October 9, 2025 • 15 mins
The first 30 days gluten-free can feel overwhelming — you’re cleaning out the pantry, reading labels like a detective, and maybe even wondering if you’ll ever feel normal again. But here’s the good news: those first weeks can also be a time of big wins if you know what to expect.
In today’s episode, I’ll share the changes you might notice in your body, the challenges that trip people up, and practical tips to not just survive — but thrive — in your first month gluten-free. And stick with me until the end, because I’ll share the one thing that made the biggest difference for me in those early days.
Mentioned Resources
EP 13: https://theglutenfreeengineer.com/post/hidden-gluten-where-contamination-lurks-in-your-kitchen
EP 15: https://theglutenfreeengineer.com/post/the-emotional-side-of-going-gluten-free
This episode is brought to you by Find Me Gluten Free—your go-to app for discovering safe, gluten-free dining options wherever you go!
Get your exclusive discount for our listeners at theglutenfreeengineer.com/findmeglutenfree
Because dinning out gluten-free shouldn’t be a guessing game!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Carrie (00:00):
Quick reminder before we get started on this episode.
This podcast is based on mypersonal experiences and isn't
medical advice.
Whether you're celiac or goinggluten-free for other reasons,
the first 30 days of gluten-freecan feel overwhelming.
You may be cleaning out thepantry, you might be reading
labels like a detective, andmaybe even wondering if you'll
(00:21):
ever feel normal again.
But here's the good news (00:22):
those first weeks can also be a time
of big wins if you know what toexpect.
In today's episode, I'll sharethe changes you might notice in
your body, the challenges thattrip people up, and practical
tips to not just survive but tothrive in your first month
gluten-free.
And stick with me to the endbecause I'll share the one thing
that made the biggestdifference for me in those early
(00:44):
days.
Let's dive in.
Welcome to the Gluten FreeEngineer Podcast.
I'm your host, Carrie Saunders.
In 2011, I was diagnosed withceliac disease, a moment that
changed everything.
But I was determined not to letit hold me back.
With my two engineeringdegrees, I set out to reverse
engineer the gluten-freelifestyle, breaking down
recipes, safety tips, travelhacks, and everything in between
(01:07):
to rebuild a life I love.
Whether you have celiacdisease, gluten intolerance, or
simply choose to livegluten-free, this podcast is for
you.
Join me each week as wesimplify the gluten-free
lifestyle, make it fun, andprove that you don't have to
miss out on anything.
Welcome back to the show.
Today we're talking about thefirst 30 days of going
gluten-free, whether you are anewly diagnosed celiac or you
(01:31):
are making that diet change forother reasons, other health
reasons in your life.
And what you might find ifyou're especially if you're
going gluten-free cold turkey,which is not what I did, but I
have witnessed and seen otherpeople do that.
I didn't realize I had to gogluten-free cold turkey because
at first I accidentally wentgluten-free, didn't realize had
(01:52):
celiac.
But when you go cold turkey,gluten-free, you're going to be
in the detox and overwhelmphase.
This is like can be the hardestweek.
And if you get through thisweek, you're going to start
making momentum.
You may be cleaning out glutenfrom your pantry, from your
fridge, from your routine.
(02:12):
You may be thinking about howdo I have breakfast without
gluten?
How do I have lunch withoutgluten?
What do I do in this situation?
So it's a really good idea totry to think through those
situations, not to overwhelmyourself it, but from an
opportunity standpoint, what aremy opportunities for change?
How can I make this changeeasier?
(02:33):
So as long as you're focusingon making it easier, it's going
to be a bit just well, plainlyeasier on you mentally.
And whenever we see somethingthat is such a significant
change is a major roadblock inour lives, no matter what it is,
it can really make it moredifficult to go through that um
change that's happening, whetherit's a new health diagnosis or
(02:56):
some other situation in yourlife that is a major change for
you.
So always have a very positiveattitude when it comes to what
are your next steps with beinggluten-free and how can you make
this easier.
You might also in that firstweek get gluten withdrawal
symptoms that can includeheadaches, fatigue, and mood
(03:17):
swings.
You may feel worse before youfeel better, especially if
you're celiac.
And that's completely normal.
Our bodies at gut biome, I'mlearning a lot lately by reading
some doctor's books, reallywant to try to keep themselves
alive.
You know, it's just like anormal organism out there.
They want to keep themselvesalive.
(03:38):
So they crave the things thatare feeding them.
