent enough that the thought of a kitchen screw up was enough to make my skin crawl! I asked for the salmon filet sandwhich without the bun or fries, plus grilled mushrooms and onions. Our waitress seemed really reluctant about the whole food allergy thing, even after I handed her the little printed out gluten allergy card I got from Food Buddy. Not usually a good sign when having it spelled out in writing still makes someone squimish about serving you. When the food came out, though, all was well. Not a speck of gluten in sight and the dish was awesome (even without the bread and fried sides....) I had made sure to pack some gluten free falafel chips from Whole Foods in my purse incase the loss of french fries was just too much, but in the end the fillet was so big I was kind of glad it was all I got!

The food allergy card seems to work most of the time, but I'm still getting the hang of how to effectively communicate and negotiate with the waiters while eating out. Part of it is that I hate asking for exceptions or being assertive. I definitely want to hear if anyone has good suggestions or experiences for that one!

With apologies to my Duke loving friends.....GO BUTLER!!!!

A New Adventure

Welcome to New Adventures in Eating! If you’re like me, that means you’re one of those people who has to avoid gluten and dairy, all while trying to stay healthy and eat things that don’t taste (and look/feel/smell) like cardboard. Not an easy task and it’s a constant journey, but I’m learning it can actually be fun. What about you?

I was diagnosed as severely allergic to both gluten and dairy in November and since then the quest to find foods that work well with my body has taken up a big portion of my life. I’d never realized how central food was to our culture and my life until I couldn’t eat more than half of it! It’s not all bad though, since my diagnosis I’ve actually been able to lose 20 lbs and try new and exciting foods I never would have touched before (sushi or poached eggs a year ago? NEVER!)

Still, I can’t help drooling over the blueberry muffins and scones at Starbucks, or the fresh bagels my co-workers bring in from Brueger’s on Friday mornings. I’m definitely still finding my way, and some days it’s just not pretty. The hard part comes when I have those “I don’t know where to turn” moments, those days when everything seems off limits and impossible. Life is what you make it though, and I’d like to make mine as full and rich as it would be if I didn’t have these pesky food glitches…and who knows, maybe it can be even better! I’d love to get your comments, help, laughter and support in this new and different chapter in my life. Time to make it an adventure!