Surviving the Elimination Diet

Recently, while I was in Scotland, I went on the Elimination Diet. Because I am always traveling, I never get a chance to try out such drastic eating practices. I knew that for 7 weeks I could cook my own food and control everything that I was consuming. This helped tremendously with accomplishing the results I wanted from this Diet. 

Foods I COULD’NT eat during the first 2 phases (2 weeks):

• Dairy
• Gluten
• Soy
• Corn
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Beef
• Pork
• Chocolate
• Citrus
• Eggs
• Nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant..)
• Tree nuts/Peanuts
• Sesame
• Sugar
• Yeast.

I know what you’re thinking. What the heck did she eat?! There were lots of things we could eat, we just had to get very creative with our meals because they would get repetitive very quickly. Firstly we cleaned out our entire pantry and fridge then went on a huge grocery haul. I was very excited to get started because I never get to do this sort of thing, let alone cook for myself. I got my fiancé Dean onboard as well. 

Before coming home, I got my inspiration for this brave act from the book The Elimination Diet by Alissa Segerstein and Tom Malterre. Most people when they decide to do this, it’s because they have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease or have extreme allergies. For some, it is about deciphering that pain and bloating you get after eating a meal and are tired of labeling this sort of thing as “normal” for your body. For me, it was about curiosity. I wanted to know more about my body and how it functions in relation to certain foods. Yes, I would get the odd bloating and cramping and diarrhea, but usually I knew that it was from some sketchy meal I had. I envied people who could say, “Oh, my body doesn’t do well with dairy,” or “Tomatoes give me acid reflux,” or “Pork gives me gas.” I know this is such a stupid thing to be jealous of, but I would go through my life announcing at restaurants with pride that I had no allergies and I could and will eat anything. 

Phase #1 was for 2 longgggg days. We could only consume fruits and vegetables in liquid form: soups, juices, smoothies, and water/tea. There are recipes that we followed in the back of “The Elimination Diet” book like ‘Carrot-Cucumber-Ginger Juice’, ‘Very Berry Chia Smoothie’, and ‘Creamy Green Detox Soup.’ I did ok with this phase, I can’t say the same for Dean 😜. The worst part was the withdrawal headaches I had from lack of coffee. I love coffee, but I didn’t think I needed it. I only have 1 cup a day, but you would think with the pounding going on behind my eyes I take it through a drip! We tried not to do anything strenuous and just sleep and relax our bodies as much as possible. Surprisingly, I thought I would be starving, but I ate a lot less then I predicted. I’m sure it was the mountains of water I was drinking, a process I like to call crowding out. I began journaling my progress, how I was feeling, what I was eating/drinking, and any signs of digestive activity (#myBMschedule). 

“The hardest part about this phase was the fact that we both had to attend a Bachelor and Bachelorette party the same night.”

Phase #2 was much easier for us. We could add in things like organic chicken, salmon, turkey, lamb, sweet potatoes, brown rice and quinoa, beans, pumpkin/sunflower seeds, Olive oil/coconut oil, and sweeteners like maple syrup, dates, and honey. Honestly, this is what I eat anyway. The things I did miss were things like lemon juice, oats, tomatoes, nuts like walnuts and almonds, and mostly eggs. The first few days were great. I think we were just excited to eat real food again after only 2 days. Both me and my fiancé are big foodies, but we tend to eat mostly healthy, clean food. The hardest part about this phase was the fact that we both had to attend a Bachelor and Bachelorette party the same night. Dean did very well for his circumstances, consuming only gluten as his cheat in the form of beer. Having to be on a strict diet like this with a bunch of dudes at a bar is extremely difficult. Go Dean! For me, mine was in a house with a bunch of ladies and I brought literally everything I could eat. There was muffins, cakes, scones, tapas of all sorts, beautiful wines, and I didn’t touch ANY of it. I had my soup, fruit, homemade energy balls, fruit tea, homemade banana muffins, and a ton of water. That night was a test for me, but surprisingly it wasn’t a test of my will power, it was a test of my peer pressure. I was always someone who was a people pleaser and I never wanted to disappoint anyone (part of my perfectionism tendencies) and saying no to the host and having to explain my situation to everyone was difficult; however, I owned my “WHY” for being on the Elimination Diet and I was confident about it. Women at the party were inquisitive and supportive, but dismissed their own ability to do something similar. This was disheartening to hear from them and for that reason I love being a health coach. Most people know what to do to be healthy, it’s owning that “Why-power” and having the right support behind you that helps us do the things we believe we can’t. 

For the next 12 days, I was tested in every way. Dean and I went on a trip, we met with friends and family, and these days were very hard and we got made fun of for it. As an advocate for Health and wellness, this happens a lot. People question your choices because they are not what the majority of the population is doing. Do we really want to follow the herd? I want to think for myself and do everything in my life intentional. No one should feel like they will get made fun of or be socially unaccepted for trying to better their health. I am proud of myself for sticking with the Elimination Diet for as long as I did because I gained a new awareness of how my digestive system works, appreciation for my body, and I strengthened the loving relationship that I have with myself, which is a journey we all struggle with. 

Also, I discovered something incredible about myself: I no longer was a victim to my food. I could easily turn down food that I knew made me feel bad or that did nothing for my health. My mission was to fill my body with as many nutrients as possible, and if that scone or glass of wine got in the way of that, they would be “eliminated” (no pun intended). I no longer yearn for things when I see them, like bread for instance. Firstly, I listen to my body before looking at a menu or peaking in my pantry and try to figure out what my body is needing. Is it something salty, sweet, cooling, or warming? Do I want something light or dense? Do I need something hearty like fish or eggs, or would a salad be enough? I ask myself these questions now, which makes me feel very connected with my body. When we know enough about ourselves and what works for our individual body, it makes it much easier to turn down foods that do nothing for us in social situations. A Youtuber that I follow (Sarah’s Day) has this phrase that I love: “Act confident and no one will question you.” I love this. If we are intuitively eating and are aware of what our body needs, no loving human will think anything of it. To be honest, they will most likely envy you and want that for themselves. 

Phase #3 was eye-opening. I would slowly bring in the foods that were banned from my diet for the next month. Some foods had absolutely no affect on my diet, some expected (almonds) and some not expected (pork), which I thought was going to hurt my stomach. Some foods I thought were going to be fine (lemons) made me bloaty and crampy. Other foods like soy, gluten, and beef were not very happy in my tummy, which I knew was going to happen. These foods are the main culprits of digestive issues and allergies. Of course, all of these foods were organic and eaten as clean as possible.

The results were somewhat vague at times, and we couldn’t stick with it as long as we wanted to because we were leaving our home soon (no cooking), but honestly the journey was more important for me than knowing exactly the ingredients that causes a little more gas than usual. I want to try it again now that I’m land side. It is a very big investment and commitment, but 100% worth the efforts. I noticed most of all that my cravings have gone down and I eat less meat. Anyone who is struggling with digestive issues or extreme allergies or any curious buggers (like me), I would recommend this book/diet. It will change the way you think about food and discover more about what your body needs.