Observations and obstacles

This evening, as I expected, I sorta forgot about dinner... so there was no meat defrosted.  (Gosh this blog is revealing my flaws at a tremendous rate!)  There was little time, so I peaked into the pantry and found Old Faithful...

    8 minutes and serve.

I even had C  take over so I could do some things.  This is why removing wheat will be challenging:

1. Old habits create minor emergencies, which cannot be fixed in 8 minutes.

2. It's easy to leave one of the older two kids to take care of making it and serving it.  

3. Little mess, less clean up.

However, this evening I had one very hungry V on my hands.  It was only an hour or so after she ate and she was HUNGRY.  She's the biggest whiner in the house, so it was, "Mom, I'm really starving!"  and "Mom, can I go to the snack stand?" and "Mom, I am so hungry!" all during Blue and White Night...

GO SCOUTS!                      

I finally broke down and took her to the concession stand.  Two dollars later, she was happily eating a soft pretzel (and I had my coffee, hence the other dollar).  What choices were available?  (and please understand, I get how concession stands work.  This is not meant to be insulting to our schools concessions).

Doritos, Potato Chips, CANDY, CANDY, CANDY and soft pretzels.  Well, there was also ice cream sandwiches, water ice and fruit popsicles, but it was too cold for those.  I can't help but think a month ago I would have considered the soft pretzel the BEST option.  And, was it?  I really am not sure.

After the athletes were released, I had a starving J on my hands!  Oh, I lied... V is NOT the biggest whiner in the world.  J is!  Hands down.  She also gets the prize because she gives the best body language and mopes and fusses and contorts her face that that she appears utterly pathetic.  Got her a pretzel and FAST.  Why not get one for N and one for C?  Only fair right?  That gives them snack for the night, so all I have to do is get home, they can chill, and get ready for bed.

WRONG.  By 8:30 I had FOUR HUNGRY CHILDREN.  Good Lord!!!!    Could this be dehydration showing itself as hunger?  No, most likely it wasn't.  I asked N... why do you think you are still hungry.  As if she's bee listening all week, she says, "Well, we ate wheat products which are known to make you feel hungry.  And it's not filling, even though we think it should be." Could it be???  Has she been listening to me?

C grabbed an apple, N grabbed some peanut butter... on a schtick!  (Jeff Dunham humor) and some fresh apples and grapes.  J took a handful of raisins and V had.. I dunno, she didn't complain so maybe she just had a glass of milk.

  

wow.  good choices.  

Could they be getting it??

I didn't eat the pasta, if you were wondering.  I grabbed a cheese stick and a yogurt and ate while I drove to drop them all off. Certainly not what I would have preferred, which was a salad that I could put together and eat at cheerleading practice.  But, time... the time just flies...

When I got home, I had a bowl of grapes, apples and strawberries with a serving of vanilla greek yogurt on top and a sprinkle of all natural granola.  Delish!  Totally satisfying.

So, the obstacles?  Concession stand choices and busy schedules.  But, let's face it.  The real problem was me and my not choosing to

a. plan ahead of time,

b. prepare a descent meal, 

c. not offer pasta, 

d. pack appropriate snacks 

It's not rocket science, but in this busy life I lead, it happens.  I'm not going to beat myself up over this, but I will learn from it.

And, just to end the day on a positive note, with the myotape, I have seen a reduction of a few inches along the waistline.  Could it be that removing the wheat has caused me to eat less and weigh less?  Eh... maybe.  Too early to tell, but my fingers are crossed!

Beef... it's what's for dinner

"Lean ground beef can be used in so many ways in the kitchen..."  REALLY?  How?

If I don't plan dinner once the kids leave for school, I often find myself frantic about dinner come 2:30.  Few things in the freezer defrost as well as ground beef.  It seems to be my "go to" meat in a pinch.  

What would I have done with ground beef last month?  

Meatballs, baby!!  Simmered in sauce all day, served with pasta, a veggie and garlic bread.  

Shoot.  Wheat.  

Definitely tacos?  Yeah.. that flour soft shell that we love SO much... consists of flour, made from... you guessed it.   Wheat.  BUT...  wait until you hear this.  Quite frankly I can't believe I pulled it off. 

There wasn't much time and I wasn't feeling all that creative.  Often I am not creative in the kitchen. Ask my husband, I am just not a fabulous cook.  Moving on...

I took my Perfect Brownie pan out.       Perfect Brownie Pan

Took the ground beef, defrosted it so that I could mix it.  Added 1/2 cup on uncooked quinoa. 

STOP THERE.  What's QUINOA?  I have heard Jillian Michaels talk about it, but the connotation of that word is the same for me as tofu.  Ewwww...    

