Wheat Belly: 12 Weeks In (+ T25)

It's been a while since I've updated on our healthy eating and exercise. The good news is that lack of blogging doesn't mean we've completely fallen off the wagon. We probably follow Wheat Belly guidelines about 85% of the time. There are many days we refrain from processed foods, refined sugars, and grains 100% of the time. There are also days where we are less strict and end up eating a graham cracker or cup of popcorn.

It seems misleading to contribute our progress through Wheat Belly alone, considering our exercise routine plays a large role in our weight loss. For the past eight weeks, Jesse and I have completed T25 workout videos every morning before the kids wake up. Though the videos are only 25 minutes, they are very fast-paced, high-intensity workouts. We completed the 5-week Alpha level and are in the middle of the 5-week Beta level.

I finally made progress pictures of our weight loss. I chose before pictures from January, which is when I was at my heaviest, even heavier than the day I delivered the trio. (I was also exclusively pumping for triplets at the time, so my boobs were huge!) I began my weight loss journey in January with the Super Foods challenge. Our diet did not radically change until mid-May, when we strictly implemented the Wheat Belly way of eating. Both Jesse and I began different exercise routines in May (P90X and 30 Day Shred) before beginning T25 together in late June. Here's our progress thus far:

We're not going to take any measurements until we finish the Beta round of T25, but here are a few numerical statistics:

Jesse stopped taking his Lipitor a few weeks ago. He had a cholesterol screening this week. His overall cholesterol increased, though his bad cholesterol decreased significantly and his good cholesterol also increased. He returns again in 3 months for a repeat screening.

	Standard Range	April 15, 2014	July 31, 2014
Triglycerides	0-149 mg/dL	241	75
HDL	>39 mg/dL	31	42
Cholesterol	100-199 mg/dL	212	225

We have both lost over 30 lbs each in the past three months, without counting a single calorie.

During the first month of Wheat Belly, I challenged myself to make a different dinner every night. I found this to be incredibly expensive and exhausting. Now that it has been a few months, we have some staple meals and go-to ingredients that we always keep handy. Instead of planning meals for the week and going grocery shopping, I go to the grocery store and buy what's on sale, then go from there. For a few weeks, I was only cooking dinner a few nights a week and we would have leftovers or smoothies for dinner. We both agreed that we are not as successful this way and I have resumed cooking dinner six nights a week. Here are some of our favorite meals:

Stuffed peppers (with cream cheese and chicken or ground beef and tomatoes)

Paleo cereal: nuts, berries, almond milk

Turkey and tomato lettuce wraps

Zucchini noodles (stir fry or pasta replacement)

Taco salad

Bunless burger with sweet potato fries

Tuna tomato melt with grilled asparagus

Salmon croquettes (WB Cookbook) with roasted broccoli

Pizza (cauliflower crust) with salad

Ricotta cheesecake (WB Cookbook)

Salmon, roasted broccoli, honey glazed carrots

Slaw, stewed cinnamon apples, grilled pork chops

Stir-fry (veggies, chicken, soy sauce)

Baked chicken, sweet potato, zucchini

A die-hard Wheat Belly follower would critique those meals (corn chips, soy sauce, mayonnaise, etc). In our first month, we refused to consume anything with modified food starch. We would have continued that if we could afford alternatives, but it was ridiculous making 18 ingredient barbecue sauce and paying more than double for nitrate free ham. I am well aware that we don't follow everything to a tee, but the way we are eating is very manageable and realistic for us to maintain.

Weight Loss Progress!

The photo on the left was taken on Christmas Day. I was 5.5 months post partum. I distinctly recall being horrified at this photo. Just a few weeks later I began eating "super foods", but my milk supply suffered. It has now been 7 weeks since following Wheat Belly way of eating and exercising daily. I have lost 27 pounds and am feeling significantly better. I made Jesse take the picture on the left yesterday at 11.5 months post partum. I am so motivated seeing the difference within six months. 

Wheat Belly: One Month Later

It's been just over a month now since beginning this way of eating so I thought I'd share our "official results".

We took all measurements again. I'm only updating the areas that changed.

Jesse's Measurements
Weight: -18 lbs
Chest: -3"
Waist: -4"
Hips: -2"

Bonnie's Measurements
Weight: -23 lbs
Chest: -3"
Waist: -5"
Hips: -3"

Jesse's Labs (April 15 vs. June 16)
Blood Pressure went from 132/86 to 110/80.
Hemoglobin A1C went from 5.7 (prediabetic) to 5.4 (normal).
Thyroid decreased. Doctor lowered medication.
Cholesterol was not repeated.

We managed to try 30 new Paleo or Wheat Belly recipes over the past month. Most of those meals have appeared in our weekly posts.

