Today: I miss you, garlic. {plus a Fire + Ice giveaway}
[tweetmeme source=”elizabethev” only_single=false]I’m now solidly in Week 3 of my elimination diet (no gluten, no high FODMAP foods, no fun… just kidding… sort of). As much as I would like to assert that I felt my absolute best when living on Annie’s Shells & Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos, the past few weeks are proving otherwise.
If Week 1 were a work by Victor Hugo, it would be Les Miserables. I had a raging headache the entire week, and felt compelled to slap the Diet Coke straight from the hands of people passing by. While I did my best to pack enough food for the day, inevitably I came home starving. And tempted to fall into a big bowl of hummus. I did adopt one very important habit during Week 1, though: consistently eating breakfast.
I’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but then again, I grew up being told that Pluto was a planet. I’m a born skeptic. Regardless, I carved out time every morning for this meal– most important or not– and have stuck to gluten free cereal, unsweetened almond milk, heaps of fresh berries, and more bananas than any person should consume. While I’d rather spend that time getting stuff done (like working, or talking to my dog), It’s refreshing to not want to eat my keyboard during a mid-morning conference call.
Week 2 was a vast improvement over Week 1, but that’s not saying much, considering I felt like hell on wheels for the first seven days of the diet. By the second week, my deep longing for an IV drip of caffeine had waned, and I no longer sought physical violence against people who freely sipped the Diet Coke. Avoiding all caffeine has three major upsides:
- I’m sleeping better.
- I’ve eliminated the risk of hitting a pole at the Dunkin’ Donuts drive-through, resulting in a dangling side-view mirror… again. Yes, that really happened.
- If I can quit caffeine, I must be unstoppable. Maybe.
I survived a weekend away, thanks to a stash of low FODMAP foods and some careful selection at meal times. I was captain of the nerds with my handy allowed/not allowed food list always at the ready. More than anything, I have such a better appreciation for those dealing with allergies.
I gave myself a free pass (which is less cool than a fun pass) to eat a small portion of baked penne, and a bite of a brownie after my grandmother’s funeral. Oh, and a vodka and soda, light on the vodka, which is technically not forbidden… but not encouraged, either. I soon regretted that free pass, but hey. This is a learning process.
While I’ve experimented with various dairy-free, lactose-free, and gluten-free packaged foods, I’ve been trying to stick to unprocessed foods whenever possible. I’ve been packing salads, low FODMAP fruits and veggies, a bit of almond butter, sweet potatoes, precisely measured wedges of hard cheese (file this under confusing: brie is considered a hard cheese, according to my handy reference guide), and the occasional rice cracker or one of Lucy’s Cookies. Dinner has been similar.
When it comes to snacks, I find myself starring into the fridge, making eyes at the hummus and Greek yogurt. It’s kind of a bad scene. I broke out the mustard and Glutino pretzels for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, though, and quite enjoyed the combination. I think this may be a lucky snack, so they will be on the table for Game 7 tonight, for sure. Plus, they taste good. And grainy mustard just plain old rules.
Week 3 has been the easiest so far, which makes sense. I tried another go at the free pass last night, when I arrived at my front door famished and exhausted. Rather than going all out (I think the baked penne from Week 2 hit just about every category on the ‘not allowed’ list), I limited myself to one forbidden column, grains, and experienced no side effects (and sadly, no vodka….). While I am tempted to press my luck… I am not willing to risk a whammy (…best game show of all time). Back to safe greens today.
I am (mostly) patiently waiting for the results of my blood work to come back, and am (fully) crossing my fingers that it will be clear what foods I should be avoiding from now on. In the meantime, though, I am feeling surprisingly better. I am much more conscious of cravings, my hunger levels, and how I feel after eating. I have gotten so much better at preparing food in advance, rather than leaving things to chance. With a week and a half to go, I’m thankful for this insight…. and I’m looking forward to a normal night out (at a restaurant that serves garlic and onions, preferably) soon.
- Local friends, I’ve got a night out with your name on it. The lovely Colleen at Eversave offered to give one On Tap for Today reader a free Save for a three course dinner for two at Fire + Ice in Cambridge.
To enter, leave a comment below. I will select a random winner tomorrow evening (Thursday, April 26) after 8 PM EST. If you’d rather send all your good luck to the Boston Bruins, you can purchase this sweet deal until midnight tonight.
