Going Gluten Free

Who doesn't love to indulge in simple carbs? I sure do. You can't argue that they make you feel full for a long time. They are prefect for satisfying my hunger, but not so great for being able to fit in my favorite pair of summer shorts. Pasta, bread and potatoes are three of my guilty pleasures and my some of my hardest foods to resist. The other day I had toast for breakfast, then a sandwich for lunch, and then another sandwich for dinner. I realized that I had just consumed 6 pieces of wheat bread. So I decided to try going gluten free for two weeks. I am now finishing up my first week and it has been a huge struggle. I have to admit I cheated and gave in three times; two times for pasta and once for chocolate cake (I couldn't resist)! Its been a learning experience to say the least about replacing the simple carbs I was so often eating with non-gluten foods. For breakfast I would substitute an english muffin or bagel for eggs, veggies and fruits. For a snack I've been relying on smoothies and Welch's fruit snacks. For lunch and dinner I've been boosting up the protein to make me stay fuller for longer. So far it's been an interesting journey and I love learning more about nutrition through my own experiments.