Gluten Free

Oh, CONGRATS on the weight loss!!!

I have been gluten free for almost 3 years (by choice - I don't have celiac disease).
Breakfast: gluten free oats with peanut butter and banana -or- Egg whites with Spinach -or- a plain greek yogurt smoothie with berries and kale
Lunch: I'll admit, I eat frozen lunches at work, but only the organic ones with clear, simple ingredients (Helen's kitchen and Amy's organic, primarily). I get the ones with tofu and quinoa. Quinoa has a much lower glycemic index than rice AND has more protein!
Dinner: Frequently, fish or shrimp (Some lean protein - tofu, beans...) with veggies. Unless my son requests it, I don't make a grain. Veggies/salad have more fiber than rice (in general) but when I do have a grain it is quinoa most of the time.
I like to grill or bake veggies with olive oil and seasonings. A good, satisfying dish is eggplant or zucchini sliced lengthwise, brushed with some olive oil and seasoned. Sometimes I add goat cheese too and I put that under the broler. You can top that with tomato sauce and it's like a lasagna or eggplant parm without the pasta or breading.

I don't know how you feel about beans, but there's a company called "Better Bean Company" that makes wonderful refried beans, chili and red beans. They are a meal by themselves and they are low fat and gluten-free (not to mention full of fiber and protein). Usually I have them over greens or with quinoa.

do you guys know if they sell gluten free oats at regular grocery stores or is it just at places like trader joe's??

If your store has a gluten free section, you should be able to find it there or ask them to order it. I get Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free oatmeal from my local store

Check out some of the paleo sites. They have a ton of gluten free recipes! I like stupideasypaleo.

I have been gluten free for the last 3 weeks, and like you, have felt better and better each day.

I have been experimenting with many new things and recipes myself, and am finding the key is to find gluten free spices/sauces. I love all things teryaki or soy sauce, but was distraught because both have gluten. I found GF over the weekend, and am excited to try these. feel free to add me and you can stalk my diary any time.

I have been gluten free for the last 3 weeks, and like you, have felt better and better each day.

I have been experimenting with many new things and recipes myself, and am finding the key is to find gluten free spices/sauces. I love all things teryaki or soy sauce, but was distraught because both have gluten. I found GF over the weekend, and am excited to try these. feel free to add me and you can stalk my diary any time.

Gluten free soy sauce is expensive and sometimes difficult to find but La Choy is actually gluten free and is pretty cheap. Its not the same as kikkoman but my gluten free friends who feel deprived without their soy sauce find it is not bad.

I have been GF for a little over a year and the change in my energy and the way I feel as been amazing! I basically cook/eat the way I did before but use GF replacements. For example - I have a great lowcal enchilada recipe and now I use corn instead of flour tortillas. I have always done a ton of lettuce wraps, which is a good thing because most GF bread is just not good. I still eat spaghetting and pasta salad but use GF pasta. Many meals that include a lean protein, starch like brown rice or baked potato and veggie - just like before.

I think that too many times we hear that we have to go gluten free and it means that we have to change everything about the way we but that just isn't so. There are many good sites out there and some have already been shared. FYI - I have a bakery business and the best all around blend I have found is Bob's GF All Purpose Flour. I use it straight across and add a teaspoon of xantham gum (for baking only on the later) for each cup of flour.

A few websites I always go to for recipes are: comfybelly.com, gracious pantry.com, runningtothekitchen.com, and skinnytaste.com.
You can find a ton of gluten free, and if not just experiment and alter with almond or coconut flours. I always keep Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free baking flour on hand. It works well in most baked goods as long as you add Xanthum Gum, a little goes a long way.

Adding other things you have to restrict is challenging for people on a gluten-free diet but the good news is that there's a learning curve and once you identify some foods that you like and can eat, then it'll be much easier. I can't have dairy and I also eat vegetarian, so it's essential that I cook if I want tasty and filing foods. You can, of course, make everything at home but that looks like a challenge with your schedule. You might try cooking on the weekend or whenever you get a day off and freezing meal-size portions. I don't eat low-carb but if I did, I would try for a fish, chicken or lean meat portion with a veggie and salad or baked potato, if that's allowed (for a main meal) and a salad with protein and a yummy dressing, boiled eggs and julienned vegs with hummus,or open-faced sandwich on some kind of gluten-free bread ( which is usually better toasted) for lunches. There's a lot of dfference in the Gluten-free breads available and you need to try dfferent ones to see what you like. I like Udi's Ancient Grains bread and Glutino Flax bread ( but toasted only). You can also get GF mixs for cakes and muffins but that might not fit your diet requirements. Be aware that you can cook with garbanzo bean flour and other bean flours as well as almond flour for part of the flours in your recipe and that would raise the protein/ carbs ratio in your baking.

Websites that have a lot of really tasty and well-tested reipes are glutenfreegirl.com and glutenfreegoddess.com. As well those two have introduction sections to living gluten free that you might be interested in.

Glad you are experiencing greater health and good luck going forward.