The GI Diet

So, I'm writing this post after being on this diet for about one month.  Mid September till now (mid October) has been a struggle.  Derek traveled for business, was home a few days and then was in the ER with tachycardia.  He is still not 100%, and being mom, dad, and nurse is hard for me to keep up with things like the blog.

So....if you've been wondering why I dropped off for a month....that is why.  Hopefully we will resume our "normal" soon :)

Anyways, the diet came about because I was having a lot of GI issues that I was attributing to perhaps a lactose-intolerance.  I really didn't know what kept upsetting my stomach, but having to run to the bathroom at a moment's notice, several times a day was draining.  Especially when you have 4 kids in tow and sometimes have to take them with you.  Not fun.  Not fun at all.

I had cut milk (but not butter, cheese, sour cream, etc...) out of my diet about 6 months ago.  I'd use almond "milk" instead and let me tell you, it's just not the same.  I thought things had improved, but there was a sudden turn for the worse about a week ago, and I decided enough was enough and I needed to make a drastic change.

After seeing in Reader's Digest a book called 21 Day Tummy I decided to see if that could help my GI tract.  I checked the book out at the local library to see if this was a diet plan I thought I could follow.  The food seemed yummy enough, but the preparation seemed intense.  

See, there are some days, that getting dinner on the table can be a challenge.  Now, you are telling me that I have to make "special" food for myself and also make dinner for my family?  I didn't see how that was possible, but I knew it needed to happen.

My parents and my MIL agreed to help out where they could and make some of my "special" food for me.  Luckily, they would double the recipe and so I'd have left overs for some extra lunches and dinners here and there.  I was able to make a few of the soups for lunches and also smoothies for breakfasts.  

As the days turned into weeks, and the foods that I could have started to include more things that I knew the family would eat, I would make enough for all of us and maybe a few extra side-dishes the kids would eat to help fill in the gaps.  

I've never really been on a diet before, and really didn't start this plan for weight loss.  I'm very happy with the results.  In the 21 days, I lost 8 lbs and 2 inches from my waist line!  The muffin top needed to go.  Even though I'm still nursing, losing those last few pounds really made the difference.  I feel healthier and know I'm certainly eating better.  

It will still be a challenge to keep up this lifestyle as I try to undergo the next phase of the plan which is to narrow down the foods that may be aggravating my GI tract.  I've already done the milk test, and  I passed!  Apparently, milk is not the problem with me.  Good news, because I like milk!  There are seven other groups of foods that I need to test out my system with and hopefully I'll find the culprit.  I think this experiment has been an eye-opener for me because I can see how fueling your body with the right foods and not a bunch of junk really makes a difference.  I know it's hard when you are pulled in so many different directions, but your health is very important and after Derek's scare in October, we are even more aware of that now.