Can we talk? I need help screwing my head on straight.

Hi Trish,

You haVe gotten some great suggestions so I don't have any new ones...just wanted to say hi and send you a hug! I think you are very smart to be prepared..I love the idea of freezing the food and bringing it with you.

ISn't it great that we have a place to come and ask these questions?

Hope all is well with you.  Happy Mother's Day!

hugs
Patty

Thank you Patty, and Happy Mother's day to you too.

I love the idea of freezing my food as well.  I've already got a bunch of chicken breasts cooked up, I did that last night.  I just got done working out and eating breakfast.  I'll be cooking those GF pancakes next!

Yes, OH Vet board rocks.  We all have different problems, yet, we have one common denominator, our sleeves. 

I hardly ever posted before because I thought that I didn't really fit in with our group because of the allergies.  I realize now, that it was silly to think that way.  We all have issues, and problems that are as varied as the fish in the sea.  And we can all benefit from the support from each other on here.

I broke my silence and spilled my issues in a big way here with this post, and I am glad I did.  I finally feel like I belong.

We have a great group of people. GROUP HUG!!!!

P.S.  I feel like I have a handle on this trip.  I am in control, and everyone here has helped me silence my inner obese chic!  She's tied up and gagged and locked down in the basement!   I refuse to let her run the show!!!

 Hi Trish, you know that I'm a big fan of yours.  I know that you're going to succeed because you've been so incredibly motivated lately.  You're eating great and getting in a lot of movement.  More importantly, you have your eye on the prize.  You've done terrific asking for help and coming up with a firm plan for success.  You've got this!

When my son was a toddler we were vegetarian, eating food from our organic garden, fresh yogurt that I made from the raw milk from the dairy down the road.  I had to keep things interesting because he saw other kids eating so much junk (West Virginia kids got Pepsi in their bottle).  We started making Saturdays, instead of sundaes.  Layers of homemade yogurt, wild berries that he picked himself and homemade granola.  You could make up extravagant Greek yogurt concoctions that would be visually enticing for you.  Buy organic berries that you might not splurge on everyday. Maybe a sprinkling or GF granola on top. 

I also support you to eat meals in your room alone if the communal eating brings up too many issues for you.  Once we get in that dense protein and feel satisfied,  the food that others are eating just doesn't look as good.

AWWW...LEEEE.....you are so  sweet (((((hugs))))). 

I really like your greek yogurt idea....YUM!

I think that when I am eating my regular less exciting food (apart from Mother's day breakfast) I will eat in my room.  You are right about it being easier when the tummy is already full.  Dead on right Lee!

Thanks for your kind words.

I feel for you, Trish.  Your food addictions have a double whammy with the gluten problem on top of it all. 

I was going to suggest freezing stuff too.  Not much other help.  Sounds like you have a decent plan.  But I know, telling it to the brain is a whole different thing. 

Enjoy your mother's day and don't beat yourself up if you slip.  Just don't eat something that will make you sick.   

I can't imagine the pain in the behind it would be to be gluten free.  You put a whole new perspective on it for me and I learned something new.   Never had thought about all of the things you need to watch for. 

Wow Wanda, It didn't occur to me that what I wrote would show a side of gluten free that people don't usually see.  It's the truth side.  This is what it is like for people like me who HAVE to be gluten free.  I know some people do gluten free as a personal choice, but it's a different ballgame when you have to be hyper-vigilant about every single thing you eat, and it's for the rest of your life.

Don't worry, I would never ever ever eat something I'm not suppose to eat.  Doing something like that would mean anaphylactic shock, an epi-pen stick and an ambulance ride to the hospital.  I never take chances on anything, because the consequences are horrible.  I'll be wearing my medical alert bracelet and carrying my 2 epi-pens.  I never leave home without them.

Thank you for your kindness and have a fantastic Mother's Day!

Hi, my mom lives in a place like yours and i had challenges eating in their dining room too though I do not have any allergies.

others have posted some great suggestions and I have nothing to add except that whatever food you bring in for your own meal, make it look as nice as you can and be prepared for others to show interest in it and offer the recipies and explain what it is. would make for interesting conversation and turn it into something positive and educational rather than feeling odd for having weird food. chances are other people know a gluten sensitive person too. enjoy your visit.  diane

Diane, I know what you mean, even though you don't have a food allergy, the nursing home food is still not conducive to the sleeve.  The food it all fatty meats, gravies, mashed potato's, pie, bread......

Definitely not sleeve friendly in any way!

Diane you are dead on correct about peoples curiosity.  I take my own food everywhere I go, parties, BBQ's, even restaurants, you name it, I take my own and I am very use to the inquisitions. 

We were invited to a  friends house for Thanksgiving.  I made an entire miniature Thanksgiving meal that was extra special so I wouldn't feel bad.  People were all over me wanted to know all about it.  I made a Cornish game hen stuffed with brown and wild rice with a huckleberry glaze.  It was to die for and I had some jealous people.  It looked amazing, like a succulent little turkey.  It was so cute!!!  And I made a gluten free dessert to add to their spread.  People really liked getting to eat something from me, that was different and gluten free.  They loved it.  I made pecan bars with almond flour crust.  Thankfully, it was all eaten, even the crumbs were scarfed down and I did not have to take any leftovers home...whew!  I do get a lot of questions and I'm use to it.

My church even set up a gluten free communion station just for me so that I could take communion too.  After they set it up, they discovered 4 other people in my church needed GF communion.  They were glad I spoke up, because they didn't know they had 5 GF people total who felt terrible every communion because they could not participate.  It's a blessing to be able to participate.

I'm excited about the trip and real excited to see my mom, I'm so glad I'm not worrying anymore!  You guys are great!

I LOVE these pumpkin muffins! I freeze them and thaw one at a time in the microwave all the time:

Ingredients
1½ cups almond flour
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (or cook and puree pumpkin yourself)
3 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup raw honey
2 tsp almond butter

Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350℉.
2.Coat muffin tins with coconut oil (or use paper muffin cups and add 1/2 tsp melted coconut oil to batter).
3.Mix all ingredients and pour evenly into tins.
4.Bake for 25 minutes on the middle rack.

I make 9 muffins out of this and I think it works best to use the foil cupcake liners. Remove the liner before thawing in the microwave .

Have a good trip!
Jen

I use to make something very much like this back in the Atkins days!  I forgot about it!  I'll have to use splenda though.  I'm to carb sensitive for the honey.  Thanks for posting the recipe!