Here are some more recipes from the past week:

Gazpacho

Spinach and Chicken Torte (loosely based off of this recipe)

BBQ pork chops, green beans, oven roasted potatoes

Pizza (WB crust and uncured pepperoni) with salad

Rotisserie chicken with roasted broccoli

The plan is to continue following Wheat Belly lifestyle but with fewer restrictions. We reintroduced white potatoes to our diet last week. We may occasionally have brown rice, corn, or oats. And I'm willing to indulge in an infrequent non-WB dessert. I would guess 90% of our diet will continue to be homemade foods with single ingredients and very little processed foods.

Wheat Belly: 4 Weeks In

Quick notes from the week:

Exercise:
Jesse: P90X 5 days
Bonnie: 30 Day Shred video 5 days

Favorite Meal:
Jesse: omelet
Bonnie: bunless burger w/ chili and slaw

Temptations:
Jesse: When Bonnie shoved a dozen cupcakes in my face and made me smell them.
Bonnie: Baking/decorating and not eating all of the icing

Benefits:
Jesse: lost another 6 lbs, blood pressure was lower at dentist appointment
Bonnie: lost another 2 lbs, can wear several dresses I haven't worn in a year

Cheats:
Jesse: none
Bonnie: ate an inordinate amount of chocolate buttercream

Total Weight Loss:
Jesse: down 20 lbs
Bonnie: down 20 lbs

Meals from the Week:

Baked tuna melt in tomato with asparagus

Omelet (peppers, onions, spinach) with uncured bacon

Typical lunch for Jesse: carrots, berries, egg salad on lettuce, cheese

Paleo cube steak, green beans, mashed cauliflower

Chick-fil-a grilled chicken sandwich sans bun (I had a free card.)

Kielbasa, peppers, onions

Salmon croquettes (from WB Cookbook) with roasted broccoli

Hamburger with chili and slaw

Wheat Belly: Three Weeks In

Quick notes from the week:

Exercise:
Jesse: bicycle twice, jogged once, weightlifted twice (will begin P90X tomorow!)
Bonnie: Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workout video 5x, neighborhood walk w/ stroller twice, yoga twice

Favorite Meal:
Jesse: taco salad
Bonnie: meatloaf, cauliflower mash, "creamed" spinach

Food Fails:
Jesse: coconut pancakes and sweet potato cakes were both disasters
Bonnie: spaghetti squash looked exactly like spaghetti but was a huge disappointment

Greatest Food Challenge This Week:
Jesse: not eating cake and ice cream at birthday party
Bonnie: staying hydrated. I am so sick of water!

Benefits:
Jesse: pants are loose
Bonnie: very few temptations, lost 4 lbs

Cheats:
While not deliberate, we both consumed grains by eating a communion wafer, chili that had modified cornstarch, and meatballs that were likely cooked in non-WB friendly BBQ sauce.

Total Weight Loss:
Jesse: down 14 lbs
Bonnie: down 18 lbs

Meals from the Week:

Paleo Chicken Tetrazzini (zucchini noodles)

Taco salad (romaine, avocado, beef, cheese, salsa)

banana/egg/walnut pancakes

Stuffed peppers (beef, salsa, tomato sauce, cheese)

Meatloaf (almond meal in place of bread crumbs), mashed cauliflower, spinach

Spaghetti squash with Cajun spiced chicken breast

Paleo chocolate chip cookies

strawberries, uncured bacon, scrambled eggs, cheesecake (coconut flour,eggs, ricotta)

Wheat Belly: Two Weeks In

We have three more weeks until Jesse returns to the doctor for bloodwork. We'll reassess if this way of eating is permanent or not when we get his results back.

Jesse thought this week was easier. I thought this week was significantly harder. I've struggled a lot with emotional, boredom, habitual eating.

Quick notes from the week:

Exercise:
Jesse: bicycle twice, jogged once, weightlifted twice
Bonnie: Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workout video 4x, neighborhood walk w/ stroller twice

Favorite Meal:
Jesse: hamburgers (sans bun) with sweet potato fries
Bonnie: maple-pecan chicken with salad

Favorite Food Modification:
Jesse: adding coconut oil to coffee (Bulletproof Coffee)
Bonnie: experimenting with Paleo desserts

Greatest Food Challenge This Week:
Jesse: a coworker brought cake and frappuccino specifically for Jesse
Bonnie: struggling to eat when hungry vs bored, stressed, or in social settings

Benefits:
Jesse: more energy this week, no cravings, lost 4 lbs
Bonnie: no longer craving sweets (unless it is directly in front of me), lost 4 lbs

Cheats:
Jesse: marshmallows roasted over fire pit
Bonnie: licked one dollop of cream cheese icing

Social Eating Survival Skills:
Church breakfast potluck-brought fruit salad, ate fruit and potato/egg/cheese casserole
Book Club: brought cantaloupe, easily avoided cookies, chips, beer, dips
Play Date: made and ate taco dip (beans, salsa, sour cream, cheese, chicken) without chips, avoided quesadilla and chocolate pie

Total Weight Loss:
Jesse: down 14 lbs
Bonnie: down 14 lbs

Meals from the Week:

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Spaghetti (zucchini noodles with organic tomato sauce)

Bunless burger with sweet potato fries

Frozen banana, honey, almond butter smoothie

Chocolate Almond Butter Fudge

Not Pictured:

• Taco Salad (lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream, shredded chicken, peppers)
• Maple-pecan chicken with side salad 
• Salmon, brussel sprouts, honey-glazed carrots
• Egg salad in lettuce wraps
• Omelet (eggs, peppers, cheese)

What Belly: One Week In

I know I'm devoting a lot of blog posts to Wheat Belly, but it's a pretty drastic change in our way of eating. It's also the first time Jesse and I have committed to doing something about our health together (besides the brief juice fast). It's been a full week since we introduced a grain-free/sugar-free diet.