Earthly Choice Organic Quinao  --- picked it up at Redner's.   Go to the bottom of the page and look at the nutrition facts.  Not bad!

Good source of protein, contains all 8 amino acids, dietary fiber and B Vits and iron.   

So, listen to this... I mixed that into the beef, with a shake of onion powder, pepper and salt.  I called it something... like Beef Brownies with Fun Sprinkles and they ATE IT. 

ALL four of my darlings ate it.  Not that easily of course.  I sold the meal as a unique spin on tacos.  I served these little squares (because they were cooked in the Perfect Brownie Pan, they were cut already, and the grease drained so they were not mushy.  They were easy to cut with a fork, so it was self serve.  

I offered torilla chips (I know... also processed, but it's corn)  Not going all the way to remove everything processed yet.  I offered cheese and plain greek yogurt, which is similar to sour cream.  Can I celebrate again?  

I also served cherry tomatoes picked from the garden, cucumbers, raw spinach and lettuce, and grapes.  They ate and ate well.  They were full, it was low fat, high in calcium and protein and lots of veggies were offered and eaten.

So, with the dishes done, and the children being cared for by a neighbor, I left for Meet the Teacher night at Middle School.  

That's a "whole nother" blog though....  lol 

Pantry Makeover in Progress

Everything in print says when you make huge dietary changes that you must rid your kitchen of the bad things.  They say, "throw it away" ... I can't.  It costs money and it's wasteful to just pitch food.  Yes, I suppose I could donate to a food pantry, but I am just not there yet.  Besides, I want to transition my kids slowly, so they don't feel that it's so dramatic a change.  Remaining in our pantry are the following items:  Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Mini Wheats, granola bars, animal crackers, Lance cracker packs for school lunches. In the freezer:  Waffles, bread and pot pies.

Not much really.  There's no cake mixes, brownies, other cookies.  I am not eating a lick of it.  :)

So what are we eating?

Dinner last night: 4 bone-in chicken breasts (baked with skin on, lightly salted and peppered.  Steamed fresh broccoli, fresh carrot sticks and milk.   BAM!  Now that's healthy!  And filling.  No complaints, easy prep and broccoli was on sale at Redners - as was the chicken!  SCORE!

Snacks are another thing... however, I did find some options that are wheat free.  Not exactly the same types of things, but snacks.  Chocolate rice cakes - YUM!, popcorn chips with sea salt, torilla chips made with corn.  Yes, processed, but we are working on this a little a time.  The kids are enjoying the new options so far.  I am not pushing it upon them, but simply offering them as options.

Lunches?  I was able to pack N a 100% wheat free lunch today.  Honestly, that's not hard for her, she doesn't like sandwiches.  So she had a cheese stick, a go-gurt, a bowl of watermelon, strawberries and grapes, carrot sticks, popcorn chips and a fruit juice. Fruits, veggies, dairy, proteins.  It's good stuff.

The blondes wanted PB&J and I allowed it.  But they also received carrot sticks, go-gurt, cheese sticks and juice.  C bought, so who knows!

What I am observing...

An interest in knowledge.  They love talking about it.  They love finding out what does and doesn't have wheat.  They are amazed when I tell them that some of the foods that we can purchase in the grocery store are essential TOXIC to our bodies.  It's so easy for kids, "Then why would anyone eat that?"   It's simple, really.  Right?

If it is REAL, eat it.  Real means...

Whole foods... fruits, veggies, nuts, eggs, meat.  Real, un-messed with foods.  But what about cheese and yogurt?  They are messed with, but not processed? Is that how to classify those?

Here's what I am seeing, refined = bad.  The more refined the worse it is.  Bad for what exactly?  Our veins and arteries. Those refined grains cause inflammation in our arteries and veins.  Our body responds to this inflammation by attempting to "put the fire out by laying down plaque.  Layers and layers of plaque in our veins and arteries does what?  Anyone?  Anyone?

BUELLER?   lol

It causes blockages....

Okay, so I am only 38?  Why should I worry about this now? Because I need to be pro-active regarding my health.  For my husband (sorry hon), and for our four awesome kids who deserve to have their parents around for years to come.

I do not want to take meds for this...   Have you even seen the side effects of this?

http://www.rxlist.com/lipitor-drug.htm   

Gosh, I do go on and on... must be my adult ADHD kicking in.  I wonder if that will improve after I remove wheat?  It helps children that's for sure!

Parents of austistic kids and kids with ADD report that when removing wheat from the children's foods, the children show more concentration, and all over better attitudes and behavior.

There's more...

