Still Struggling To Find Balance

[Live2BWell]

Hello Everyone! I was Dx late last year and I am still struggling to find balance with the diagnosis. At the beginning I went through a brief phase to where I was completely clueless and depressed. I went through a rather long period to where I felt very motivated and optimistic about things improving and being gluten free. For the last two months or so, I have been really really struggling to cope. I am finding myself getting frustrated. I am no Betty Crocker, and although I like to cook I don't like cooking often (LOL!)

I am finding it easier to just skip meals all together than to deal with the anxieties and questions and frustrations with what to eat that will be fulfilling and not just "fill the hole" so to speak.

I am stressed anyway, and going through some difficult personal problems, and I know that I am not getting proper balanced nutrition. I know that this is something I have to tackle, and something that I have to learn to balance since logically I can't (and don't want to) feel like this for my entire life.

I am also needing to lose weight, as I am overweight. I was in weight watchers (or am in weight watchers) but I am struggling with the motivation to keep up with that because I'm not really following any type of "program" or nutritional balanced way of eating.

Anyone have any advice, suggestions, or personal feedback? Thanks in advance

[RiceGuy]

Well, the first thing I'd say is that no matter how you feel right now, you will get through it. We all do, so you can look forward to that.

Now, as to what sort of meals would be nutritious and delicious, there are more options than you may think. Also, you don't have to cook every day to achieve that. One easy thing you could do is to make extra large amounts of stuff, and freeze in individual portions. Then, you'll have many times when you can just take a container out of the freezer, and heat it in the microwave. All sorts of foods can work here, from casseroles to stews, from pancakes to mashed potatoes (heat pancakes in the toaster/oven). Tinkyada pasta is really good, and freezes well. If you like lasagna, make a large pan of it, and that will give you several yummy meals with little work. Spinach lasagna is not only delicious, but it can be very healthy too. How about a big pot of chili?

Also, don't forget spices. Everything can taste bland and boring without some simple spices. If you get individual spices, not the blends, you'll be able to mix and match for new combinations that will never get boring.

You could even make pizza shells, and bake and freeze them. Then it's easy to make a quick fresh pizza.

With enough variety, you should find it easier to get all the nutrients, and be able to enjoy your meals at the same time.

[flourgirl]

Having personal issues adds to the stress of changes like diet. Changes like diet add to the stress of personal issues. It may feel like one big viscious cycle.....as so many of us know! I'm not one who likes to cook, though generally I don't mind it. Sometimes it does seem easier to just have skippits, as I call it. We have to keep in mind that no matter what your diet...Skippits are not healthy. I'll bet that, as you stick to the diet and start to feel better overall, other issues will fall in line and be a bit easier to deal with.

While you are doggedly trying to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, (I hope you are taking supplements, too), you'll realize at some point that new "habits" are replacing old ones, and that it all is becoming easier. I DO wish you luck, and the perseverence to stay on the path to wellness.

[missy'smom]

I find that some kind of system or organization helps me cope. It may sound like alot of work to some but I've always gravitated to it because I DIDN"T have alot of energy. It saves me physical, mental and emotional energy.

I keep an ongoing grocery list and take it with me when I'm out and stick to it. I made a committment this year to leave my emotions at the door, get what's on the list, get in and get out and get home. I also made a committment to menu plan and grocery shop twice a week splitting it up into the first half of the week and the second half of the week-two colums on the shopping list. This is because we were not organized and getting frustrated with unplanned meals and last minute runs to the store on the weekend.

I keep an ongoing notepad of menus on my laptop and plan out 3 days of meals at a time, sometimes the whole week but at least today plus the next two. They get changed and re-arranged but it helps. If I know about something ahead, I'll add it on too, like guests staying with us or something coming up in the next month that we'll need to take a meal with. I cope better when I have a plan. It saves time and energy and I don't get stuck standing in the kitchen staring at the fridge for half an hour struggling over what to eat or same goes for the grocery store.

I also prep ahead and make in batches and freeze to save me time in the am and at lunch, which is when I happen to need to save time and energy. When I cook potatoes or chicken at night I'll make an extra portion for next day's lunch or breakfast. I don't go crazy with freezing but a few extra portions or a batch of something every two weeks helps.

I've also kept a list of menus posted on the fridge in the past, meals that we liked or worked for us so that I wasn't trying to reinvent the wheel all the time. I also have a recipe file of dishes that we currently eat alot and make notes or a new card for variations on those dishes/ other ways to use them. Using the same recipe/ dish multiple ways build variety and uses less mental energy. I've cleaned out the recipe file lately and added new dishes that we like and taken out old ones that we aren't using.

