Wheat/dairy free diet driving me crazy!
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ShadowSoldier23
Posts: 321 Member
I started my wheat/dairy free diet on Thursday. It's only Tuesday. The fat kid in me cant stop thinking about a grilled chicken sandwich on a wheat bun or mozzarella cheese sticks with ranch! I've done good and haven't eaten wheat or dairy. I have even looked up sweets recipes with almond/coconut flower that I am going to hopefully try soon so I can still get a sweets here and there. But I am have a really hard time with these cravings!
My doctor suggest to go wheat/dairy free for a minimum of 6 weeks to help jump start my weight loss but also make that positive change to where I'm not eating pastas/bread like I did before. I get it. But at the same time I don't want to continue this diet and wind up completely sabotaging myself. Dropping dairy I get, because as a child I was lactose intolerant, but wound up eating it enough to build up a tolerance to it. Plus 80% of the population doesn't have the proper enzymes to digest dairy so it messes with our bodies. But I still want my ice cream (although I found Almond Dream, not sure it he potato or rice starch are okay to eat) and cheese sticks!
Does anyone have experience with starting this diet, not out of allergy needs but purely for lifestyle/health changes? How did you cope with it, any advice? I feel like I'm going crazy and my last final was yesterday, so I will now go back to work at Pizza Hut for the break....it won't be too hard, but the cheese is what gets me!
My doctor suggest to go wheat/dairy free for a minimum of 6 weeks to help jump start my weight loss but also make that positive change to where I'm not eating pastas/bread like I did before. I get it. But at the same time I don't want to continue this diet and wind up completely sabotaging myself. Dropping dairy I get, because as a child I was lactose intolerant, but wound up eating it enough to build up a tolerance to it. Plus 80% of the population doesn't have the proper enzymes to digest dairy so it messes with our bodies. But I still want my ice cream (although I found Almond Dream, not sure it he potato or rice starch are okay to eat) and cheese sticks!
Does anyone have experience with starting this diet, not out of allergy needs but purely for lifestyle/health changes? How did you cope with it, any advice? I feel like I'm going crazy and my last final was yesterday, so I will now go back to work at Pizza Hut for the break....it won't be too hard, but the cheese is what gets me!
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Anybody?0
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I don't eat grain or dairy in my diet. (Disclaimer before people freak out... I by no means think this is necessary - but my body really really doesn't like the way grains make me feel, and I just... don't, eat dairy. Also on the rare occasion I find myself craving a bagel... I eat it. So no haters - just my choice for my body
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I've had friends who have eliminated these items from their diet cold turkey and they said it took 2-3 weeks to adjust. I personally transitioned into this over a month with small sustainable changes. If it's something you want to do (note - I'm not saying she NEEDS to do this) I'd say you may need to give it a bit more time before you decide if it's something you want to stick with
(I also don't do the no/low carb version of this - I eat about 160 a day - lots of fruits and veggies).
In general I've felt crazy better since I've made these changes! No processed foods - just fresh meats, produce and nuts/oils. I'm hard core anemic and have always had no energy regardless of how much I slept - and now I feel like I have the energy of a 10 year old! (Could have nothing to do with lack of grains and dairy but lack of processed foods!)0 -
I have no energy and want to sleep all the time so I'm hoping that it might help. I feel like maybe I should give in and eat some grains or something, my body is making me feel really sick and yesterday I wound up throwing up. It's really hard to think I'd never eat cheese again, or ice cream for that matter! I know I need to stick with it because apparently my body is telling me that I need to give it up, with how crappy (almost like withdrawals, which im reading about now) I feel. Thanks for the response!0
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I have no energy and want to sleep all the time so I'm hoping that it might help. I feel like maybe I should give in and eat some grains or something, my body is making me feel really sick and yesterday I wound up throwing up. It's really hard to think I'd never eat cheese again, or ice cream for that matter! I know I need to stick with it because apparently my body is telling me that I need to give it up, with how crappy (almost like withdrawals, which im reading about now) I feel. Thanks for the response!
Maybe speak with your doctor - I will say my friends that have done this have told me their bodies do TOTALLY freak out on them when they start - but if this is something he/she thinks you should do and you're on board with perhaps see if it would be okay to transition over a month?
And everyone I personally know who eats this way - myself included - usually has one meal a week with either dairy or grain (I'm having sushi saturday! mmmm)
But yeah - doctor's advice over everything you read in a forum of course - but from what I've heard this is an entirely normal reaction when you just switch like that!0 -
What stinks is I don't have any insurance and I'm a broke (6 bucks to my name literally) college student. I live with family for now and they pay for my food (thankful for that!). So because I get the womens health medicaid, that's how I saw my doctor...for my once a year checkup. She said I can come back and speak with her whenever I like and I am planning to go weigh myself at the office Thursday since I'm so heavy my scale won't register my weight (yea, it sucks!). I figure once I have gotten past the 6 week mark I can do like a once a month/week day where I allow myself one dairy or wheat item like you said.