I completed Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workout video six days this week. Jesse maintained his usual exercise routine (bicycling MWF, weightlifting T/Th).

I wanted anecdotal and numerical data to compare before and after 30 days of clean eating and exercising. Last Sunday we weighed ourselves and measured our arm, leg, neck, chest, waist, and hip. We took hideous body shots (front, side, and back). We also completed Dr. Oz's Toxicity Quiz. We will repeat everything after 30 days.

Quick notes from the week:

Withdrawal symptoms
Jesse: increased irritability, frequent hunger, constant cravings for cakes
Bonnie: sore and achy (likely more from exercise than diet), increased irritability after 4 pm, hunger until I started increasing fat intake, nauseating headaches

Favorite Meal:
Jesse: lemon-pepper chicken, honey glazed carrots, and sauteed zucchini and onions
Bonnie: salmon, roasted broccoli, and sweet potato fries

Favorite Snack:
Jesse: celery and almond butter
Bonnie: banana walnut pancakes (combine 1 egg, 1 banana, handful of walnuts)

Most Challenging Temptation This Week:
Jesse: not eating cakes (There were several cakes in teacher's lounge and at home.)
Bonnie: not binging on candy melts while decorating the graduation cake

Benefits:
Jesse: stopped taking medication for acid reflux, lost 10 lbs
Bonnie: no longer craving sweets (unless it is directly in front of me), lost 10 lbs

Weight Loss:
Jesse: down 10 lbs
Bonnie: down 10 lbs

Wheat Belly Meals

It's been a week since we began our grain free/sugar free diet. Jesse and I are fully committed to eating this way for 30 days. If Jesse's blood work shows improvements with cholesterol and blood sugar, our goal would be to continue this diet indefinitely. We're just taking it one day at a time right now.

Many people think Wheat Belly is simply eating gluten-free, but that is not the recommendation. Most packaged gluten-free items are full of potato starch, rice starch, and many unpronounceable ingredients. The whole idea of Wheat Belly is to eat foods that are lower on the glycemic index so you can avoid the constant spike and crash in blood sugar. The diet is similar to Paleo, with the addition of dairy.  The goal is to eliminate processed foods and use as much fresh foods as possible. I love to cook and experiment with recipes, so that's not too challenging. Our greatest obstacle is to create a variety of meals within a strict budget.

To clarify-

• When I say "we" I am only referring to Jesse and I. The kids are still eating mac-n-cheese, graham crackers, PB&J, quesadillas, etc. They also eat plenty of produce and meat. I don't know when we will fully eliminate sugar and grains for the kids. Of course, I think "If it's not good for me, why would it be acceptable for my children?" If we decide this is the best way to eat forever, I will stop purchasing processed foods for them. For now, I will continue to buy processed foods because of the convenience and low cost. 
• We are eating anything that contains natural sugars, including fruit, honey, Stevia, etc. We are not eating or drinking anything that contains artificial sweeteners. 
• We are purchasing regular meat and butter since we cannot afford grass-fed, free range, hormone free, etc. 
• We are avoiding all wheat and corn syrup, including modified food starch. That eliminates most dressings, sauces, creamy soups, and other surprising items.
• For the first few weeks at least, we will be abstaining from rice, quinoa, oats, etc. I imagine we'll reintroduce those carbohydrates occasionally, but I'd like to get a solid foundation on our new way of eating first.

Here are some of the meals we've eaten this week:

scrambled eggs with green peppers and cheese, strawberries

Paleo cereal: strawberries and pecans in almond milk

Turkey and tomato wraps using romaine lettuce rather than bread

Banana nut pancakes (made with only egg, banana, and walnuts)

Lemon-pepper roasted chicken with veggies

pan-seared salmon, roasted broccoli, baked sweet potato fries

Fajita melt (onions, peppers, beef on a WB tortilla covered in cheese), avocado, salsa

I'm in love with this new gadget!

chicken, honey glazed carrots, sauteed onions and zucchini

Eating those meals is easy. They are satisfying and tasty. The challenge is avoiding grazing on chips, crackers, cookies, etc.

I am so, so proud to share that I have baked a good bit this week but not indulged in a single lick of batter or icing. Here's what I baked and did NOT eat:

two dozen dark chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing

Marble cake with vanilla buttercream icing and candy melts