Set aside a designated time to enjoy that something that you like that way you'll not be looking for it at meal times and if it's at a set time everyday, you'll look forward to it and enjoy it more and just take the time to sit and enjoy it. It doesn't have to be long but respect that time. We've had a planned, scheduled snack/tea time for years. I often plan what we'll have ahead of time and plate it up nicely-not too fancy. A glass of wine and just a piece of chocolate after dinner on long/stressful days is something I look forward to too. It can be non-food too. Having familiar ritual helps decrease stress. My son and I have a ritual of me reading a long book, over the course of a month or more, to him before bed-not everynight but as often as we can. I also look forward to the stretches that I do while watching TV in the evenings. They help me relax and sleep better and are a small way that I take care of myself.

[mushroom]

I am also needing to lose weight, as I am overweight. I was in weight watchers (or am in weight watchers) but I am struggling with the motivation to keep up with that because I'm not really following any type of "program" or nutritional balanced way of eating.

Anyone have any advice, suggestions, or personal feedback? Thanks in advance

Many of us (those of us who gained weight because of our disease, rather than the supposed norm of losing a lot of weight) find that as we progress on the gluten free diet the weight drops off without even trying. If I were you I would not obsess about weight at the moment; just concentrate on eating a healthy diet and see what happens. You may find that you will lose the weight automatically. But you must eat a healthy diet and make sure that your nutrient levels are good. Have you had your PCP check your B12, iron, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc levels. You may need some supplementation to get them back into balance.

Now that fast food is no longer an option for you it should be easier to eat more fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, and thus better nutrition. Good luck, and hang in there; it is a big adjustment at first but you will get there.

[Live2BWell]

Thank you for your wonderful suggestions and support!

missy'smom,

You have an excellent system it seems, and great suggestions. I will try to adapt some of your suggestions and advice. I have a hard time with organization and such (I am really a.d.d. and struggle a great deal as it is.)

Thanks again guys, keep the suggestions coming

[Jestgar]

Missy'sMom has some really great ideas - if you can do them.

I could not.

I am completely unorganized, never think to make notes, and could never deal with going to the store twice a week.

I keep frozen veggies well stocked in my freezer, as well as bags of cooked chicken strips. I have cans of fish and chicken in my cupboard, cans of beans, cans of 'shrooms, cans of tomatoes.

I have dried 'shrooms, dried taters (instant), rice in my pantry.

I go to the store on the weekend and buy what's on sale.

I make one or two crock pot meals during the week with whatever meats and veggies were on sale. I have salad fixin's for a couple three meals. Some fresh fruit. Crackers, if I've splurged (or they were on sale). I usually have a bag of dried fruit for desert, and a bag of nuts for snacking.

Brekky is usually eggs and frozen veggies (spinach, mustard greens, peppers). Sometimes some cheese. Sometimes bacon bits.

You get the picture.

[Jestgar]

Forgot to add that I live alone.

Couldn't be my cooking :lol:

[Lisa16]

Hi!

Maybe this is actually an opportunity to take care of a few problems at once. Going to a nutritionist who really knew his stuff helped me. I things things like weight watchers aren't really designed for celiacs, and our diet is special. How many points does a gluten-free waffle get, for example? More probably. You need a specialist.

Missy's mom has a good system down. I do something similar-- we (two adults) have a kind of standing grocery list. But the truth is, there has to be planning and effort involved. And it is hard-- harder than it would be for a GE (gluten eater). And it is expensive too. So right off the bat you have to say, "okay. My health is worth this and if food has to become a bigger budget item, then that is the way it is." There is nothing more important that your health.

I have two or three "cooking days" a week. These are days when my work schedule is a little lighter (if you have a 9-5, this might not be the est approach.) and I can cook. On a typical cooking day, I will make anywhere from 6-14 items that I can take for lunch and reheat for dinners. This works for me. Sometimes they are not especially fancy things either. Then you just pack up little tupperwares with lunch and you are good to go. We always have a big pot of rice going.

The key is quality, fresh ingredients.

Here are some examples:

steamed salmon (in foil in the oven with spices)

a green bean dish (made in a wok)

boiled spinach

hard boiled eggs

roast mushrooms with garlic (in olive oil)

cucumber salad (with lime, red onion, salt and pepper)

avocado salad (with a tomato viniagrette I make myself)

basil chicken (made in a wok)

split pea soup

roast potatoes with leeks (in white truffle oil)

chopped fruit (pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon) and cherries or strawberries

spanish omelette (a potatoe omlette/cake you slice)

carrot salad (cold-- you mince them with a bit of lime juice and spices)

angel food cake (mostly eggs-- this works well with gluten-free flour)

a pitcher of fresh squeezed orange juice (about 8 lbs.)

Add in some lunch meat and wraps, lettuce and discrete fruits like apples and bananas ans you are set for awhile.

So for lunch you take some salmon and rice, green beans, carrot salad, chopped fruit and some avocado salad. This way you are getting a protein, three-four veggies and 2 fruits. If you want, take a piece of the cake too. Pack a snack, like anther discrete fruit or a couple of eggs.