I just hope I can make it through the 6 weeks as bad as I am feeling. I'm just drinking a lot of hot tea for now to help me get through.0 -
Personally, I wouldn't consider cheese and yogurt "dairy" if your reason to move away from it is that you can't digest it. The bacteria have already done all the hard work in those foods.0
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wheat and dairy free can be hard... but its also fun! you can buy gluten free mixes for cakes, cornbread, etc, and use almond or coconut milk in place of dairy. as for cheese and ice cream, yeah its tough!! i usually cave once a day or so on dairy.
i know whole foods carries rice cheese but it is more expensive.0 -
wheat and dairy free can be hard... but its also fun! you can buy gluten free mixes for cakes, cornbread, etc, and use almond or coconut milk in place of dairy. as for cheese and ice cream, yeah its tough!! i usually cave once a day or so on dairy.
i know whole foods carries rice cheese but it is more expensive.
We have two small health food stores here, so I found some shirataki noodles to try (although im still scared to do so!) and no whole foods or stores like that . Although our local grocery store carries a lot of alternatives for dairy. Tomorrow I am going to get some almond/coconut flour to bake some goodies for myself so I'm not completely deprived. I have to get used to the almond milk but it's not so bad. I'm trying to get through the misserable/searching for meals part first! 0 -
Personally, I wouldn't consider cheese and yogurt "dairy" if your reason to move away from it is that you can't digest it. The bacteria have already done all the hard work in those foods.
She said no cheese either, I was really sad about that
I think once my 6 weeks is up I will add it in once in a while in meals so I will still get it once in a while. 0 -
I am gluten and dairy free and not by choice. I have Celiac's Disease can't tolerate dairy.
It's hard and it sucks.
My best tip for you is to stick to the outside of the grocery store and to eat a lot of protein!
Also, the withdrawal is normal, you've suddenly eliminated your body's main source of sugar (it didn't sound like you were replacing the carbs with gluten free ones). This diet will alter your intestines as well (for the better) as dairy and gluten-laden products are so processed that they barely resemble their original state.
It's hard (I know). But there are a TON of great things out there to eat (I promise). If you send me a PM I can help you figure out what to eat when you are craving something specific, and I try to give you whatever support you need.
GL!0 -
Your doctor recommended this diet for weight loss, not for medical reasons (as in you can't digest wheat). If you hate it, then change it! There's no reason why you can't continue to eat wheat and possibly dairy (if your stomach can handle it). You just have to use portion control. So you'll get smaller portions and won't feel deprived, and you can still fit those items into your goals. A diet you can't stick to is of no use.
Of course, if you choose to remain wheat and dairy free, there are plenty of alternatives out there, as people have already mentioned. Good luck either way!0 -
I am gluten and dairy free and not by choice. I have Celiac's Disease can't tolerate dairy.
It's hard and it sucks.
My best tip for you is to stick to the outside of the grocery store and to eat a lot of protein!
Also, the withdrawal is normal, you've suddenly eliminated your body's main source of sugar (it didn't sound like you were replacing the carbs with gluten free ones). This diet will alter your intestines as well (for the better) as dairy and gluten-laden products are so processed that they barely resemble their original state.
It's hard (I know). But there are a TON of great things out there to eat (I promise). If you send me a PM I can help you figure out what to eat when you are craving something specific, and I try to give you whatever support you need.
GL!
Thanks for the offer! Just sent you a message. I can use all the help and support I can get right now with how icky I'm feeling. I already feel the intestinal changes! It's a TMI topic for some people but I have been going to the bathroom a lot more with a different consistency. It's almost as if my body is cleaning itself out! And I have done a cleanse before that wasn't as effective as this. It's insane how your body can change so fast.0 -
Your doctor recommended this diet for weight loss, not for medical reasons (as in you can't digest wheat). If you hate it, then change it! There's no reason why you can't continue to eat wheat and possibly dairy (if your stomach can handle it). You just have to use portion control. So you'll get smaller portions and won't feel deprived, and you can still fit those items into your goals. A diet you can't stick to is of no use.
Of course, if you choose to remain wheat and dairy free, there are plenty of alternatives out there, as people have already mentioned. Good luck either way!
