30 Day Abs & Core Challenge

Photo retrieved on July 18, 2012 from: here

Here we go, the challenge that could make or break me. But I am optimistic and excited. Today was day one of the thirty day Ab Challenge and it was not easy. My abs are killing me already! Definitely looking forward to reaching day 30. I am ready to have a body that I love and this is just another step in the journey to the healthy happy me. So today, I weighed in and measured and on we go to a new me. 

Retrieved on July 18, 2012 from: here

The basic motions in this workout are as follows,

• In-N-Outs- 25 reps.
• Bicycles- 25 reps.
• Crunchy Frog- 25 reps.
• Cross-Leg/Wide Leg Sit-ups- 25 reps. per side 
• Scissors- 25 reps.
• Hip-Butt Ups- 25 reps.
• Heels to Heavens- 25 reps.
• Roll-up/V-sit ups- 25 reps.
• Leg Climbers- 25 reps.
• Kayakers- 25 reps.

Stretching:

• Cobra Stretch
• Child sit

Always, Always, Always stretch before and after any workout. It is a must. 

 Here is a link to the original blogger who will show you all the moves if you are interested in doing the 30 day challenge. There are a couple that I can't do YET without hurting myself, due to a weak core, so until I can get my core strengthened I am substituting a couple of these moves with crunches, peddle pushers, and stair-steppers. The point is, to find an Ab workout that works for you. Don't feel bad if you need to adjust. Better safe than sorry. You can always work in the harder moves once you get farther along. 

Retrieved on July 18, 2012 from: here

I can't say that I am aiming for a six pack, yet. Right now, my goal is to flatten my belly and get rid of this pooch. If I get to my goal weight, from there I will work on toning and tightening. Again, one thing at a time, don't want to overdue it. :) Looking forward to working hard, sweating, and getting in shape. It feels so good!

Retrieved on July 18, 2012 from: here

A great friend of mine is doing this with me as well, check out her blog! Two Golden Spoons

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Okay, so at first I thought yuck! How does that work or worse...taste!?! I first saw this recipe in a gluten free cookbook, but I didn't get the guts to try it till I saw a friend of mine post how amazing it was.

Ingredients you will need.

1 head of cauliflower

1/4 cup of cheese (your choice of kind)

2 eggs

thyme

oregano

cumin

italian seasoning

1/4 cup red pepper chopped

1/4 cup green pepper chopped

1/4 small onion chopped

pizza sauce or tomato paste

ground turkey 

Pre-heat oven to 425'F. 

Using a cheese grater, shred the cauliflower then put it into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 8 minutes. Then let it cool for a few minutes. 

Add cheese, eggs, and spices. (I used 1/4 pepperjack cheese in the base and 1/4 shredded colby jack for the final topping) Stir until it starts to hold its shape and is mixed thoroughly. Spread out on a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan. 1/4 inch thick seems to be the perfect depth for the cauliflower crust.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. While that is baking, brown your meat. It doesn't take much, but it really depends on how much you want to use. 

Obviously we had A LOT of meat left over, but I will freeze it for later. 

Now prepare your other toppings. I love peppers, so we made that the bulk of our pizza. You can add mushrooms, pepperoni, really whatever you want. I kept it simple to ensure that it was GF. 

Once the crust is browned pull from oven and top with sauce, then your other toppings. Spring with oregano and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Cut and enjoy! 

p.s. it doesn't taste like cauliflower at all!! It is amazing and is a new favorite in the Wagner household. 

Fresh Fruit Smoothie

Whenever I get a sweet tooth, I turn to fruit. It's natural, healthy, and just yummy. Now, let me say, there is too much of a good thing. So moderation is key.

First off, take a cup of milk and pour it into blender. I use skim/or fat free. Adults don't need the extra fat in milk that kids might need, so keep it simple. Soy or almond milk would even be a good choice. Then add your banana and blend it up good. Add your frozen strawberries and blend those as well. I like frozen berries because it gives it an iced texture. Top with a garnish (if desired) and enjoy. :)

1 Cup Milk
1 Banana
1 Cup Frozen Strawberries

Feel free to mix it up and choose different fruit. Blueberries, peaches, grapes, raspberries, anything will work.

