My GAPS Diet: Week 2

Well, I’ve successfully made it through My GAPS Diet WEEK #2 and I still feel really great! The best part is no matter how stubborn I am, I’ve learned a few lessons….

What did I Learn in Week #2?

Dairy probably isn’t really a good choice for me, right now. At the end of week #1 I was eating some organic raw sour cream in my broths & soups.. however I started to realize that, um, things may be slightly backed up 🙁 Not really bad just made my digestion a little more sluggish than optimum. So I eliminated the raw sour cream and things were moving a little better – but again I’m really stubborn so I decided over the weekend I wanted to try some organic raw yogurt. So Saturday & Sunday I had about 1/3 cup of raw milk yogurt each day – and although I didn’t have any obvious digestive issue (gas, bloating, etc) I still “think” its not perfect for me.  For some reason I just refuse to follow instructions and have a teeny-tiny bit every day and slowly build up – I WANT a little bowl of yogurt.

I’ve also learned that when I take a break from an eating free-for-all and strictly limit food choices – I revert to desiring the same eating patterns I had as a child. I’ve been craving carrots. Raw Carrots of all things. When I was a child, I was notorious for eating an entire 5# bag of carrots in just a couple days – and mom was always upset because she’d need them and I ate them all! Although I was already eating a very healthy (paleo/gaps) style diet before officially beginning my Gaps Diet – I don’t crave any bad foods,  just REAL FOOD. Healthy food that I’m just not able to eat right now.

Falling off the GAPS Wagon

This morning I nearly fell off the wagon. I came dangerously close. Too close for my comfort. I’m at the stage in the GAPS diet where I need to try having eggs, specifically just egg yokes. I’ve had a little egg yoke over the weekend and had no obvious reaction. I’ve avoided eggs for the past year.  I’m so eager to have them again in my diet (and really we have a backyard full of chickens laying us some of the healthiest eggs money can buy – and I don’t get to eat them!)

But I didn’t just WANT a scrambled egg today, I wanted a scrambled egg and bacon. I went so far as to getting out the bacon to thaw .. skillet was on the stove… and I was just about to crack open a few fresh eggs….. BUT I luckily talked myself out of it. No eggs, No Bacon. I will have my broth and kraut juice instead. I will stick with the plan and have a little egg yoke in my broth later today.

Weight loss in Week #2

Happily I’ve lost 15 pounds total since starting my GAPS diet. (11 pounds the 1st week and 4 pounds the 2nd week) I can feel the change in my belly/waist – I’m back to my normal hourglass/curvy body. Phew!

Again I have to stress, GAPS is not a weight loss diet – It is a gut healing program, weight loss is just an added BONUS!

Looking Ahead – the plan for Week #3

I’m progressing through the GAPS Introduction Stages very, very slowly. Perhaps slower than I need to, however I want to do this one time and one time only. I’m making it count. I want to give my gut every opportunity to heal and make sure I don’t try to advance too fast.

I’m pretty much going to be eating the same as Week #1 only will be gradually increasing my fermented vegetable juice to 2 cups per day  and hope to try egg yokes and a few bites of actual sauerkraut by the end of week #2

• 6 am Warm Lemon Water
• 7 am Probiotics, Fermented Cod Liver Oil & Raw Liver
• 8 am Mug of Homemade Bone Broth with 1/3c+ of sauerkraut juice
• 10 am Herbal Tea
• 12 pm Bowl of soup made with Homemade Bone Broth, veggies (onion, garlic, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower and/or zucchini) boiled chicken and a 1/3c+ of sauerkraut juice
• 2 pm Herbal Tea
• 4 pm Mug of Homemade Bone Broth with  1/3c+ of sauerkraut juice and 1/2 avocado mashed
• 6 pm Herbal tea
• 8 pm Sleepy Time Herbal Tea and Probiotics

I averaged 1 quart of bone broth per day (chicken, beef, pork or venison), 3-4 mugs of herbal tea, and 1/2 gallon of room temperature water.

Wish me luck!