Wheat intolerance is marked by stomach bloating, gas, fatigue and feeling unwell. Most importantly to those who may suffer from ADHD, wheat intolerance can cause cognitive problems, such as difficulty with memory and behavioral problems, according to wheat-free.org. Physician Dr. Leo Galland says that wheat is one of the most common foods, along with soy, eggs and dairy foods, to which children with ADHD are allergic. This sensitivity to wheat can lead to hyperactivity and learning and behavior problems.   SOURCE LISTED

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/380008-wheat-free-diet-for-adhd/#ixzz24ws6iw17

Just something to consider if you have kids... with adhd or not.

Okay, gotta fly!  Heading to TOM KATS in Sinky or lunch with my neighbors!  I already know what I am getting and I know he's not going to let me go sans panko bread crumbs on my salad.  NO CHANGES NO SUBSTITUTIONS is written all over the place!  lol

Have a sunny day!!

Initial Reaction from the kids

So, what did the kids say?  How did you explain it to them?

The older two came home first, and over snack I just kinda said, "Oh, by the way, we'll be trying something new at home."  They thought it was some weird diet thing and they were right, sorta.

I told them that based on J's eating issues and blood sugar issues (or so we thought), we'll be making adjustments to how we eat in order to help resolve some of these things she deals with, and that there was benefits for them as well.

C's initial reaction was to make fun... of everything.  For afterschool snack, I served them popcorn, "Mom, is there wheat in this?"  ha ha, and at dinner, as I serve him a baked potato, "Mom, is there wheat in this?"   ha ha Funny Boy.  But seriously, there is definitely an educational opportunity here.

Some kids I guess just do what you want them to.  For my kids, they need information.  The why.

I said to them, "the wheat we eat today isn't what it used to be.  It's a GMO, a genetically modified food."  WHAT?

Yep, they used millions of dollars in the 60's to create a super strain of wheat.  One that is hardy, grows quickly, produces a high yield, is disease resistance, drought tolerant.  Oh, and they... uh... didn't... test it for human consumption.  SERIOUSLY.  They DID NOT TEST IT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.  Did you know that...

This new modern wheat may look like wheat, but it is different in three important ways that all drive obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and more.

1. It contains a Super Starch -- amylopectin A that is super fattening.
2. It contains a form of Super Gluten that is super-inflammatory.
3. It contains forms of a Super Drug that is super-addictive and makes you crave and eat more.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/wheat-gluten_b_1274872.html  

So then, I gave them some facts I learned and how it might apply to them.  I started simple.  C, for you, it's going to help your IBS issues.  You won't get such stomach cramps and that overwhelming need to hit the john so quickly after you eat something.  He laughed at me.

N, for you, it will mean less gas.  Her comment? "But I like my gas.  It makes me laugh.  I have so much gas I could power a car!"   When I told her that I could give her beans and that would do the same thing, she laughed.

We all have ways of dealing with things, I guess.  But that was initial reaction. More questions arose.  "What about pizza?  How will we make sandwiches?"  I told them that removing pizza for a month won't kill them.  I actually told them that we could have pizza once in a while, but most likely they might feel sick afterwards.  That got their attention.

Sick?

What do you mean by sick?

More facts for my WHY kids.

Wheat causes inflammation in your body.

From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/wheat-gluten_b_1274872.html 


Most of the increased risk occurs when gluten triggers inflammation that spreads like a fire throughout your whole body. It damages the gut lining. Then all the bugs and partially-digested food particles inside your intestine get across the gut barrier and are exposed your immune system, 60 percent of which lies right under the surface of the one cell thick layer of cells lining your gut or small intestine. If you spread out the lining of your gut, it would equal the surface area of a tennis court. Your immune system starts attacking these foreign proteins, leading to systemic inflammation that then causes heart disease, dementia, cancer, diabetes and more.

Dr. Alessio Fasano, a celiac expert from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, discovered a protein made in the intestine called "zonulin" that is increased by exposure to gluten.[5] Zonulin breaks up the tight junctions or cement between the intestinal cells that normally protect your immune system from bugs and foreign proteins in food leaking across the intestinal barrier. If you have a "leaky gut," you will get inflammation throughout your whole body and a whole list of symptoms and diseases.

Did you hear that????    



There's more.

From: http://nourishedkitchen.com/against-the-grain-10-reasons-to-give-up-grains/



Due to a high starch content, grains are inflammatory foods.   The more refined the grain, the more inflammatory it is.   For example, unbleached white flour is more inflammatory than whole grain flour; however, whole grains are still moderately inflammatory foods and certainly more inflammatory than other foods like fresh vegetables and wholesome fats.   Chronic inflammation is linked to a myriad of degenerative, modern diseases including arthritis, allergies, asthma, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, emotional imbalance and even cancer.   Unbleached white flour earns an inflammation factor of -421 or strongly inflammatory on NutritionData.com while whole wheat flour earns an inflammation factor of -247 or moderately inflammatory.   Similarly, whole cooked millet earns an inflammation factor of -150 and cooked brown rice earns an inflammation factor of -143 – also moderately inflammatory.



