Day Three

The day started off okay. I tried another sample of vegan protein powder, this time VegPure Protein in chocolate. I mixed it as usual: almond milk, banana, and peanut butter. It didn't taste too bad but it had a thick, gritty texture. I got it down but I won't be purchasing that one again. I followed it up with handful of cashews. Normally, I just do the shake but my doc has me taking zinc supplements and they make me super nauseous unless I've got something solid in there.

Lunch was leftover ham and nectarine salsa. 

For dinner I made hamburgers. I used almond meal instead of bread crumbs to help bind them and they were delicious! I enjoyed mine without a bun. I baked some frozen french fries for the family but alas, they are laden with corn oil and I couldn't eat any. I baked myself a sweet potato and topped it with a drizzle of olive oil, garlic salt and pepper.

My sweet husband brought home my favorite ice cream. He swears dairy wasn't on the list of nos so instead, I got to watch my kids eat it and I had more Alter Eco. While they enjoyed their treat, we talked about what I wanted to do for Mother's Day. Usually they take me out for a nice meal but the thought of trying to navigate a restaurant menu makes me want to crawl in to a hole. I know it can be done...it's just overwhelming at this point.

And I really, really, really want a brownie. I went ahead and placed an Amazon order so my allergy safe baking supplies should be here soon. It's about to be super busy in my kitchen! 

Day Two

All I thought about today was food. 

I started the day with a coconut milk yogurt with chopped fruit and almonds. The yogurt was delicious...I mean really yummy. However, it only has one gram of protein and 19 grams of sugar. I don't eat yogurt all the time but I'd rather find a non dairy brand with less sugar and more protein. I had breakfast at 6:30 and by 9:00 I was ravenous. I need more protein! I have a Greek style almond milk yogurt in the fridge to try. It has six grams of protein and 12 grams of sugar. We'll see how it tastes but I still want something with less sugar.

Lunch was leftover chicken with steamed broccoli. I was afraid the broccoli would be nasty without the generous dollop of butter I usually smear all over it but it was still surprisingly tasty. I also had a handful of red grapes.

Dinner was spiral ham with nectarine salsa. As soon as nectarines show up at the store, I make this for dinner. It's simple, filling, and so so good. I made enough to eat for lunch tomorrow too :)

Snacks consisted of nuts and fruit. I've really put away some nuts these past couple of days. Though raw nuts have always had a place in my diet and are generally considered a healthy snack option, they have a lot of calories. I'm trying to cut myself some slack. There will be a period of adjustment I know. I'm trying to get in a groove and when I'm hungry, I kind of panic and grab what I know is safe which, in this case, is nuts. 

I spent a good while perusing Amazon for cookbooks and "safe" foods this afternoon. I love to bake and after finding out my favorite gluten free flour has both corn and dairy, I spent most of the afternoon looking for alternatives. I have to have brownies!! My Amazon cart currently holds two cookbooks, five pounds of almond flour, sea salt, organic palm shortening, and vegan protein powder.  I know one thing for sure: food allergies are expensive!!

Day One

Day one was a success! No wheat, no corn, no soy and no dairy. I tried one of those vegan protein samples for breakfast and was pleasantly surprised to find it was pretty tasty! That's a huge relief to me. I love my protein shakes, especially in the morning and when blended with almond milk, peanut butter and a banana, the chocolate Plant Fusion protein was nearly as tasty as my beloved whey. 

Lunch was leftover grilled chicken mashed up with avocado, red grapes, pecans and dill. I ate it on a Food for Life brown rice tortilla. I need to find an allergy friendly tortilla recipe ASAP. The Food for Life tortillas didn't taste bad but the consistency was off. Kind of a cross between a cracker and cardboard. Next time I'll do without the tortilla and just eat my chicken salad on a bed of greens.

Dinner was grilled chicken and a green salad. I made my own dressing since all the store bought ones are just little bottles of chemicals. And for dessert, two squares of Alter Eco dark chocolate with mint, one of the only brands I've found thus far that doesn't have soy in it. Pricey, but oh so good.

My biggest challenge of the day was the absence of my beloved Spark. I refer to it as "my precious" and depend on it to wake me up and pull me through my afternoon slump. I am in no way interested in being caffiene free so I had a mug of hot green tea with mint and honey. It was tasty but it just didn't have that kick that Spark provides. I'm hoping when my 12 weeks is over I'll be able to add corn back in without issue. I need my Spark!!

I did find out today that in addition to several food sensitivities, I am full blown allergic to at least four chemicals, and sensitive to four others. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what foods I can and can't eat. Now I have to search my house for random, hard to pronounce chemicals that may or may not be causing my itchy rashes. Overwhelmed is an understatement.

There is a silver lining in all this. Two of the chemicals I am allergic to are found in cleaning products, specifically those that kill mold and mildew. I interpret this to mean I'm allergic to cleaning bathrooms. That's logical right? Think my husband will buy it??

One Last Hurrah

I'll cut straight to the chase. 

I cant eat anything. Ever. 

Okay. Not really. I can be a bit of a drama queen. But seriously. I'll spare you the gory details but one health problem led to another and I was recently diagnosed with several food sensitivities. Wheat, corn, soy, fish and dairy to be exact. In an effort to bring me back to health, my doctor is taking this pretty seriously and has instructed me to go on a super strict, no cheating diet free from the aforementioned foods. 

I wasn't exactly happy about the news. A life without ice cream and bread is not a life for me. I left her office in sort of a daze.What the hell am I going to eat? Don't get me wrong. I am ready to feel better. I have wasted way too much time feeling sub par. After my appointment, I made my way to our local health food store where I spent AN HOUR reading labels. I put back pretty much everything I picked up. Gluten free was easy to find but soy and corn free were much, much harder. I left with some strawberries, a bottle of my favorite organic sunscreen, and some vegan protein powder samples.  I felt like crying.

I loaded my sad little bag of groceries in to the car and and instead of driving home I did what any red blooded American does when your doctor tells you can't eat something: I went on a binge. I sped over to the nearest Chick-Fil-A where I overloaded on my newly forbidden foods. I  didn't even wait to get home. I pulled in to the Lowe's parking lot and ate it in the driver's seat. I never even turned the car off. It was ugly. 

And now here I sit. Stuffed and miserable and thinking about how different things will be tomorrow. I plan to use this blog as a journal of sorts. A place to keep track of what I'm eating and what I'm not. How I'm feeling and how I'm dealing. I am determined to stick with this, heal my body and finally unburden my belly. Here's to the next twelve weeks!!