Day three was almost entirely leftovers, so not much to report there.

Today, I had two eggs with some ham for breakfast and a banana for lunch.

While getting lunch prepared, I happened to look at some corn tortillas that Ash bought, and they’re made in places that uses wheat. So I can’t have them (if I’m going by-the-letter). So out of curiosity, I re-read the label for the Trader Joe’s marinara sauce that I had planned to use for lunch, and it is made with equipment that touches wheat AND dairy. So I guess I can’t use that, and I guess that’s my first slip-up of the experiment.

Slip ups:

Intentional – 0

Unintentional – 1

edit: So in trying to find a fallback lunch, I found I still had some brown rice, so I cooked that with some mixed veggies. I looked for something to add some flavor, but our sauces (soy, teriyaki) both had wheat. So I looked to add a little bit of this bean burger that we have in the freezer. Nope, that’s got wheat. Okay, I figured I’d cook up a fish patty that we have in the freezer. WHEAT in the fish!!! FFS. We may have shopped well this week, but it looks like everything we own from before today is no good for me.

I’m not having fun yet.

Breakfast – GF cereal with almond milk

Lunch – Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta with Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce; salad with kale, baby spinach, pea pods and broccoli topped with Bolthouse Farms Raspberry Merlot Olive Oil Vinaigrette.

Dinner – Ash made a very tasty brown rice stir-fry.

Snacks – none

Notes – A few people have asked why I’m doing this. Apparently, I’ve been better at hiding my 12+ years of stomach pain better than I thought. I have had stomach issues since college, when my diet was based entirely around 8 bologna sandwiches a day. Not hard to figure out why. But I’ve had on-and-off stomach issues since then. And in recent years, I’ve developed a number of other issues, many of which COULD be related to a food allergy: terrible skin, Reynaud’s sydrome, fatigue… etc. I’m hoping to fix all of these along with my stomach issues.

I’m linking to certain products for a few reasons. One, I will be able to later reference them when it comes to shopping for more products I’m not very familiar with. It’s like my wine review column, except not so ridiculous. Two, if people with allergies are reading this and they see a product, then can be all “I know that, and it contains hydropimentoboudrixine powder, which is gluten mixed with milk covered in Mr. Pibb.” I’m still a newbie at reading labels.

For instance, I only ever started eating salads because I liked Ranch dressing. I mean, I knew they were good for me, so that’s why I ate them, but finding Ranch made it easier. Now, dairy-free ranch is SUPER expensive, so I have to find a “new” dressing. THis one I’m trying now is quite tasty. Let’s hope there’s no hidden evils. I’m hoping the merlot oils they use don’t actually contain liquor.

I hadn’t planned on starting my exclusionary diet until tomorrow, but when I realized there were no barbecues planned, and I didn’t have any wine or Dew in the house, I figured I’d start early (meaning I’d finish earlier). I regretted it almost immediately, as about five hours into the day, I developed an enormous craving for both soda and Taco Bell. As a reminder, here’s what my diet for the next 6 weeks of will NOT include:

- gluten

- dairy

- alcohol

- caffeine

For [my first] breakfast, I had a simple bowl of imitation chex cereal with almond milk. For a while now, I’ve been fine in the mornings – I either have GF cereal and almond milk, or eggs of some sort. Occasionally an omelet when I have the time. So this was simple. Then when Ash got up (I let her sleep in since she just had both kids for 9 days), I made her an omelet and I took some of it (only her side had cheese on it). The omelet had zucchini, onion, mushrooms and celery.

We hadn’t gone shopping yet, so lunch (and dinner for that matter) were both throw-togethers. I had a wonderfully appetizing (sarcasm) lunch of white rice and red beans with marinara sauce on it, with a side of sweet potatoes. It did the trick. We were supposed to do shopping before dinner, but that fell through and I didn’t get to do it until just now.

Dinner was white rice, mixed veggies (frozen, then microwaved kind), my last salmon filet (pre-made and bought at Costco), and more sweet potato. Nothing was what I’d call particularly appetizing, however, none of it was really planned. Now that I’ve gone shopping, what’s the plan? Well, we haven’t quite gotten into exacts, but I know some stir fry is planned, and probably a pasta dish of some sort. For the weekend (disc golf tournament) I’m going to make a huge salad to bring down with me, and probably other snacky stuff.

Anyway, I doubt I’ll be this detailed during the whole process, and I doubt I’ll post every day, but so far, one day is down and I’m okay. I was VERY saddened to realize that the popcorn Ash and I love (very cheap, excellent tasting Pop Weaver brand) has milk. So that’s a no go for at least 6 weeks. Sad panda is sad.

I’ll also be noting at the end of my posts if I slip up, either intentionally or accidentally (it’s so easy to slip milk or gluten into a “hidden” ingredient in a product I eat that I would never notice.) Hopefully, you’ll never see that stat, as I do hope to maintain this diet strictly for 6 weeks. Then I’ll probably open up liquor to get through the next 6 weeks.

This is an all-out call for support. Starting in 4 days, I will begin probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done to myself in my life. I’m giving up silliness.

Okay, I’m not doing that, but what I’m doing will probably be that difficult. I’m going cold-turkey on just about everything. I will be giving up:

gluten

dairy

alcohol

caffeine

FOR SIX WEEKS. And even then, I will probably only layer one of them back in (we’ll see which I’m craving most at that time). That’s going to be six weeks of really not having any comfort food except cucumbers. Wait, is Ranch dairy-free? I can’t imagine it is.

I think that’s going to be the hardest part – dairy. I’ve been moving towards a gluten-free lifestyle for the last three months now. Up until this business trip, I would say I was probably 75% GF. (This trip I’ve probably been 20% GF.) In fact, this trip, I’ve been nothing-free. I’ve had one of those four things at least once a day. I did call it my “bachelor party for my diet” for a reason. Nothing’s been to excess, but I’m certainly living up my last days of “freedom”. But milk products are in EVERYTHING. I’ll have to have Kevin and Stephanie on speed-dial. (Can I eat this product?)

Of course, my hope with this is that I see a change in my body. It’s been in rebellion mode for more than 10 years now, and I’d like to feel good again on a daily basis. Hopefully these steps will help.

But here’s where I need support. I hope to be blogging more about this. I want people sending recipes or telling me what they did when they went on some crazy exclusionary diet. I want people to make me forget how unhappy I will probably be. And if I make it, I want everyone to celebrate with me. So do it. Follow me on my necessary-but-kinda-stupid journey. I’ll see you on the other side.

This is the first real game I’ve played with Duncan. And, naturally, it was with a disc golf mini.

Something was going screwy with my blog page, and Jason fixed it up (THANK YOU!) So I’m back. I hope to have a few different blogs coming up.

- I’m going to write what will be a lengthy blog post about religion.

- Starting June 1, I will be going on a pretty strict diet. No gluten, no dairy, no caffeine, no liquor. That will be for 6 weeks, then I’ll phase other things back in (likely keeping gluten-free). I’m going to blog about it, because I’m definitely going to need support.

- I’ll probably write-up a review of Chrono Trigger, because even though it isn’t a Final Fantasy game, it was done by the same people, and it really plays like one.

- Hopefully I’ll get some pics of the boys up. Lots happening. Hopefully I find time for it.