Frame: 3 Weeks Gluten Free

It’s been three whole weeks since I’ve been gluten free, and aside from some indulgences on Valentine’s Day, I’ve stayed steadfast. No pasta, no bread, no cupcakes this whole time – a feat I would have thought impossible three weeks ago. So, how has it been?

I’ve lost 10 lbs, and that feels pretty great. I’d like to attribute this to equal parts working out, using my Lose It! App, and eliminating gluten. However, the truth is that I had been working out and watching food intake for a few months before this, and hadn’t lost anything. It wasn’t until I lost the gluten that I lost any weight.

The sad fact is that a bowl of pasta bolognese (of the size I want to eat) has something like four times as many calories than some roast chicken and potatoes – or even a steak – not to mention a ton of Evil Gluten. (I can’t say this knowledge makes me feel good, and I hope to filter it out of my brain over the next year or so.) Going gluten free might not have the same effects on someone who is less gluten-addicted than myself, but what I’ve learned is that if I want to trim down, breaking from bread is the answer.

Other perks:

I don’t feel as hungry as I thought I would. This is a side effect well-touted in Wheat Belly– that ridding yourself of the addictive gluten allows your appetite to normalize and curb your cravings. I think this might actually be true. The first few days are rough, but it gets better quickly.

I sleep better. A fact about me is that I am a really good sleeper, but lately I had been sleeping fitfully, waking up often, and not feeling very rested. This past week I’ve been dead to the world, even through the 2am-5am snow removal my town decided to perform outside my window. I rarely wake up in the middle of the night, and I feel annoyingly perky when I wake up.

My muscles are a lot less sore. I can’t tell if this is because I have adjusted to my workouts, or if what Wheat Belly says is true- eliminating gluten reduces painful and disease-causing inflammation in your body, making joints less sore. Either way, it’s worth a try if you have bad joints or muscle pain.

It did take three full weeks to feel all of these benefits of going gluten free, so if anyone is trying this and wants to give up after a week, I’d suggest sticking with it. Just remember- a LOT of different ice cream is gluten free.