The Challenges of Change: Are you going gluten free?

Since we have just entered into the new year and the age-old resolution hype, people have been asking me more about going gluten free.  Obviously for self-evident reason, like I'm not a doctor, I can't advise anyone to go on a gluten free diet without first consulting a medical professional.  If, however, you have already done that and are pursuing the gf lifestyle, I'd like to offer some tips that helped me when I first started.  (If you haven't talked to a doctor, these are still some tips you may want to consider, however you should at least consult a medical opinion before proceeding.)

Tip #1: Ignore the Hype
We have all seen the gluten free aisle in the grocery store or products marked with the gluten free seal.  Chances are, we've all noticed the shocking price tag associated with these items.  I'm not saying that these gf items aren't great, but I am saying that they are not necessary.  A true gluten free diet can be just as effective when you focus on what is naturally gluten free instead of trying to substitute with products that are made gluten free.  For example: fruits, vegetables, beans, meats, cheeses, and nuts.  There's actually a lot you can have.  If you focus on this rather than what you can't have, you'll have an easier time going through the change, physically, mentally, and budget-ly.

Tip #2: Spend Smart
If you are on a budget (like most of us have been since the economic crisis in 2008), you can stick to that budget by buying things you already know you like.  For instance, if you are a beef or chicken lover, buy more beef or chicken.  Spend the money you would have spent on bread or pasta, on the naturally gluten free foods you already like.  Chex cereal is a great example of this.  I have always loved Chex corn cereal, so when I went GDF, I was so excited to find that it was something I was 'allowed' to have.  Plus, because it has always been gf, the price didn't increase just because of the fad.  Most corn based foods are naturally gluten free and since corn isn't expensive, these products tend to be cheaper than other alternatives to wheat.

Photo credit: http://www.brighterproducts.com/better-lucky-than-good/

Tip #3: Experiment
One of the first things I did was buy a gluten, wheat, and dairy free cookbook.  This purchase helped to shape the way I cooked gdf meals for myself.  (Because 'wheat free' is in that title, I learned to cook a lot of meals without bread or other wheat products, reinforcing tip 1 & 2.)  I started buying ingredients that were common in a lot of those recipes as well as the recipes I found online.  I tried tons of new recipes.  Some were not great, some were awesome, and some were, well, user error.  But even though each recipe didn't work out like the picture on the internet or in the book, I started to pick up techniques that are specific to gf cooking that helped later on when I was making up recipes.  There are some great tips in this cookbook or online that can show you how items such as corn pasta, items you may have never cooked with before, should look when you're cooking it and more importantly, when it's done being cooked.

This cookbook is by Love Food TM

Tip #4: Find a Source of Information
For me, I found the above mentioned cookbook and a couple of blogs that constantly were feeding me tips and recipes that helped me transition to gdf living.  Most people aren't looking to cut out gluten and dairy, (usually people just want to cut out gluten, so my experience was a little more extreme than other people's who are just looking to cut out one or the other) but the idea is the same.  Changing something so fundamental in your diet forces you to try things you wouldn't normally try and substitute with ingredients you've maybe never even heard of.  That's why it's important to have a coach.  Blogs are great because they usually have pictures for every step of the way, so you know you are or aren't on track before the final product is served on a plate.  Of course, my blog is great for people who are both gluten and dairy free, but if you are looking for just gf or df recipes, try these sources that I frequent:

For gluten freers:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

http://www.celiac.com/

For dairy freers:

http://www.godairyfree.org/

I hope these tips help you on your way to a healthier lifestyle.  Stick with it!  It took me personally, about 3 months to settle into the lifestyle, because that's what it actually is: a lifestyle change.  It isn't a diet or a fad, it is a complete overhaul of the unhealthy items you've been putting in your body.  It's realizing that you can be healthier and happier by giving your body what it needs rather than just putting in whatever seems good at the time.  I wish you all the best of luck and a healthy, happy, skinny future!!