I agree with you. It's supposed to be for weight loss but I am thinking I might just keep it as a permanent change in my life. I'm a documentary junkie and i've watched a ton of nutrition documentaries that basically say that the way we eat with all the processed junk is terrible for us and I feel it physically. However, I know that once I get past this six weeks I will be okay with the occasional diary or what product just so I don't completely miss out on it forever.0 -
msimon, I just want to wish you luck reaching your goals. My husband and I are trying to give up wheat, or severely restrict our intake. Not to the extent of avoiding it when it's hidden in foods, because it isn't an allergy or anything, just we know it is not the best food for us. According to what I've read, it does take some time to get past the withdrawal symptoms. I haven't found it too bad but I didn't eat a lot of sandwiches or wheat based cereals. My husband is having it a bit harder because he eats a lot of crackers and bread. He feels hungry all the time, but it is getting better after a couple of weeks. GOOD LUCK! You can do this!0
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Thanks Murlin! I sent you an add request so I can have a few people who are on a similar track as myself. It's much easier knowing that other people are fighting the same fight. I have been reading on the withdrawals and I am definitely feeling it since I ate a TON of pasta and bread on a regular basis. I sincerely miss my favorite cereal too, but I will enjoy that once in a blue moon after I've gotten over the issues I'm facing now.0
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Keep checking the "health food" sections of the grocery stores, I don't know where you live but in Washington even the regular grocery stores carry a lot of Gluten Free stuff. Ice cream, try So Delicious coconut ice cream, decadent enough for anyone, I have to ration it carefully not real low calorie lol. And for melted cheese see if you can find Daiya cheese alternative, comes in Mozzarella, Cheddar, and pepper jack shreds. Not good cold but awesome melted.0
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Our decision to give up wheat started because my daughter is allergic, although recent allergy test came back negative. There is no doubt that she is having problems with gluten or wheat. It took her a while to figure it out but now she can't drink wheat based beers or eat bread, pizza etc without stomach issues and rashes. I bought the book "wheat belly" and it made me decide to try and limit if not eliminate wheat altogether. The book really bashes wheat and says it is bad for weight gain and a myriad of other health concerns. The hard part for my daughter, also a college student but paying for her own way now in her graduate program, is that gluten free products are very expensive. Under the Christmas tree, waiting for her, are two gluten free cookbooks. One of them is "Gluten Free on a Shoestring: 125 Easy Recipes for Eating Well on the Cheap. It looked pretty good. I bought two of the other books, one for her and one for us, "100 Best Gluten Free Recipes". I figure when she visits, I better start learning to cook some stuff she can eat. On a student's time and budget, working, classes and no spare money to spend, she hasn't had a lot of time to spend cooking. The diet can get boring when you can't eat what your used to eating and don't have a lot of time to cook and not enough money to buy those $$ gluten free products. I have been buying the Quinoa pasta though and it's good. Also, made a delicious Quinoa recipe I got from "AllRecipes.com. Quinoa and black beans. It was really tasty. For losing weight, the "Wheat Belly" book suggests that you don't replace wheat with other high glycemic substitutes such as gluten free breads, cereals etc., but if you limit your high glycemic carbs and stay away from wheat, it should go a long way toward helping weight loss. For you, I think your doctor is giving good advice. I think it should get easier once you get past the initial withdrawal and cravings. Those cravings should reduce as well.0
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You should try the shredded mozzarella cheese substitute and also the shredded cheddar cheese substitutes made with soy. I actually just bought them and the guy at the health food store swore by them. The brand is "daiya" I believe. He said they taste and melt just like regular cheese. Buy the frozen or fresh gluten free pizza crusts, some tomato sauce and there you have a pizza (one of my favorites).
Also with the cheddar I suggest black or organic refried beans, the daiya cheddar cheese and salsa with soft corn tortillas or the smart and delicious brand (which have a ton of fiber, and yes, wheat but if that was the only wheat you had then it shouldn't be too bad), melt it all in the microwave and there you have a burrito. Beans are cheap AND filling!The cheese might be a little more $$, but if you portion these items out they should last for a while. Quinoa noodles aren't too bad as a substitute for spaghetti noodles as well. If you are a cereal lover (like me!) I found Lydia's Organics Vanilla Crunch cereal to be awesome (gluten-free, raw, organic & uses agave nectar instead of regular sugar) and eat that with Almond or Soy Milk. It is honestly delicious-just make sure you portion it appropriately instead of pouring a huge bowl like I love to do with regular sugary cereals!0 -
sorry i havent read the whole thread so i might be repeating some things. i've just recently cut out dairy from my diet because its ..well gross (in the sense of where it comes off) and full of fat, unless its fat free then its just full of chemicals.. there's nothing in dairy that we need that we cant get from someplace else. & theres plenty of great alternatives. rice or almond milk are great choices, obviously there are soy products but i wouldn't start eating everything soy. there are still mixed reviews on the affects of too much soy. i just got vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.. AMAZING!!
now is it just wheat? can you have other grains, oats, barley, farro, brown rice, quinoa... they make bread out of that stuff too, and these are all complex carbs that are actually good for you, supply you body with vitamins, fiber and minerals.. its the refined sugar and white flour goods i would stay away from.
read skinny *****... its a funny read and really insightful about whats in our food, you might not be so sad to give up dairy after all.0 -
i have a wheat, yeast and Rye intollerance, i dont avoid these foods completely but when i do eat pasta or bread i really balloon up like im having an allergic reaction.
i make sure my fridge and cupboards are full of protein and i buy a few gluten free foods. pasta is my downfall so i only eat it now and again. bread i have pretty much got out of my system now,
its not easy, i think maybe you should wean yourself off these foods slowly rather than in one big go!
eat lots of eggs/ chicken/ tuna to fill you up. make sure you have fruits and veggies to tuck into when you need a snack x0
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