Next thing I want to get into, is veggies smoothies. :) Will post soon.

Gluten Free Jalapeño Poppers

Here is my recipe for Poppers. As a for-warning. WEAR RUBBER GLOVES when handling hot peppers. It makes your hands burn and leaves the juice on for hours regardless of any amount of washing, and do NOT touch your eyes.

First pick out about 16 larger jalapeños. The larger they are the easier they are to scrape out the seeds without mutilating them. Cut them long ways from tip to stem leaving about 1/4 uncut.

Then using the back handle of a soup spoon scrape out the seeds. If you want the poppers to have a kick to them, leave in a few seeds. And I mean one or two.

They pack a mighty big punch and are what holds all the heat. Once they are cut, rinse the peppers thoroughly and lay on a paper towel. Then prep your filling.

Mix in your cream cheese, ranch dressing dry mix, and bacon bits in a bowl. May need to heat up the mix a little bit to make stuffing easier. I used a disposable cake bag, but a zip lock baggie with the end cut would probably work just fine. Done try to use a spoon, it will make a mess. Ones they are stuffed, place on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.

 Just long enough to let the insides set up. Do not over freeze, this will break down the cell wall of the peppers. Not freezing them before baking or frying will result in the inside oozing out. Which you do not want. While the poppers are in the freezer, prepare your breading. Put about 2 cups of GF bread crumbs and rice flour in one bowl and 2-3 whisked eggs in another bowl.

Once the peppers are chilled, dip them individually in the eggs, then the crumbs. Repeating till completely coated going back and forth between eggs and crumbs. I did at least two coats of crumbs to ensure that the breading doesn't fall off during baking.

Spray pan and tops of poppers to add to the crispy coat. Heat oven to 350'F and place the poppers back in the freezer till the oven is heated. Then bake for 30 minutes or till completely crispy.

Pull from the oven and enjoy hot, warm, or cold. May want to keep a glass of milk on hand, they can be powerful! But oh so yummy :)

• 16-18 Jalapeño Peppers
• 8 oz of Neufchatel Cheese
• GF Bacon bits
• 1/4 cup of ranch dry mix 

Fresh Avocado Guacamole Dip

I am thoroughly enjoying going GF. I am discovering all of these simple new amazing recipes. Today, I discovered avocados. YUM! Also known as an alligator pear. It is so versatile and great on salads, dip, tacos, and even in simple recipes that require a stuffing or sauce.

Just like every other fresh food, the key is knowing how to pick it and prepare it. Choosing an avocado can be tricky, I have been fooled on what I thought was ripe, but was not even close. The method I discovered that works best is to first look for one that is semi smooth, not huge bumps on it. Then gently press on the skin. It should give just a little. Too hard means its not ripe. If its mushy, it is too ripe. If you can see the "meat" moving around when you press on it, it is too soft. I have not yet discovered if color has anything to do with it?


 I bought two avocados today from the grocery store. One was absolutely perfect, the other was almost ripe. So I stuck it in a brown paper bag to sit for a day to soften some more. Looking forward to tossing it up into a guacamole dip tomorrow.




After you select the perfect avocado(s) take a sharp butcher knife and cut the avocado in half moving around the seed that is in the center of the fruit. Then twist the two halves to separate.

Then stick the seed with the knife and pull it out. If the fruit is too ripe, the seed will sometimes fall out.

Then with a smaller pairing knife, cut slits in a checkered pattern going the length and width of the fruit.

Then take a spoon and scoop out the insides. If it is not ripe enough it will be hard to cut and scoop, if this happens, put in a baggie and let it sit. Sprinkle lemon juice on the meat to keep it from browning.

Mash up the chunks then add the seasonings, and enjoy! 

Recipe for guacamole dip.