CONGRATULATIONS, Stephanie! You were the randomly selected winner. 🙂 Stephanie writes a great personal finance blog; you should check it out! Many thanks to Eversave Boston and all who entered.
Also On Tap for Today:
- LET’S GO, BRUINS! 🙂
- Popsicles in Prosecco: a match made in heaven
- Doing damage with my new label maker (watch out!)
What one food would you have trouble living without? (Be sure to indicate if you want to be entered to win the aforementioned giveway, ladies and gents.)
Comments (16)
ashleyackerley
April 25, 2012 at 1:10 pm
My best friend lives in Boston and I’d LOVE to win this for her. I LOVE Fire and Ice!!
Tenley
April 25, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Ohmigosh I couldn’t live without coffee…its a daily staple! I would die with out it!
Tenleyoh
April 25, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Oh and enter me in the giveaway please 🙂
Jen H
April 25, 2012 at 2:29 pm
I’m so glad you are feeling better! I’ve been reading your blog for a while but haven’t commented yet, I was so curious about how the FODMAP would go. I am gf/df myself with celiac/crohn’s diseases (FUN!). Anyhow, glad things are going well and I hope your results come back without too many restrictions. I know how tough it is! I’d also LOVE to win the Fire & Ice dinner!!
lindsay
April 25, 2012 at 3:20 pm
so impressed with how disciplined you’ve been! and i would love to win this getaway … solely because my boyfriend is obsessed with F+I and would love this!
Amanda A.
April 25, 2012 at 6:37 pm
Don’t know how you do it! I tried eliminating gluten from my diet before and that was hard enough! You are a rock star!
As for Fire and Ice, I’ve never tried it even though I’ve been living here for over a year and a half! Would love to finally see what it’s all about!
Louise@ Los Angeles Criminal Attorney
April 25, 2012 at 9:32 pm
Opps! just drink my first cup today! Sorry for that! I can’t give up coffee!
Stephanie
April 25, 2012 at 9:36 pm
Haven’t been to Fire + Ice in ages. I always leave there SO FULL! This would be fun to win 🙂
I’m impressed with your willpower. I looked at the “forbidden” list for the FODMAP diet, and I think I’d go crazy! But I’m glad to hear that it’s helping you feel better!
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf
April 25, 2012 at 9:48 pm
Wow. I would last maybe 1 hour on that diet. But I have thought about cleaning up my diet a lot lately. I too have a gazillion food allergies so I’m glad to hear that this is helping you feel better!
rockstarshyne
April 26, 2012 at 10:15 am
Love those Foodmaps. Wish they were on Etsy…
I’ve always wanted to get to Fire + Ice, but, oh the horrors it could do to a diet!
Randi
April 26, 2012 at 10:20 am
Hmmm one food I couldn’t live without. I thought long and hard and there isn’t one. I used to think bread but I’ve managed to cut bread out of my diet for a while so.
Also I would love to be entered to win the giveaway.
Melanie A.
April 26, 2012 at 11:42 am
oh- i would have a really hard time living without nuts (especially peanut butter!), so i always feel for people who have nut allergies. (well, i know that peanuts are not actually nuts, but i sort of lump them in with nuts.) i would love to be entered into the giveaway! haven’t been to fire and ice in forever! thanks!
Lindsey
April 26, 2012 at 1:10 pm
I just moved to Boston and a fun night out at Fire and Ice would be great! I LOVEEE diet coke and I find it so interesting that your cravings have gone away after a little bit of time… maybe I should just try to give it up. I wish I cared enough! haha good for you 🙂 🙂
Athena @ Fitness & Feta
April 26, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Great giveaway! I have only been to Fire & Ice one time, would love to win!
Athena @ Fitness & Feta
April 26, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Oo, and I definitely could not live without peanut butter!!!
bridgetwickes
April 27, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Somehow I missed the originaly post on the FODMAP! Wow I am impressed with your willpower!! I hope it gets you some answers you’re looking for, and hopefully you can add back in some of those!!
My Crossfit box is doing a big Paleo challenge, most people are doing it, but I decided not to. I get too stressed/resentful when i think I am not “allowed” to eat certain things. I think if gluten or dairy were causing me any negative symptoms I’d be open to it, but so far that’s not the case.
Anyways!! Keep up the good work!!