Then when you come home for dinner, you can have some chicken, spinach, a lettuce salad, some fruit, maybe some fresh juice. Mix it up. One day you can take a wrap sandwich, for example, or a thing of soup. Fresh big portions of things and thaw as needed (like the soup). That way you alays have something on hand too-- handy if you get sick or have to go somewhere on the weekend.

It is not impossible, but it does take thinking ahead and "re-training" yourself to look at food differently-- and acceptance of the fact that you have celiac disease. Invest in some nice cooking things. I find a juicer and a small food processor (Target for 40$, say) are key. Get yourself some health olive oil and a nice vinegar and decent spices. Find some inspiring food blogs (like Gluten free girl) and try new things. And cut yourself slack. There are days when I eat gluten-free waffles for dinner too :-)

Here is a recipe for the tomato viniagrette. It is so easy!

In a food processor put the white bottom bit of a green onion. Throw in a vine-on tomato (wash and core it first). Let it rip! Add in salt, pepper, olive oil, a dash of orange juice (yep-- trust me) and vinegar (oil and vinegar in roughly equal parts). Let it rip again, until it thickens. Simple. Delicious. Fresh.

You can use this as salad dressing (it keeps for like a week in the fridge)-- I put it on tomatoes and avocados chopped up with the green bit of the green onion you didn't use before and mix it around a bit. This keeps the avocados from turrning green. And viola! You ahve a salad for work or dinner for three or four days (unless your husband scarfs it all!)

Good luck and hang in there. You can do it!

[missy'smom]

Jestgar I would still call your way of doing things a method or system, it's just a different one based on your needs, preferences etc. The way I do things is certainly not for everyone but the point is to come up with some kind of method that works for the individual. I just put mine out as an example. Mine revolves around what our needs and preferences are. I'm one to think myself into a corner so getting it out of my brain and onto something helps me. I have 3 people each with different needs and preferences and multiple restrictions myself and I have to eat certain amounts of food at certain times as well so I've gotten even more anal about organization. It sounds like you've got a simple, organized plan that would also reduce stress and save time and energy! I keep thinking about simplifying but we like variety so much and keep buying things that only one of us can/will eat so I have to manage stuff in order for it not to be wasted.!

[RollingAlong]

DH and I eat low carb and occasionally skip meals on purpose - it is called intermittent fasting and research shows it can offer some health benefits. This assumes, of course, that you implement the other wonderful suggestions and eat right the rest of the time! I mention the low carb because IF is easier on a LC diet.

[Lexi]

Hey! I just wanted to say, "hang in there". I was also diagnosed about a year ago, and I also am STILL having trouble finding balance. I just try my best to get through each day the best I can. I also have a lot of other health issues, and it all really gets me down at times. Celiac.com has been a great thing for me. Whenever I feel really hopeless, I get on here and write, and someone who can relate always writes back a very supportive message. We all need as much support as we can get. It's definitely not an easy lifestyle to get used to, but it will come with time.

[julirama723]

I have a busy schedule, but no kids, so I can eat what I want when I feel like it.

That being said, I don't have all the time in the world to cook. I have one "cooking" day, usually Sundays, where I prep a lot of breakfast/snack foods. I'll boil 12+ eggs so I can eat a couple per day as breakfast or a snack. I also make my own sausage patties and cook those in huge batches. I love those pre-washed/pre-packaged veggies, like sugar snap peas and baby carrots for when I'm in a hurry, or when I'm traveling. For me, eggs are a LIFESAVER! They cook quickly, taste great, and can be enjoyed in a multitude of ways.

Like another poster suggested, if you can tolerate grains, why not make a big batch of rice or quinoa? That can be added to soups, eaten on it's own, combined with sauces, mixed with veggies, etc. Pretty versatile and cheap! Corn products are also an easy meal/substitute. You could cook up a pound of ground beef, and have tacos, nachos, and mexican pizza (made on corn tortillas). Those frozen chicken strips and frozen veggies make a quick stir-fry (if you make a big batch, you'll have leftovers for lunch!), just make sure you have wheat-free tamari sauce or something similar that is gluten-free.

As far as my breakfast goes, I'll eat 2 hardboiled eggs (or sausage patties) and a can of green beans. For lunch, I'll have leftover grilled chicken (when we grill, we always make the whole package, even if there's only two of us, we both enjoy leftovers!) and fresh veggies with mayo as a dip (I'm dairy-free). Sometimes I'll make chicken salad, and instead of crackers, I use bell pepper chunks to scoop it like a dip. Dinner is an omelet, burgers, grilled chicken, taco salad, steak, etc. We like to grill!

I find that low-carbing is naturally suited to eating gluten-free. (I also have had great success losing weight with a LC way of eating.) Right now, I'm gluten-, dairy-, corn-, soy-, legume-, grain-, sugar-, nut-, and fruit-free. I'm eating veggies, proteins, fats. Even with those limitations, I still have PLENTY to eat each day, and I never go hungry! There are many days when my co-workers look longingly at my lunch because the cafeteria fare is like a heart-attack-on-a-tray.