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Today I cheated and used a packet of guacamole seasoning that I had in my pantry. It was GF and did the trick. Quite yummy.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Portion control, portion control, portion control. That is all I have to say. For the past month we have been eating all fresh foods and it has been wonderful. I have seen the weight go down and it is so encouraging, but I know there are still some things I need to improve upon. The fist step is to stop eating when I am comfortable. Do not overstuff yourself with food. Yes Americans seem to "get away" with this quite often where every meal is a king's feast, but it doesn't have to be. Food is for sustenance and nutrition. It is not a hobby. Food should be pleasing to the pallet, but it shouldn't be an emotional bind. The key to any weight loss is self control. Being able to just say no, I don't need that, and walk away. I am pleasantly surprised at how easy it is for me to pass all those baked goodies and processed sweets and not even bat an eye. I know they are bad for me, and will make me feel rotten, so I just avoid them. My downfall now seems to be just saying enough. I am loving all this good food we are making, but again, portion control. Now that doesn't mean say, this meal you can have a cup of this 2 tbsp of this and a tsp of this. That in my mind is a little much. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are comfortable. Not full. It will also help to cut back on indigestion. So don't overstuff yourself, it isn't necessary.


Overstuffing also leads to getting hungry sooner. You're body realizes that you don't have that "full" feeling and you start munching thinking that you need that feeling back. You don't.
Also, don't wait to eat till you are ravenously hungry. Have munchies on hand to hold you over and keep you comfortable. But that doesn't mean mindlessly snacking all day either.

Second goal is to not eat after 7pm. This gives your food time to digest before you go to bed. Sleeping on a full stomach is not only uncomfortable, but is definitely not the best thing for your intestines.

So whether you are out and about or eating at home, keep in mind that food is to sustain your life, not entertain you. If you need entertainment get out and go for a walk or go to the park, something active. Your body will thank you!


Picture retrieved from http://slenderherbs.com/weight-loss-lose-weight-inspiration/food-is-my-sustenance-not-my-friend/ on July 3, 2012.

Farm Fresh

With a gluten sensitivity comes the need to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. The only problem with this, is buying fresh can be expensive. Unless you have the time and dedication to grow your own garden, shopping fresh can seem like a hassle when you are not "used" to it. It's not liking going to Aldi and buying dollar bags of chips and ho-ho's. The best way to keep that grocery bill down is to shop for produce that is in season. There is nothing wrong with buying produce out of season, it doesn't make it any less healthy or delicious. But it will make your budget happy.

Our finds today! Love eating fresh! Cherries, red potatoes, bananas, apples, raspberries, celery, onions.

This is why I have a new found love for our local farmers market. I love walking through the isles of venders taking in all the hustle and bustle of everyone looking for the freshest organic produce. What a rush! The trick to getting the best deal for the freshest produce is to know what season is best for certain fruits and veggies. Also, knowing which vendors will cut deals and bargain a bit. For instance, rather than spending two dollars for one quart of potatoes, you get three quarts for five dollars. DEALS! The farmers market is a lifesaver for people like me who have absolutely no green thumb to speak of.

Mlive (2009) Retrieved on June 30, 2012 from: http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/04/farm_market_season_starts_satu.html

Black Raspberries 

Again, it's all about the seasons. Sometimes it is obvious of what is season because you will see every vendor with it at their booth, but sometimes it is harder to tell if you are getting a good deal or not.

January February March April Asparagus Avocados Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carambola Cauliflower Celery Chard Cherimoyas Citrus:   Blood Orange,   Grapefruit,   Kumquats,   Lemons,   Navel Oranges,   Tangelos/Tangerines  Dates, Medjool Kale Kohlrabi Mushroom Mustard Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peas, Green Strawberries Asparagus Avocados Beets Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Citrus: Blood Orange, Grapefruit, Kumquats, Lemons, Navel Oranges,  Tangelos/Tangerines  Collards Dates, Medjool Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushroom Mustard Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peas, Green Spinach Strawberries Turnips Asparagus Avocados Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Citrus:   Blood Oranges,   Grapefruits,   Kumquats,   Lemons,   Navel Oranges,   Tangelos/Tangerines Collards Dates, Medjool Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushroom Mustard Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peas, Green Spinach Strawberries Turnips Asparagus Avocados Basil Beans, Green Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Cherries Citrus:   Grapefruits,   Kumquats,   Lemons,   Navel Oranges,   Tangelos/Tangerines  Collards Cucumber Dates, Medjool Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushroom Mustard Nectarines Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peas, Green Raspberries Spinach Strawberries Tomatoes Turnips

