To be or not to be gluten free is the question.

I love the Holidays, once Thanksgiving hits it is a shmorgishborg of fabulous food. I love cooking it, baking it and best of all eating it. On December 27th I decided to try a little experiment. After reading a portion of Wheat Belly and feeling bloated and puffy, I decided to try being gluten free. Fortunately for me my husband also felt this way and joined me on this new diet escapade. I shouldn't call it a diet per se, I am not counting calories or eating massive amounts of bacon, I am just not eating wheat. Now I do need to say that I am not as thorough as a person with Celiac disease needs to be, my soy sauce does have wheat in it. If I had to be that thorough this change in diet would be very difficult. My goal is to do this for 6 weeks and see how I feel. I will cheat for events such as Birthdays or Holidays, but for the most part we leave it out of our diet. So far I am 4 weeks in and I have to say I love it. I am not sure if I can ever go back to toast in the morning and sandwiches at lunch and dinner rolls at dinner. Being that bread is my favorite food, I am sure I will divulge in a little here and there, but as for every day... never again. I have so much energy, it is amazing. I don't feel bloated or too stuffed after a meal. I just feel normal, and satiated. I am not hungry all the time which is amazing considering I am breastfeeding. I have lost a little weight, maybe a pound in the past 5 weeks. I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds, but more than anything I am excited to have my energy back. The best part though is that I was having some joint issues and it seems (keeping fingers crossed) that it is clearing up. Could be coincidental that it was pregnancy related, but I am still counting it. I have noticed a change in the kids too, they are bouncing off the walls. I don't know if that is a good thing, but I can tell they have a change in their energy level too. They still have a granola bar or macaroni and cheese for lunch occasionally, but their eating habits have changed with ours. Their day used to consist of cereal in the morning, granola bar here and there, peanut butter honey sandwiches galore, cracker snacks, cookies and then usually a decent dinner. Now they are actually eating apples with peanut butter, smoothies, carrots and eating their dinner which has always been an issue here in our house. My son is still a picky eater, but we are making strides.

For all you gluten defenders, I actually still love bread and will still indulge in pasta and warm crusty bread (my absolute favorite meal) and even order a pizza every now and then, but it will be a treat and treated as a treat, rather than an everyday food. I feel like changing my diet has given me a more rounded diet for me and my family. I would love to hear from anyone else that is cutting out gluten and see what their experience has been.