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Authentic Italian Bruschetta

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She’s just a real powerhouse. She made me embarrassed to take my shirt off and I go to the gym 5 days a week. - Walton Goggins (on Alicia Vikander)

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ALICIA VIKANDER Tomb Raider, dir. Roar Uthaug // Behind the scenes

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bowls of fruit and jars of tea // my ideal start to the day

oranges, mangoes and nectarines + ‘your tea’ ✿

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Dairy & egg free week 1

Lessons learned and thoughts going forward.

It’s been a week.

What have I learned so far? Did I lose weight on a dairy and egg free diet?  What are my thoughts?

Mostly for my own memory, but if you’re curious keep reading! P.S. rather long...

Now, just to clarify: I’m not eating dairy and egg free to lose weight. I’m genuinely allergic, and it wasn’t exactly voluntary that I cut out these two major staples of my diet. 

All in all, it’s been okay. I can’t say that I’ve had any major issues adapting to this diet so far - expect mentally, because I miss dairy and eggs dearly! - but then again I haven’t done much outside my normal life (I’m worried about going on holiday this summer though...). I did go out to eat once last week (this is extremely rare for me) and I had my best friends birthday party. I’ll get back to the social part of this diet a bit later.

In terms of eating at home? No problem. Obviously it pains me to see my boyfriend make mac & cheese, have 3 different types of cheese on his pizza, have a balsamic and mozzarella burger, and well cheese in general - I sense a theme here... I always bring my own lunch to work, with the rare exceptions where I either get a salad if we’re out of bread or the occasional snack in the afternoon, so this isn’t an issue either. Dinner-wise, we’ve made little alterations such as cooking with oil instead of butter, make individual portions with and without dairy or eggs, and have switched to more tomato-based than dairy-based sauces.

Being social? A little more challenging. I’m sure it’s just habit, but it’s not easy (or fun) being the one who turns down cake and treats at a birthday party. Or being the one who orders the vegan grilled cheese with soy “mozzarella” when your out with a group of friends. Not just because you feel like you’re bumming everyone else out or wanting to be the “healthy one”, but because you want some yourself! With time, I’m sure I’ll find a way to get around this, and I really hope that I’ll at least be able to tolerate eggs enough to eat them on a regular basis. 

Even though I can’t help but feel deprived somehow, I actually think it helps that I’m doing this for my health and not for weight loss or because it’s “trendy”. I can’t cheat on this diet, because I know it’ll make me physically ill. This makes it easier to turn down foods that aren’t allergy friendly, and makes the whole thing easier overall. I don’t have to deal with the crazy cravings I used to have when dieting and certain foods were “not allowed”. I don’t have to deal with guilt if I give into temptation and eat a “forbidden” food, because I’m not restricting myself for the sake of weight loss. It’s only been a week, but this shift in my mentality is refreshing and relaxing somehow. I don’t feel pressured anymore.

So what have I learned? Biggest lesson: Dairy is everywhere. Eggs and peanuts not so much. But moreover, I’ve had to take a serious look at my diet and what I put into my body. For me, this is a good thing. I’m incorporating more vegetables into my diet to make up for the lack of protein now that dairy and eggs are off limits. I’m trying out new ways of cooking. I’m eating foods that I normally wouldn’t eat by choice - not because I didn’t like them, but because dairy and eggs were my go-to. 

Fairly early on I decided that even though I was changing my diet, I would try and make smaller changes and go from there. Now, I’m eating things similar to what I’d normally eat (like bread), but I’ve made changes to what I have with it, and instead of milk I just use water when baking. In Norway we love our open sandwiches, so now instead of cheese I’ll top it with chicken or fish. I drink water instead of milk. I use non-dairy butter or hummus instead of butter. See? Small changes that don’t leave me feeling like I’ve become someone else.

Did I lose any weight this first week? Nope. But I still feel leaner. This is probably because I’m not bloated to the point of looking 6 months pregnant anymore, so WIN. One surprising thing happened though - I actually got scared that I would suddenly lose a bunch of weight very quickly, because I’m actually finding it difficult to meet my daily recommended calorie intake (I eat around 1850). I’m not a huge fan of pasta and rice, so a lot of what I eat is lean protein and vegetables. I’m still trying to figure out how to up my fat intake (it’s harder than you’d think!). I also feel like I’m not performing as well in the gym - I feel weaker, and fatigue sets in much sooner than before. I think this is because my main sources of protein and fat have disappeared, and thus my extra energy, and I’m hoping that I’ll regain some of my strenght again soon. I’ve put a lot of effort into the gym so far this year, and I don’t want to lose any muscle (gotta be ready for when the fat melts and my abs show y’know...).

