{"id":2627,"date":"2020-10-24T08:22:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-24T12:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vitality-vixens.com\/?p=2627"},"modified":"2021-07-07T09:13:55","modified_gmt":"2021-07-07T13:13:55","slug":"i-tried-a-gluten-free-diet-for-30-days-heres-what-happened","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vitality-vixens.com\/index.php\/2020\/10\/24\/i-tried-a-gluten-free-diet-for-30-days-heres-what-happened\/","title":{"rendered":"I Tried a Gluten-Free Diet for 30 Days – Here\u2019s What Happened"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I’ve been wondering about the best way to approach this topic because I am such a huge advocate of intuitive eating. At first, part of me felt like I was straying from my intuitive eating background by going gluten-free. But the more I thought about it, I started to realize that doing what feels best for my body (even if it means restricting a certain food\/food group) is what intuitive eating is all about. So I’m here to share my story on what happened when I tried a gluten-free diet for the past month. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why Did I Decide to go on a Gluten-Free Diet for 30 Days?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I started this challenge mid-September for a few reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. I was having some digestive issues (that I won’t go into a ton of detail on because it’s TMI). But if you’re really wondering… You can always DM or email me! Lol<\/li>
  2. For years, I’ve struggled with feeling tired way more often than I felt was normal. It would get especially bad after I ate meals (especially when those meals involved certain foods). The more I looked into the foods I was eating & when I felt the most tired – I realized there was a correlation between feeling tired and eating gluten-heavy meals\/snacks.<\/li>
  3. I’ve been getting bad headaches for years now as well. I thought it was due to drinking alcohol because they would often happen the day after I drank. But after giving up drinking for a couple of months and still dealing with headaches & fatigue – I realized it had to be due to something else. & I don’t know about you guys, but when I drink, I often don’t make the healthiest of eating choices afterward. Meaning I’ll often end up having pizza, fast food, etc. (easy to make & carb\/fat-heavy meals). While I’m completely okay with eating like this when my body is craving it, I thought that it could have something to do with the gluten in these meals I was eating.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    I had been skeptical of the gluten-free diet in the past because it seemed like a “fad diet” for a while. It seemed like everyone was doing it and for no real health-related reason. Even though I was skeptical, I decided to give it a try to see if it really could benefit my health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Here's<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Is a Gluten-Free Diet Healthier than a “Regular” Diet?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you don’t have Celiac’s or a gluten-sensitivity, eating gluten-free will most likely do absolutely nothing for your health. If you have been experiencing symptoms like digestive issues, brain fog, fatigue, headaches, or anything else on this list<\/a>… You may have non-celiac gluten-sensitivity (source<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I’m not a doctor or medical professional, so please consult with your doctor before assuming you have a gluten-intolerance or sensitivity.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Gluten-sensitivity is much harder to test for and diagnose than Celiac disease (and also less serious). But if you are concerned that you might be dealing with either of these – consult with your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The thing is – these symptoms can be caused by a lot of different conditions (or simply lifestyle choices). So, don’t immediately think that because you’re tired every once in a while or get the occasional headache that you need to go gluten-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I tried out the gluten-free diet as somewhat of a last resort. If you know me, you know I LOVE my sweets & baked goods. Cookies, cake, brownies, pretty much anything involving chocolate… So I was nowhere near excited about having to give those up (or trying to make gluten-free versions). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If I hadn’t been dealing with the symptoms listed above for years, I would not<\/em> have started eating gluten-free. It was a personal choice for my own health and you should 100% do what’s best for you. Don’t try out a certain diet just because you see other people eating that way. Eat what makes you feel your best!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I go into more detail on this topic near the end of this post. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How did Eating Gluten-Free for 30 Days Impact my Health?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I wanted to break this question down into 2 sections because this is a big one! I can’t jam the mental & physical health benefits all into one. I’ll say this: eating gluten-free for 30 days definitely improved both areas of my health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    Mental Health <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Focus \/ Mental Clarity<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    My focus levels and mental clarity definitely improved. It feels similar to how intermittent fasting made me feel in the mornings (you can read all about that experience here<\/a>). It’s easy to focus on any task I’m working on and I haven’t been dealing with as much “brain fog”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even at work, I’ve been more focused and productive. It just feels like I have more energy, in general, which is allowing me to concentrate more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I also feel like my memory has been slightly better? I’m not sure if that’s due to the lack of gluten or something else entirely… But just noting what I noticed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Mood<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    Due to my increased energy levels (which I go more in to below), I’d definitely say my mood has improved! This is in no way a cure-all for bad moods – I’ve still had my ups & downs throughout the month… But overall I feel way better!