Yep, I did tell my older two kids this.  They asked.  They wanted to know.

Why in 2012 do we not know this information?

We have seen a rise in obesity, a rise in cancers, a rise in heart disease, a rise in bone loss.  Billions is spent on Pharma to find an answer BUT we can control a lot of this by removing wheat and most if not all grains.

If you knew that you could cut your risk of cancer, wouldn't you do that?????????   I would.  I will.

The Word on the Street or soccer field, I suppose...

Day one was really interesting.  It's not like me to keep my thoughts to myself, as you know.  So I took my new found knowledge to the streets... well, not exactly.  It was more like the soccer fields.  During the downtime at Rage SC training, I brought up some of the wheat talk with the sidelines.  By far, the most overwhelming initial response was the same...

"I am not giving up beer."

I feel the same way... kinda.  The love for beer is among many of us, my husband included.  So, how do you conquer the wheat belly and still drink beer?  I'm not sure of the answer for everyone, but I will tell you this:  I know that drinking beer makes me feel a few things.  1. Happy, because it's alcohol.  We cannot deny that the alcohol in an ice cold beer makes us calmer, less stressed.  2. Pleasant, because I like the taste.  I have been enjoying the different summer ales all with enjoyment.  3. Bloated, because it's what happens.  I cannot  deny that after that delightful ice cold beverage I feel like a slob.   I want to get out of what I am wearing and put on sweats - with a forgiving elastic waistband.  4. Depressed, because I feel like a slob.  There's really nothing less appealing to anyone than someone who is in oversized clothing.  5. Embarrassed, because I am wearing oversized clothing.  I should not be dipping into my husbands shorts because they fit better.  I can't continue this pathetic course.  Now, I really am not dipping into my husbands comfy shorts... but I could be.

My point?  The initial enjoyment ends quickly.  The feelings of failure last much longer.  Failure because I drank a beer? Eh... kinda.  For me, at least.

So, I drank vodka and tonic last night, just because and you know what?  I woke up with a headache between my eyes.  Screw this.  I can't wake up at 6:30 to four children and a playful pooch with a headache.

Each of those 5 personalities has specific requirements in the morning.  I put Boomer in with the kids in this example because he is very needy in the a.m.   He barks when he wants something.  The barking gets louder, it annoys us all.  He wants to go out, to pee and to play NOW.  God forbid he hear Meggy or Nitro out... he's even more intolerant of the 2 minute wait.   This compounds the inevitable stress we feel on any given morning.

Five strong personalities and me.  It's early and I am not a morning person... so winding up with a headache was the last thing I needed this morning.  Idiot.  So, day two starts with the feeling of giving up the booze is not just a good idea, it's a requirement.  I cannot keep up my cool status as super mom if I awake to bulging eyes and pounding in my brain.  This, my friends, is how the resolve begins.

Oh... and to just add a few more comments about last nights soccer field "no wheat" discussion?  There was one person who I bet agrees with me and can see the reasoning.. that's Z.M.

The most realistic comment was "no pasta?"  But that's a good one.  How do you feed your family on a quick schedule in a filling manner without breaking the bank?  Pasta has been a staple for YEARS.  It's quick, it's carbs, it's good for the little athletes, right?  So, how does one replace that?

That's what I need to figure out...

Everyone else I think just enjoyed the banter and I'm okay with that too. :)

This mornings goal... to figure out what to feed my kids when the wheat bearing foods are gone from the pantry.  No small feat, I'm sure.

OMG - WHEAT makes you FAT??

For anyone who has dieted, worried about their weight, etc. we all know that we start on MONDAY.  I have been telling myself that I will get back on the wagon... on Monday, when the kids start back to school.

So.... it's... uh... that day.

I start off with my small breakfast of low fat cottage cheese with pineapples and cherries.  It's so good it should be served on a cone!  I have made a Today's Goal list that included a walk with my awesome pup, Boomer.  It's funny, as the bus drove away he looked at me expectantly.  He knew.  He remembered our routine.  Odd.. .he doesn't come when I call him.  But he knows that we walk when the bus leaves.  Anyway...

I grabbed my iPhone, pulled up this (thanks Linda) podcast:  http://undergroundwellness.com/how-wheat-makes-you-fat/, leashed my dog, started my Nike+ and off I went up Hill Road.

