My semi-Virgin Diet

So I started the semi-Virgin Diet on 4/1/14. I call it semi-Virgin because I did my own twist of JJ Virgin's "The Virgin Diet". First a little background...

I can't pinpoint exactly when I started feeling "weird" but it was sometime between December '13 and January of this year. I stopped losing weight (even gained a little), had a big dip in energy and stamina, noticed an increase in appetite, my sleep cycle was off, and my acne was flaring up. I've had issues with acne for over 10 years but it had gotten a lot better since I started eating healthier. However I was confused because I was eating pretty healthy and still wasn't feeling better. Plus the fact that my acne issues were back and I was beginning to notice red bumps popping up around my chest; it was starting to worry me. My other issues included feeling bloated, dry mouth and itchy skin.

So around mid-March I happened to catch the podcast of the Underground Wellness interview with JJ Virgin.  The timing couldn't be more perfect. I listened to JJ discuss food allergies and intolerance. I knew about food intolerance but didn't consider that as reason for the way I was feeling. I immediately checked out the book from my local library and discovered the most common food allergens. The book also opened my eyes to sneaky ways these allergens (especially corn and soy) are put in foods. Now every time I go food shopping I spend a ton of time looking at the ingredients with a fine toothed comb.

In the book she discusses what foods you should eat and what to avoid within the 3 cycles. The first cycle (21 days) is removing the allergens. The next cycle is a week by week experimentation process where each week you introduce a different allergen to see how your body responds. I will keep you posted on my progress.

Because I've been learning about what works/doesn't work for me I've been able to tweak her recommendations to fit my needs but if you're just starting out l suggest really learning for yourself about her recommendations. Most things I agree with her on, some things I just don't. For example, she's not a big fan of agave or honey (she does recommend raw honey in small doses), but instead recommends pure leaf Stevia. I cannot stand the taste of Stevia. I've tried many different brands and it tastes worse than artificial sweeteners to me. It leaves a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. I prefer honey (especially raw) over anything. But that's just me. You do what works best for you. There is no "one size fits all" way of eating.  I can say that an allergy-free diet is A LOT of work.  You have to really analyze every single thing you eat.  It takes a lot of patience and preparation to be successful with this.

My pantry

I decided to try an allergen-free diet for 21 days. JJ lists 7 food types to remove but I also removed shellfish so I have been eating foods which do not contain: gluten, soy, corn, artificial sweeteners and added sugar, peanuts, eggs, dairy, and shellfish. I'll share my actual meal plan in a later post. The first 6 days were surprisingly easy.  I was amazed at how I felt.  I really thought I would be hungry and cranky but I wasn't at all.  It was the complete opposite.  I ate and felt satisfied, and I also didn't have hard cravings for things.  My skin got noticeably clearer and I was feeling a lot more energized and motivated.

By day 7 of the diet (4/7/14), I don't know what happened.  I had a stressful week and my energy level took a huge dip. I found myself so tired at work and craving sugar.  I notice that between 1-3pm my energy and motivation are at 0.  Someone was passing out candy at work on Monday and I had 3 laffy taffys and a jolly rancher.  It helped me a little. I also added a little creamer to my coffee.  That week my emotions were all over the place.  I got restless, anxious, bored; thankfully I started reading a new book which helped me de-stress a bit.  I then gave in on Wednesday and had a croissant with butter in the morning with my coffee.  I needed something warm and comforting. I noticed I felt gassy and sleepy.

Oh no!  Gluten!

Last week was a very low-energy week for me.  I went to the doctor on 4/10/14 and he told me he suspects I might have hypothyroidism; I am getting tested this week.  When in doubt, seek medical advice and attention.  I am hoping that's what it is because I really need to learn how to tackle this problem. It really makes no sense to feel this weak when I eat well.  I am going to continue with this diet and I'll count today (4/13/14) as my day 7.  I've already prepped for the week; I'm also traveling this week and am going to make a conscious effort to remain allergy-free while I'm away. I will keep you posted!

P.S: I am going to read The Hormone Cure which I also heard the podcast for on Underground Wellness.  I would love to learn more about hormonal imbalances and their effects.


By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps.  Check it out!