What are my thoughts going forward? Simply put: It’s really not that bad. Yes, it definitely sucks that I can’t eat anything and everything I want, but it has changed how I think about food. For years and years my relationship with food has been awful. I’ve felt like “everything” has made me sick, gain weight, lose weight and gaining it again. My self-esteem has suffered greatly. My thoughts about my body are changing, and I feel more confident all of a sudden - I just hope this feeling lasts! 

Now that I know the cause of my illness, I can focus on healing my body, treating it nicely, being active, and think positive thoughts going forward in this “experiment”. This is a journey to health, not weight loss, and that alone has lifted a great deal of weight off my shoulders!

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Dairy & egg free week 1

I got diagnosed with food allergies literally a week ago, so that’s fun...

This will be more of a “personal diary” sort of post, so if you’re interested, keep reading!

I’m allergic to what now?? My first reaction to the news that I was allergic to cow’s milk, eggs and peauts were “you’ve mixed up my results. There’s no fucking way”. But three days later, and with lots of thinking, it totally makes sense. So, I’ve embarked on a dairy & egg free diet. Sadness, because I love dairy and eggs, and they’ve practically been part of all my meals, all day, for years. 

A short recap of these first few days - for my own memory and perhaps your curiosity.

Day 1 - I got the news. First reaction: No way. Next step: Research the basics, and stock up on dairy and egg free foods! Realisation: It’s fucking everywhere.

We ate spagetti and meatballs for dinner to celebrate that I’m in fact not allergic to wheat or gluten. However, my BF cooked put butter on everything (YUUM!) - so I’m not exactly on the road to recovery just yet.

Day 2 - What the hell am I supposed to eat now? Feeling a little iffy as usual, I started my first real day of no dairy, eggs or peanuts. First real day went okay, and as the day progressed I didn’t actually feel sick after a meal. WIN!

Day 3 - I tried a vegan meal for the first time So day 2 was a success, and I was motivated to keep going. 

We went to a comedy show, and after we went out to a burger place to eat and have a beer. Nothing on the menu was dairy, egg or nut free - except the vegan grilled cheese... I love meat, so going for a vegan dish was unheard of. But I was hungry, and it was allergen free so what the hell! 

It was really good. It wasn’t meat, but it was good. But the best part? I ate out, and I wasn’t in pain after. Like, is this how normal people feel after eating? This sensation, or rather lack thereof, was completely new to me. I don’t remember having a meal where I didn’t feel some sort of discomfort after.

Day 4 - I am the pinnacle of health At least according to my colleagues. Altough I feel weird eating my tuna, sweetcorn and hummus salad with a side of roasted root vegetables and milk-free bread, I feel good on the inside. 

I cannot tell you how many people in the last four days that have recommended recipes with cottage cheese, creme fraiche, or activia to me - well meaning of course - but then I need to have the awkward, and rather long explanation, of the difference between milk protein and lactose. This is getting old, fast...

Day 5 - Birthday time, but no cake for me...

I went to my best friends birthday, but could have no cake or any of the yummy treats she had made - bummer! I had an inhumanly large quantity of popcorn though, and even more champagne... Apart from being excluded from the food part of the birthday (no one’s fault but my stupid tummy) I had an amazing time!

Day 6 - Spa-time

Needless to say, I needed some R&R after last nights shenanigans! 

I went to a spa with a close friend of mine, where we enjoyed the outdoor jacuzzi, various saunas and steam rooms. Much, much needed!

I made cheese free pizza (calzone), and I really only missed the idea of cheese. I mean, who doesn’t love a cheesy pizza?? This is my life now...

Day 7 - Doctor’s appointment

There was a mix-up with my results initially, but as soon as I got the cryptic message from my doctor saying “the results indicate that you might be allergic to some foods” (like, what does that even mean??) I’d made a new appointment. Armed and ready for demaning further tests, I got my actual results the next day and that puts us back to day 1.

This is the plan: No dairy or eggs for a month (already 1 week in, yaay!). Start introducing eggs slowly back into my diet to find my tolerance. Do that for a month (sigh, just as summer is approaching = no ice cream...). Then literally have a large glass of milk to see how I feel and take it from there. 

Patience, baby steps... 

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goaaals

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