May June July August Apricots Asparagus Avocados Basil Beans, Green Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Cherries Citrus:   Grapefruits,   Kumquats,   Lemons,   Navel Oranges,   Valencia Oranges       Collards Corn Cucumber Dates, Medjool Eggplant Figs Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushroom Mustard Nectarines, Okra Onion, dry Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peaches Pears, Asian Peas, Black-eyed Peas, Green Plums Potatoes Raspberries Spinach Squash, Summer Strawberries Tomatoes Turnips Apricots Avocados Cherries Asparagus Basil Beans, Green Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Citrus:   Grapefruits,   Kumquats,   Lemons,   Navel Oranges,   Valencia Oranges    Collards Corn Cucumber Eggplant Figs Grapes Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Melons Mushroom Mustard Nectarines Okra Onion, dry Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peaches Pears Pears, Asian Peas, Black-eyed Peppers Plums Potatoes Raspberries Spinach Squash, Summer Strawberries Tomatoes Turnips Apples Apricots Asparagus Avocados Basil Beans, Green Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Cherries Citrus:   Grapefruits,   Lemons,   Valencia Oranges       Collards Corn Cucumber Eggplant Figs Grapes Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Melons Mushroom Mustard Nectarines Okra Onion, dry Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peaches Pears Pears, Asian Peas, Black-eyed Peppers Plums Potatoes Raspberries Sapote Spinach Squash, Summer Strawberries Tomatoes Turnips Apples Asparagus Avocados Basil Beans, Green Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chili Pepper Citrus:   Grapefruits,   Lemons,   Valencia Oranges     Collards Corn Cucumber Eggplant Figs Grapes Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Melons Mushroom Mustard Nectarines Okra Onion, dry Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peaches Pears Pears, Asian Peas, Black-eyed Peppers Persimmons Plums Potatoes Raspberries Sapote Spinach Squash, Summer Squash, Winter Strawberries Tomatillos Tomatoes Turnips

September October November December Apples Asparagus Avocados Basil Beans, Green Beets Brussels Sprout Cabbage Carrots Celery Chili Pepper Citrus:   Grapefruits,   Lemons,   Valencia Oranges      Oranges Collards Corn Cucumber Eggplant Grapes Guava, Pineapple Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushroom Mustard Nectarines Okra Onion, dry Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peaches Pears Pears, Asian Peas, Black-eyed Peppers Persimmons Plums Potatoes Raspberries Sapote Spinach Squash, Summer Squash, Winter Strawberries Tomatillos Tomatoes Turnips Apples Asparagus Avocados Basil Beans, Green Beets Broccoli Brussels Sprout Cabbage Carambola Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Cherimoyas Chili Pepper Citrus:   Grapefruits,   Lemons,   Tangelos/Tangerines,   Valencia Oranges Collards Corn Cucumber Eggplant Grapes Guava, Pineapple Kale Kiwi Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushroom Mustard Okra Onion, dry Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peaches Pears, Asian Peas, Black-eyed Peppers Persimmons Pomegranates Potatoes Raspberries Sapote Spinach Squash, Summer Squash, Winter Strawberries Tomatillos Tomatoes Turnips Yams Apples Artichokes Asparagus Basil Beans, Green Beets Broccoli Brussels Sprout Cabbage Carambola Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Cherimoyas Chili Pepper Citrus:   Grapefruits,   Lemons,   Tangelos/Tangerines,   Valencia Oranges Collards Corn Cucumber Eggplant Grapes Guava, Pineapple Kale Kiwi Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushroom Mustard Okra Onion, dry Onion, Green Passion Fruit Peaches Peas, Black-eyed Peppers Persimmons Pomegranates Potatoes Raspberries Sapote Spinach Squash, Summer Squash, Winter Tomatillos Tomatoes Turnips Yams Artichokes Basil Beans, Green Beets Brussels Sprout Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Chili Pepper Citrus:   Lemons,   Valencia Oranges        Collards Corn Cucumber Eggplant Grapes Guava, Pineapple Kale Kiwi Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushroom Mustard Okra Onion, dry Onion, Green Peppers Pomegranates Potatoes Spinach Squash, Summer Squash, Winter Tomatillos Tomatoes Turnips Yams