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I’m less reliant on snacks or sugary treats to give me energy. Which in turn, puts me in a better (and more stable) mood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    Physical Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Energy Levels<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    My energy levels improved quite a bit. I haven’t been crashing after meals anymore or hitting that 3 pm wall. I’ve had steady energy throughout the day that doesn’t seem to be impacted much by meals or snacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I also haven’t been getting as tired on days after I drink alcohol. I used to blame it on a “really bad hangover” but it seemed to be more than that. It seems like cutting back on some of the less healthy things I would eat on nights I drank (most of them containing gluten) definitely helped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Digestion<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    So much better<\/em>. The digestive problems I had been having = gone. *Knock on wood*<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My stomach feels better in general and I haven’t been getting weird stomachaches as often. TMI, but I’ve also been very regular and my digestion is just better than it’s been in a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Impact on Exercise<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    I honestly felt so much better during my workouts during this challenge. I felt like I was eating foods that gave me lasting energy, so this definitely impacted my workouts. Also, I wasn’t crashing midway through them, which is a big plus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I don’t think it had any impact on my strength\/fitness levels. But if I stick with this and continue to have more energy for working out, I’m sure it will start to impact that eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    Impact on Hunger Levels<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    At first, my hunger was all over the place. My body was adjusting to eating differently and it made me more hungry at times and less hungry other times. I went for about a week hardly feeling hungry at all (but still eating semi-normally, of course). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    After the first 2 weeks, my body adjusted and my hunger\/fullness cues went back to normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cramping\/Bloating <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    The first week or two, I was feeling really bloated most of the time. Normally, I don’t get too bloated throughout the month, so it was weird for me to be bloated every night. I think it had a lot to do with the increased raw veggie consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I normally try to eat pretty healthy and fit in fruits & veggies when I can. But since eating gluten-free cuts down on some of the types of meals I would normally eat, I ended up eating WAY more salads throughout this month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I felt great the first few weeks (as you can see from the other sections). Just a little more bloated, which is completely okay with me. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Related: If you struggle with bloating\/IBS symptoms regularly, check out Mary’s full article on how she dealt with her reoccurring bloating here<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Weight<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    Eating gluten-free had absolutely no impact on my weight. I don’t weigh myself or own a scale. But I went to the doctor near the end of the challenge and I weigh the same as I have for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Which goes to prove that you shouldn’t start a gluten-free diet for weight loss purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Headaches\/Migraines<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    I’ve dealt with bad headaches\/migraines for a while and I don’t always know what causes them. Oftentimes, they’re hangover headaches and will last all day after I drink. But lately, I’ve hardly been drinking at all, so when I still get a bad headache it leads me to wonder what the cause is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    During my gluten-free 30 days, I only got a bad headache once. That was the day after I caved on my gluten-free diet and ate pizza and ice cream. I’m not positive that the change in diet caused the headache, it just happened to be the day after that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We had also been moving all weekend (from Brandon to Ybor City<\/a>) so I had been outside, moving, and lifting a lot all weekend. It could have been that or a combination of things, I don’t know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Other than that one day, I am pleased to say that I didn’t have a headache the entire rest of the 30 days. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    The Biggest Challenge of Eating Gluten-Free<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The hardest part about eating gluten-free was finding foods to eat<\/em>. The options are exponentially better now than they were 20 years ago, but it’s still not easy. Especially for someone who is new to the gluten-free diet, it’s definitely a learning experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, when I would go out to dinner somewhere, more often than not, my only option would be a salad. (This all obviously depends on what restaurants you go to. There are plenty of restaurants that have a solid gluten-free menu, it just didn’t happen to be a lot of the ones I went to.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even when I ordered a salad, I would have to make sure there were no croutons, pita strips, etc., on top, to make it fully gluten-free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Here's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Trying to eat at a fast-food restaurant is especially challenging. We hit up Chick-fil-a the other day and even though they have a decent selection of gluten-free foods, a lot of my regular options were off the table. No spicy breaded chicken sandwich, dun dun dun.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can’t have breaded foods, anything with a bun (so no spicy chicken sandwich) :(, etc., which ends up leaving a lot of their menu out. I ended up getting grilled chicken nuggets and fries, which was still really yummy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    One of the biggest things I learned was to always have gluten-free foods (& snacks!) on hand, so you don’t end up hangry. The first week or so, I was unprepared and had hardly bought any gluten-free options to have at home. I learned my lesson early when I felt like I never had enough food to eat, and ended up making a Trader Joe’s run for more gluten-free options!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A Couple Slip-Ups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Throughout the month, I slipped up and ate foods with gluten a couple of times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Early on in the first week of the challenge, after we had just moved – we had pizza and ice cream. I was so hungry from moving all weekend and just gave up on the gluten-free challenge momentarily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I felt okay the next day but had a headache most of the day. Not sure if that’s related, but that’s the only time I’ve had one of my bad all-day headaches this past month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I slipped up again near the end of the challenge with tempura on sushi. I wasn’t thinking about it at the time, but tempura isn’t gluten-free. The next day I felt super tired all day with a lot of brain fog. (Again, not sure that the gluten caused that – just noting my observations.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Other than that, it became easier & easier throughout the month to eat fully gluten-free. Heading to a store (like Trader Joe’s) that has a lot of free options makes it much easier. One I stocked up on gluten-free meals & snacks to have around, it was a no-brainer to grab those options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some of My Favorite Gluten-Free Foods I Tried Out!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    All in all, I actually loved eating gluten-free most of the time, and a lot of the newer options are so good! I feel better eating gluten-free foods as opposed to the “regular versions” of the same foods. So I’m going to stick with a lot of these options in place of what I would normally be eating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n