1-2-3 Go: Let The Wheat Challenge Begin
By admin
Starting today, we are taking on a new 30-day challenge…
But before I explain, let me just say how excited I am for the weekend!
Happy Hour with friends, a mud run, paddleboarding (Dan is training for his 3rd race) and my in-laws are coming to town from Phili!
Before the fun can begin, I have my Domestic Duty Day ahead of me.
Fridays are when I clean house and buy groceries. Some people hate doing these things, but I actually enjoy grocery shopping and I especially love a clean home.
With that being said, grocery shopping is going to be a bit of a challenge today. It will take a little longer than normal as I familiarize myself with new foods and read the backs to judge if they meet our requirements.
You see, Dan has been contemplating going wheat-free for quite some time. Tossing the idea out there probably about 6 months ago. Well, now he is ready to really take it on.
The 30 Day Wheat Free Challenge
For the next 30 days we will be going wheat free.
Why me?
Yes, this is more Dan’s challenge than mine, but I love experimenting with diets and nutrition so of course I’ll do it with him.
Plus, he’s been so supportive of every nutritional challenge I’ve ever done (especially veganism) that I feel I owe it to him to support him with this.
How mean would that be of me to sit beside him munching down on a PB&J on thick slices of Ezekiel bread?
And then there is the cheap stake in me… I refuse to buy groceries for two different nutritional diets.
Why Such A Challenge?
Because I love experimenting! I was a biologist in another life (I graduated with a bio/pre-med degree) and that love hasn’t left me.
A lot of research shows that the wheat we eat today is nothing like the wheat that was naturally grown 100 years ago. Through genetic influences and cross-breeding, wheat is not wheat.
On top of that, it’s been linked to numerous health issues such as inflammation, headaches, acne, joint pain… just to name a few.
For me personally, I’ve been battling adult acne off and on for the past year, so I am curious to see if I can clear my face up. Cause, I at this point, I don’t know what else to do.
Am I Going To Be Gluten-Free?
To go wheat free means to go gluten free since gluten is a wheat protein.
As I’ve said over and over again, I’m not sold on the gluten-free trend that has taken over the fat-free and carb-free food crazes.
I am all about going GF if you have some sort intolerance or digestive disease like celiac.
But then again, because of the biologist in me, I also feel like I shouldn’t knock it until I try it.
So… here we go.
30 Days… no gluten. After that time, we’ll reevaluate everything and see where we want our nutrition to be. If we want to go back to eating how we were or limit our wheat/gluten intake for good.
If you’re gluten-free and know of some great websites with recipes, please let me know. I am sure I will be bothering Lindsay for some ideas!
I need all the help I can get.
Adios Dairy
Clearly, I haven’t had dairy in over 1.5 years, however this is the second part of Dan’s nutritional challenge.
He simply wants to know how he will feel and try to understand why people (including myself) say they feel so much better without dairy in their lives.
The number 1 thing I can say, is that since taking it out, I don’t have sinus issues any longer. Something I dealt with for my entire life.
I also don’t get boogers… seriously. Weird but true!
So, Dan is going to give up his daily yogurts and try coconut milk yogurt for shakes. He is also going to give it a go at drinking his coffee black (he hates almond milk and coconut milk in coffee).
To be honest, even though he doesn’t eat a ton of dairy, I think this will be harder on him than the wheat challenge.
What Will Challenge On Our Grocery List?
I haven’t planned out everything quite yet, it’s next on my to-do list. However here are a few things I know I will not be purchasing this week:
- Bread
- Wraps (I normally snack on them with some pb)
- Yogurt
- Oatmeal
- Granola
- 2% Milk
- Pasta (sticking to mung bean fettuccine)
I’m sure that as I do more research this morning, I’ll discover other things that won’t be going in our cart.
But I’m more excited about finding the foods we can add to our diet!
There are a few changes I am making to my own diet, but I’m still figuring things out. Seeing what works and what doesn’t before I make any announcements.
Q: Any good GF websites for recipes?
Q: Do you ever experiment with your diet, just because?
Over the years I have done my fair share of 30 day nutritional challenges. I am a big believer that the best way to know about something is to try it out. How can I give an honest opinion if I haven’t? I’ve eaten raw, paleo, and vegan (which stuck).