Southland Farmers Markets Association (2002) Retrieved from: http://www.sfma.net/consumer/inseason.shtml/

Red Raspberries

Winging it with Chicken

I love cooking! I can't say I am very good at it. Most things just happen by accident, and I am notorious for "winging it" when it comes to recipes. Cooking is always exciting and can bring such a great sense of accomplishment when you start something new and it turns out magnificently. Last night was one of those nights. Baked whole chicken, Yes Please!

The most difficult thing about baking a whole chicken, is making sure it is thawed. Which can take quite some time. If you are wanting to speed things up, fill up the sink with cooler water and place the chicken in the sink. Or you can just let the water run over the chicken. It took about 2 hours in the sink for my chicken to thaw.

First thing, preheat oven to 375' F.

Once the chicken is thawed, add 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of olive oil in a bowl. Gently mix in parsley, thyme, italian seasoning, and roasted red pepper flakes, be generous with the spices. It will give your chicken GREAT flavor. Feel free to add any other seasoning you would like. Pour the mix over the top and bottom of chicken and rub it over the whole chicken. Being sure to coat the wings and legs. I stuffed the inside of the chicken with 1/4 chopped green pepper and half a small onion sliced. If your chicken has a pop-up timer, make sure the pop-up timer is in clear view when you place your chicken in the pan.

After the chicken is seasoned and placed in a deep pan, dice up red potatoes and fresh carrots. Place the potatoes and carrots around the chicken in the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with thyme.

Put on middle rack in preheated oven. Set timer for 2 Hours. If your chicken has a pop-up timer that will make cooking it fully, much easier. When in doubt, check the temperature with a meat thermometer. It should read 180'F.

                      This is on my to-buy list, I can never remember what temperature I need to reach


The key to getting that crispy skin is basting. Periodically throughout the 2 hours. Pull the chicken out of the oven and use a turkey baster or spoon to scoop up the liquid and run it over the top of the chicken. I did this about every 30 minutes. The chicken will produce its own juices which can be later used as gravy or cooking other projects.

When the pop-up timer pops up, turn the oven up to 425'F and cook for another 10 minutes to really get the skin crispy.

This was by far the best chicken I have ever made! I could eat chicken daily and never get sick of it. For the first time baking a whole chicken, it turned out fantastically.

The only thing I would do differently next time, is add way more carrots. The flavor of everything plus the carrots was awesome.

P.S. Yes...this meal was completely GF!

A huge thanks to my friend Cara on this one! She offered some great tips and guidance in making this chicken amazing! Check out her blog! http://twogoldenspoons.blogspot.com/

This Fool Got Serious

Life is something so many people take for grant it. It's so easy to put the hassles off till tomorrow and just "deal" with them later. But...seriously, what if tomorrow doesn't come? What do you have to show for it? Can you honestly say you have lived a full life and are happy with who you are. Up until about 3 weeks ago, I couldn't. I was unhappy, felt rotten and frankly needed some major changes. Thankfully, all that changed. With the help, love and support of my close friends and family I am on a new path. A path to living a happy, healthy and full life!

 (Me at my heaviest weight)

To give you the full experience of the life and experiences of Lizzy, lets first rewind to when all of this nonsense started.

Just a few short years ago, I was facing some serious medical issues. I had lost close to 50 lbs in 4 months...some say that would be a blessing, and yes I did have weight to spare, but everyone was baffled at this sudden onset of crazy symptoms. I had heartburn, intense stomach pain and whenever I ate it came right out...one way or another. I couldn't eat, function, I was miserable and constantly in pain. After countless tests and multiple doctors, the culprit was found. My gallbladder. Who would have thought! 18 and I had to have my gallbladder removed? Are you kidding me? How did this happen? Whats next? (I will delve deeper into my suspicions later). After meeting with the doctor and doing some research with the help of my parents. We decided to go ahead with the surgery. I was excited and optimistic that this would cure my problems and that I would be able to eat again and feel like a human being.

