Day 14 of going low carb - no gluten = Cranky Camy

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.24.2010

I have never been this long gluten free before. It wasn’t hard for the first week, but the past couple or days have been terrible.

All you people who have to live gluten free, I hail you as heroes. Or suffering in a gastronomic dungeon. Take your pick.

I miss wheat noodles and pasta most of all. Come on, I’m Asian. What is Asian food without noodles? Chow mein (ever had Hong Kong style crispy noodles? No? You are deprived), hand-pulled noodles in black bean sauce, soba, and my all-time favorite, RAMEN.

We ate at Chinese food the other day and while I was appeased with chow fun (rice noodles), I was also a little sad as Captain Caffeine happily downed his Hong Kong style crispy noodles.

And I haven’t had pasta in TWO WEEKS. We love whole wheat noodles and my favorite dinner is a healthy stir fry of chicken with vegetables and garlic, a little marsala wine, a little lemon, a few nuts like cashews or pistachios, and voila! yumminess on a plate.

(Sob.)

As a result of this pain and torture, I have become extremely cranky. Captain Caffeine bears the brunt of it (and you thought my blog posts were bad).

I hope I never have to do this again. Or if I do, that it’s only a week or two. I’m turning into a mooooonnnnnssstttteeeeerrrrr!

Comments

Stephanie Newton said…

How long are you going carbless? I'm convinced it's like weaning from drugs.

Hugs on the withdrawal and crankiness.

Steph

Tue Aug 24, 05:15:00 AM 2010

Kaye Dacus said…

Have you tried quinoa pasta? I haven't, but I have some celiac friends who swear buy it.

http://www.quinoa.net/145/index.html

Tue Aug 24, 09:03:00 AM 2010

Camy Tang said…

Steph, I'm low carb for another two weeks while I'm taking these supplements, then I can start adding carbs back in and also I can start easing gluten back into my diet to see how I react. If this were just to lose weight, NO WAY would I have done this, but I need to go low carb to reduce my insulin resistance, and I need to go gluten free to try to counteract my hypothyroidism. :(

Kaye, I think someone did mention it once but I forgot until you reminded me! Thanks for the link! I love quinoa!

Camy

Tue Aug 24, 12:22:00 PM 2010

ME said…

Hey Camy,

I am about to embark on the same type of diet and yes, going carbless for the first month or so is quite horrible and you do get very cranky.

In addition to quinoa pasta, I also bought some from the health food store that is made with soybean. You definitely need a sauce with it, but you get a protein hit so it is quite a healthy meal and if you put enough veggies and garlic in it, kinda takes your mind off the lack of gluten.

Have you tried that fake pasta made with squash? I find it here in the Korean grocery stores in the refrigerated section (it comes in little bags with liquid). It is very low cal and you can eat a whole bag so you get the bulk, but again, you really need a sauce because the texture is a bit off.

I think it was very mean of Captain Caffeine to eat gluten noodles in front of you!

Cheers
Caroline

Tue Aug 24, 03:18:00 PM 2010

Camy Tang said…

I love soybeans! I totally have to try that!

I've tried that squash pasta once before and didn't care for it. :(

I completely agree with you and will tell Captain Caffeine you said so! :)

Camy

Tue Aug 24, 03:25:00 PM 2010

Stephanie Newton said…

BIG hugs! I haven't done no carbs longer than two weeks, but we went on a vegan diet last spring that just about killed me.

I hope that you find you're able to add some whole wheat pasta in to ease the pain.

In the meantime, if you can have rice pasta, Amy's makes a frozen mac&cheese with rice pasta that is delicious. My daughter is a vegetarian and loves that one as much as the original.

Tue Aug 24, 03:42:00 PM 2010

Camy Tang said…

Thanks Steph! Thanks also for the recommendation--I ADORE mac and cheese altho Captain Caffeine hates it.

Tue Aug 24, 04:09:00 PM 2010

Margaret Metz said…

I wish I had a helpful idea for you. I'm glad this might not have to be a long term diet for you. I can't have dairy - fruit - sugar substitutes... red meat and so on... Carbs are my one thing. I don't know what I'd do if they took those away too. Cranky wouldn't be strong enough. lol Since diabetes is prevalent in my family, I do worry about it.

I hope you find some good substitutes and that at the end of this you are able to bring some of them back into your diet safely.

Tue Aug 24, 09:56:00 PM 2010

Camy Tang said…

Wow Lee I'm so sorry about that! I really love dairy. I hope I'll be able to add gluten back into my diet, too!
Camy

Wed Aug 25, 12:24:00 PM 2010

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