My goal was 45 minutes, but I kept making the decision to go out a tad further.  The whole while I was fascinated with the program I was listening to.  Sean Croxton was talking to Dr. Davis about his book Wheat Belly and I was enthralled!  I cannot believe the amazing health benefits to removing wheat from your diet.  By DIET I mean "what you eat".  Not, "another diet.. another day without foods I like".

As I am walking, I am thinking beyond weight - I am thinking HEALTH - heart health specifically.  The links to heart disease and wheat consumption are astounding.  I want to share this information with my husband.  He's looks so healthy on the outside, but I truly worry about his heart health.  Having a father that died early of a heart attack, I worry.  I want to live out my years with Brian as long as I can (Sorry Honey, lol).

So, I keep going back to ME.  My status...    Before Brian was deployed,  I was weighing in under 130lbs.  Not bad for an almost 40 mother of four.  A few weeks before he left, we celebrated.  A LOT.  Beer, beer, beer.  I put on a few pounds, but I swore it was stress related.  After all, it was by far, the most stressful month of my life!  And I mean that - it doesn't come close to the stress of bringing home the fourth child and wondering how the hell you are going to balance it all.  The pre-deployment stress took an enormous toll on me.  My mental state was out of whack, my ability to be rational was all but gone, and my joy of living was abundantly diminished.

After he left, I was blessed with dinner deliveries from local friends.  Nothing tastes better than food you didn't make yourself, right?  I guess the only people that say that are people like me who always try to cook a decent meal and yet never feel satisfied with the results.  Anyway...

Then, it was hanging out with Linda and Sam, Betty and Ray... which includes snacking and uh... Beer.

I started to try new beers and I was enjoying this.  I chalked it up to "educating myself in beer" like people know fine wines, ya know?  ... blah blah blah.  See how I lie to myself?  It's constant.

My point is this: Beer consumption on the rise?  Pants size also on the rise.  Direct correlation. Here's the truth of it all.  I was doing really well eating great choices most of the day.  I know that the carbs are bad.  I eat mostly what I ate on Dukan... salads, cottage cheese, yogurt, meat.  However, it's been a little more convenience foods too.  Because it's easy.  Because I am outnumbered.  Because it's the only way I thought I could get through August with four hyped up kids.  Because I thought that eating together (going out really) was good family time.  Again... lying to myself.  

Pizza, love it... you gotta go my delightful friend.  You are bad for me, bad for my heart.  I'll always remember the good times.  Pasta?  You easy and "what I thought" filling meal for my kids... bye bye.  Cereal?  Not if it's got wheat in it.  Oh... the kids are gonna be pissed.

I owe it to them, however, to make them aware of the risks of wheat.  The addictive properties... the quick digestion, which leads to hungry, the lab tests that show that the "wheat of today" actually has an appetite booster in it (by no fault of it's own, mind you).  The wheat we ingest today is not the wheat of our fore-fathers.  It's a GMO wheat that is to produce abundantly.  It's has been modified and sold without any testing done to determine the health risk on HUMAN BEINGS.

So, my little human beings are going to help me with this.  I am going to tell them it is an experiment, because it is.  Here's what I am looking for:  Not hungry so much, less dependence on snacks, better potty issues... like less stomach upset for Number 1, less gas for Number 2 (it's a real issue - lol), better sleeping for Number 3.  But this goes a step further.  Our actual real life guinea pig is #3, who was just recently tested for blood sugar issues.  She has a serious problem and we need to fix it.  We started to identify foods that would make her manic.  Before she eats she is whiny, so we thought it might be a blood sugar issue.  After she eats certain foods, she is hyped up and crazy.   It's beyond difficult for everyone in our house.  It needs to be addressed.

These changes will benefit all of us, long term.  So, where do I start?  In the Pantry right?  I keep thinking that I should just throw it all away NOW.  But, I can't.  I just purchased snacks and I need to have them eaten.  I cannot be wasteful in my endeavor.  They will get a warning week, a period of getting used to the idea.

Dinner - easy.  Snacks - easy.

Breakfast?  Lunch?  Gonna be tough.  No doubt.  I need to find good options for my two pickiest eaters.  I need to make time to prepare food that works under the No Wheat rule.  I know, I know... eggs, sausage.  But they LOVE cereal!  Waffles!  Pancakes!   Removing that and keeping them happy will be tough at first.  But I am committed to this, and I expect us to see favorable results.  The most important cannot be determined.  We all matter.  Our health must be optimum and we need to do this... now.

So, does wheat make you fat?  I have a feeling I will prove that it does.  STAY tuned!!!!