The surgery came and went. In all it was everything I expected from a surgery. When the doctors removed my gallbladder, they said it was completely dead. A healthy gallbladder is supposed to be robin egg blue, mine...was brown. Yuck! I was baffled by this. What causes an 18 year old's gallbladder to just up and die? I was healthy, active, and full of energy before all of this. There was no logically reason for it. The doctors claimed, sometimes these things just happen. Well, as Carlotta would say, "These things do happen! And did you stop them from happening? NO!" No one could give me a straight answer. So on I went with my life, without my gallbladder.

                                                            The gallbladder

At first, it took some time to get used to food again. I had basically starved and my body was not used to food. But I quickly got the hang of it. :) Resulting in gaining back 30 lbs, but hey, i didn't care. I could eat! The only problem, I was still having tummy troubles. I would get ravenously hungry out of nowhere, then when I ate, I would feel sick. I learned to give up red meat, thinking that was a big part of the problem...it kind of helped...but not really. So then I tried getting rid of dairy, to no avail I had no relief. So I went to eating bland food with no seasoning or sauce...not fun. I missed my food.

Long story short...I gave up and decided to take the problems and eat whatever I wanted. I would take enzymes to help digest food and gas-ex to well, ya know, take care of the embarrassing side of things. It was a mess, but I indulged in all the food I wanted.

As you can imagine...this resulted in even more weight gain. I won't tell you how much, but lets just say it was beyond unhealthy and I was embarrassed of my new look. Ive always struggled with weight, and being overweight was just tearing me apart. I lost my self-esteem and became bitter and unhappy. That was when I decided that I had enough. I was through with feeling yucky, gassy, bloated, and fat. It was not me. The real me was inside screaming, "YOU FOOL! FIX THIS!" So this fool got serious.

Two years ago, the Lord allowed to me marry an amazing man. And with this handsome, amazing man came an equally amazing set of in-laws. From Great Grandma down to baby Abigail, I just love them to pieces. My greatest inspirations are my sisters-in-law. They opened my eyes to the world of celiac disease and the effects gluten has on your body. I do not think it was just happen stance that God gave me a man that had such a wonderful family who knew the effects of gluten. Jen (my sis-in-law) encouraged me to try gluten free. She had done it on and off and saw improvements in her health throughout her experimenting. So I figured, why not. Ill try it. So for the past year I have tried little spurts of going GF (gluten free). Only to see results while on that diet fade the minute I cheated and had a donut, pasta, or bread. It wasn't till about two months ago that I had to make a choice. This was it, I was going gluten free.

My body had become so overgrown with yeast, gluten, and wheat that my hands and feet were breaking out in tiny bumps. It is a symptom of yeast overgrowth in your body, and is a major sign that things are on overload. The only way to rid your body of the overgrowth is to stop eating gluten ASAP. So goodbye gluten...and I must say...WOW! After a week of no gluten, my hands started to clear up! :) I felt better, more energized and best of all, my intestines weren't going crazy! I could actually sit and not have to get up and go potty multiple times a day. It was like night and day. Now three weeks later, I still have some symptoms, but it takes a good long while to clean out your system completely. So, I am marching on and sticking to my GF lifestyle. Mind you, it is not a diet. It is a way of life. It is not something you can do every other day of the week...this is a daily, hourly constant choice I am making to avoid all things gluten.

So, to rewind again, yes, I do think gluten and a wheat intolerance led to the demise of my gallbladder, and along with that, it was causing my liver problems... resulting in the tiny bumps on my hands and feet. Gluten takes a HUGE toll on your body. It is not something to take lightly. Even if you think you do not have a gluten intolerance, or you are healthy, it is still not the best thing for you to eat. But, off my high horse now. What you eat is between you and your digestive system. As for me and my tummy, we will be joyous in our new found freedom! Oh! and did I mention? I have already lost 10lbs! :)

                                          A much happier me (with my new nephew Noah)

(Anyone interested in GF, Celiac Disease, or the toll that gluten can take on your system I highly               recommend the book *Wheat Belly.*)