No Grains - Day 3, But Really Day 2

I have a confession to make.  I had some oats the other day...but it wasn't intentional!!  I was going through the fridge getting rid of stuff that was old and I came across some "no-bake chocolate oaties."  I just ate one without even thinking about the fact that oaties = oats = grains = what I'm not supposed to eat this week!  Oops.

The good news is that it didn't derail my progress.  I can definitely tell that my body is liking me not eating grains.  Normally, my abdominal region looks a little more puffy at the end of the day than it does in the morning, but lately it's been even throughout the day.

The food I normally eat does not include things like soda, fast food and refined sugar.  In fact, most people consider me "extra healthy."  And yes, while I do make healthier choices and try to pick whole food items over processed foods, I would not yet consider myself "extra healthy."  The reason for this is because I still have frequent troubles with acne, hormonal stability (i.e., random mood swings), digestive discomfort, bad breath and anxiety.  Hence, why I am fasting from grains this week.  Ultimately, I'd like to get myself to a place where I don't feel sentimental about certain foods so much where it won't feel like a punishment to give them up.  I've actually managed to do this with refined sugar (miraculously), but something like committing to a gluten-free or even paleolithic diet still seems scary.  It's mostly because of social reasons though.

In the past, I have been the "weirdo" who doesn't eat with friends because I couldn't eat what they were eating due to random cleanses or elimination diets.  It's always someone's birthday or wedding, and since so many events revolve around food and socializing while eating, I stuck out like a sore thumb.  While I felt great physically, I did not feel great socially which took a toll on me emotionally.  It became more of a burden than a benefit, so I went back to a lot more "normal" diet.

Sure, I'm still "weird" because I don't eat and/or crave sugar like so many people, but it doesn't bother me because I don't miss the things they're eating.  This is where I want to get to with grains.  I already love a lot of things that don't involve grains, but I want my cravings to focus on the foods that don't create chronic inflammation.  Creating new habits takes time and effort, which is why it is so important to keep your eye on the prize until all the changes become natural.

Things are still going well right now, so I'm really excited to see how I continue to feel.  I will say that I am starting to feel more hungry more often, which means I probably did not buy enough food for this week!  I'm used to taking a long time to get hungry after each meal, but now my body is processing things quicker.  And without the inflammation, I don't have that bloated, overfull feeling anymore.  Satiety feels different when your digestive system is not inflamed.  I have felt this in the past, but it's been awhile, so I'm readjusting to it.  It's exciting though!

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