Not Deprivation but Substitution

When I began to change how I thought about food, I also had to think about what I was eating. Food choice is crucial to success – what you’re eating, how it’s made, and how much of it you’re eating makes a difference in your success. I’m not saying to eliminate everything, but do everything in moderation. In my case, I had to substitute certain foods for others because of the gluten sensitivity issue. I didn’t think of my lifestyle change as a negative and that I would be depriving myself of my favorite foods. I decided that it would be beneficial to look at all of the food I was able to have and it actually turned out to be a lot. In fact, I had more food choices than I thought. I was the biggest pasta addict. Italian food was my thing! Potato chips were also huge on the food list! Again, I had to think not deprivation but substitution. Okay, sounds easier said than done, right? Wrong! Once I decided it was necessary to change, I started putting a food list together. Some of my foods choices were: collard greens, kale, cabbage, red potatoes, any type of tossed salad with a vinaigrette dressing, hard boiled eggs (without the yolk), chicken breast, chicken thighs (with fat removed—you can dress it up, though), turkey burgers, egg whites (because I don’t like yolk), turkey bacon, salmon, Mahi Mahi, brown rice, and yes pasta but it had to be organic wheat pasta. I have a larger food list, but this just gives you an idea.

So I found out that with my sensitivity to gluten, I could have organic wheat products like pasta and bread because of how those are made. Whole wheat is out of the question because of the processing it goes through and would ultimately make me not feel well. Sometimes I do organic wheat and sometimes I do completely gluten-free like with hot dog and hamburger rolls because I haven’t found organic wheat products in the rolls. But, truthfully, I like the gluten-free rolls so I probably won’t switch those.  I basically eat what I want to eat. I’ve just learned to substitute. And snacks are not out of the question. I eat popcorn and almonds. Also, I have gluten-free protein bars and any kind of fruit I want. I found out that when I started paying attention to what I eat, I realized that, in fact, I did eat a lot and that I was not lacking for anything–I wasn’t deprived.

Finally, let me leave you with the “icing on the cake” (not really icing, but I wanted to use that for dramatic effect!), which is you can eat chocolate! I eat dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate because dark chocolate has antioxidants and is better for the system. I didn’t think I would ever like dark chocolate, but I am glad to admit I was wrong about it! Remember, substitution not deprivation. You can do anything you set your mind to, trust me I know. Just ask God for the strength to get through, and he will give it to you.  I hope that you believe that with all of your heart and soul. If not, I will believe for you. God is amazing and showing me things everyday about myself as I’m sure he’s showing you in your life. I’m very happy to be able to share with you what God has placed before me. I welcome your comments. Don’t be shy!
God Bless You with Good Health and Wellness,
Antoinette

P.S. There is a reply box below this post that you can leave a comment in regarding today’s blog.