Talking about a leaky gut seems gross, but that’s what it’s called
I’ve never been a person who loves to exercise. I know physical activity is good for me, helps my heart, builds strong muscles, but I exercise so I can eat more food.
After losing 75 pounds and 75 inches over the past two years, going from plus size 2x to medium, I realized that I could exercise (or not) and what really made the difference was what I ate.
The equation isn’t as direct as calories eaten vs calories exercised. The kind of food and the amount of food makes or breaks weight loss. The good news is, with the help of portion control and meal planning, I figured out what foods worked for my body and what foods made me puff up like an inflated version of myself.
I didn’t figure this out alone. I got help from experts and medical professionals. We did a blood test and realized I have food sensitivities and a leaky gut. Sounds gross, right? As disgusting as a leaky gut sounds, it felt even worse. It was so bad that I was scared to eat because food didn’t digest well. At all.
It became a regular occurrence for me to double over in pain about 30 minutes after a meal and need a restroom immediately. I know, still gross.
The foods I was eating, specifically gluten/wheat and casein/dairy were causing severe inflammation and damage to my intestines, and I had to heal the insides before I could digest food or even begin to lose weight.
I started an elimination diet, meaning I had a short list of approved foods, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats. Then we monitored how my body reacted when I reintroduced foods like eggs — ok, cheese and bread — not ok.
Out with the processed foods and in with the whole foods. The easiest way to describe my new eating plan was single ingredients. Was it a plant, like spinach or a lean protein like salmon? If it had a label, the ingredient list should be short. Ideally one word, like rice or almonds.
Now how can my experience help you in your weight loss journey? First thing, go see a doctor or nurse practitioner who specializes in treating your total body, meaning he or she will test you for food sensitivities and help you learn to eat foods that heal your body, not harm it.
There’s more to it than that, but you’ve got to start somewhere and being informed on the foods that heal your body and the foods that harm your body is a great place to start. No matter where you are on your weight loss journey, don’t waste time and energy guessing about your meal plan, get expert help.
I promise to share more about my experience healing a leaky gut, cooking gluten free and eating at restaurants while avoiding dairy.
Thank you for listening to this part of my story, and if anything I shared resonated with you, I’d like to talk about it. It’s really lonely being overweight, and I wish I had felt more comfortable talking about my leaky gut and inflammation two years ago, so please let me know how you’re doing.
If you know anyone who might be facing some of these same food or weight challenges, please mention my story to him or her. We don’t have to feel alone in when managing our weight. We’re all in this together.