Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday

I've been a little discouraged lately.  I haven't been as good as I started out the year, although I've been better than I was last year.  I have watched my weight fluctuate back up to almost 217 (around 216.8, I think, which might as well be 217.)  For several days, the fluctuation has been between 214 and 216.something, which, yeah.  I know that's pretty darn normal.  I've tried not to stress over it, but when you're getting used to that downward trend of at least a pound per week, it is discouraging to have an off week.

Now, if I haven't mentioned this, I've been reading a lot lately about how Celiac's and/or gluten insensitivity go hand-in-hand with autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto's.  So this year, for Lent, I'm giving up gluten.  (And if you don't know, Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, which is the day after Fat Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras, aka Pancake Day  -- and nevermind that IHOP is now picking the WRONG day to do pancake day!)

I don't think it will be that difficult.  I've pretty much done without bread since the first of the year (and the couple of times I've had bread, it hasn't been that great, to tell the truth.)  I've also already swapped to brown rice-based pasta.  I will pack up a couple packages of Girl Scout cookies for consumption after Easter (although, if it turns out that this needs to be a permanent lifestyle change, is that really a smart thing to do?)

Reading labels is definitely a must for this, because there are hidden wheat-type ingredients everywhere.  Luckily, regulations on allergy warnings require some sort of statement about wheat, barley, and rye, even if there is possibility of cross-contamination because this gluten free product is made/processed somewhere that also processes wheat/gluten-containing products.  Of course, I've started trying to check for high fructose corn syrup and trying to avoid products containing that for the last couple of years. 

Interesting things I've learned lately by reading labels:

• Most, but not all, jarred spaghetti sauces contain sugar.  Now, I do a semi-homemade spaghetti sauce.  [Brown hamburger or ground turkey, toss in a chopped onion, and season appropriately with oregano, salt, pepper, basil, garlic, and whatever other appropriate spices are at-hand.  Add in a can or more of tomatoes (I usually do petite diced, but anything will do) and a jar of prepared spaghetti sauce.  Simmer at least until heated through.  Check periodically for appropriate spiciness.]  However, it's never really occured to me that they put sugar in the sauce.  Tomatoes NEED some sort of spice (sugar or salt) to cut the acidity, but you're gennerally better with a little salt.  I added sugar to a spaghetti sauce one time, and it ended up tasting like Chef Boyardee (which, btw, adds high fructose corn syrup to its sauce.  The HFCS is pretty addictive, and tends to make the kids LOVE it.  Hrmph.)
• Swanson Vegetable Broth has HFCS in it.  I'm still trying to get over this.  A lovely vegeterian broth, and they have to go and ruin it with HFCS.  (Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm in the camp that believes a good portion of the reason Americans are getting fatter is because the government provides subsidies to corn farmers, making products made with corn cheaper to produce.  I was told a way long time ago that HFCS is NOT naturally produced and our bodies don't know what to do with it, so it doesn't metabolize appropriately and is more likely to be turned into fat that cane sugar.  It's also addictive -- as I stated above -- and can help make you crave MORE sugar.  There are studies that show how our weight started going up as the use of HFCS started going up.  Note that other countries don't use HFCS -- get a Coke that was "heche en Mexico" and note the sugar.  If you do a taste comparison between a drink made with HFCS and the same drink made with sugar, the one with HFCS generally has a more syrupy consistency and will linger in the mouth longer.  Or maybe it's just me.  YMMV.)
• My favorite Campell's Condensed Soup, Fiesta Nacho Cheese, has wheat flour in it.  Okay, fine.  Noting that it's a cream-based soup, I should have known that.  And, yes, I thought about doing the homemade Velveeta and using it, but then it dawned on me that the Rotel and the cheese should be fine, and if I need some thickening, I now am the proud possessor of some brown rice flour.  (Besides, it's over $4 for a pound of colby cheese, plus $1.25 for plain gelatin, over $3 for the powdered milk....One day, I AM going to try it, though.)

Is there more?  Sure...but it can wait.

Next up, posting about what to look for if you're wanting to go gluten free.  (Because this post is getting long....)