So there are certain bacteriathat live off of gluten and like
a gluten um type of cards, thebest.
So those bacteria that is inyour stomach, the digestive
bacteria, is going to get kindof angry at you that you're
starting to starve it.
Now, in the end, this is a goodthing because that's not the
(03:58):
bacteria you really want in yourstomach anyway.
You know, we want to havebecause that's just not
compatible with you.
So you just know that you mighthave some, you know, you might
kind of feel flu-ish that firstweek.
Um, I'm sure you probably heardof the keto diet and having
keto flu.
That's part of this.
You may you kind of may feellike a keto type of flu.
(04:19):
You might also get veryoverwhelmed and you might have
fear of eating the wrong thingif you're celiac.
You might have grief overfavorite foods, no matter the
reason that you're goinggluten-free.
And this is really normal.
And we actually have an episodeabout the grief that comes
behind um going gluten-free,especially when it's a medical
(04:40):
diagnosis and not, you know, achoice that you've made for your
own for health reasons.
So just know that there's goingto be potentially some
emotional overwhelm.
Have some trusted best friendor your spouse or partner who is
there and ready to support youduring those times.
It's really going to make it alot more helpful if you find
(05:00):
somebody, even if they're not inyour immediate family.
Maybe your immediate familydoesn't quite get it or
understand.
But I bet you can find a friendout there that can understand.
And you're always welcome tojoin our free Facebook group.
Uh, just look for thegluten-free engineer to find
support in there too.
And then in week two, you'llkind of get more into the
learning mode, likely.
You will start getting betterat reading the labels.
(05:22):
You will be able to find hiddengluten a bit better.
Um, you might find it insauces, dressings, and
seasonings.
We have some episodes on whereyou can find hidden gluten and
some places to watch out for.
So if you're new to beinggluten-free, definitely check
that one out.
You're going to want to bediscovering naturally
gluten-free foods that feelsafe.
That is going to really helpyou make this transition.
(05:44):
So go for single ingredientfoods.
That's the easiest way to begluten-free is single ingredient
foods, like an apple, a banana,an orange, salad, um, maybe the
cheese that's on top of it now.
Much, much of those cheeses arenot single ingredients.
So I'm going to give you alittle exception there, just for
some taste, if you can toleratecheese.
(06:05):
But I it's pretty rare thatcheese has gluten in it.
Just avoid like blue cheese andstuff like that because the
mold is grown on wheat sometimesthere.
But you want to add some thingsmaybe to your salad that are
single ingredients.
Um, maybe it's carrots, maybeit's celery, maybe it's bell
peppers.
Um, and then when you want toadd something else into it, I'm
(06:28):
kind of squirreling here on thesalad because I kind of got
stuck on salads lately when I'meating.
Um, make sure you find agluten-free dressing so that you
are satisfied.
I know a lot of people can'teat salads without dressing.
I am one of those weird oneswho can.
It doesn't really bother methat much.
Although I do enjoy a very goodranch or some sort of
vinaigrette.
Um, but Tessame brand andPrimal Kitchen are great at
(06:50):
being gluten-free.
So look for those if you arehaving a hard time determining
whether a salad dressing hasgluten in it or not.
Okay, back to single ingredientfoods.
I a little bit went on atangent there, um, but I want to
make sure we have enjoyablefood too.
So other single ingredientfoods would be like potatoes.
Um, we could be putting in theprotein of your choice, provided
(07:11):
it is not modified, it is not,you know, marinated, it is
there's nothing done to it.
It's just literally a chunk ofchicken or beef or pork, um, and
nothing else has been done toit.
So those single ingredientfoods can really make it super
simple for you at first, untilyou might want to add in a
little bit of somewhat processedfoods.
I do like to talk on thepodcast about, you know,
(07:34):
minimally processed is so muchbetter for us in the long run
and in general.
And it makes it a lot easierwhen you're gluten-free to find
gluten-free items when you getminimally processed things,
things that are like fiveingredients or less.
And I find my tummy feelsbetter that way too.
And then I want you to findyour first go-to meals that make
your life easier.
What would you love to have forbreakfast, for example?
(07:57):
What could you eat every dayfor breakfast so you don't have
to decide how to eat agluten-free breakfast?
And then maybe you rotate itthe next week.
It depends on who you are.
But me personally, I can eatthe same thing for breakfast
every day.
I just really don't even likebreakfast.
And it just is just fuel for myday.
So I eat um a couple things ofuh chicken or pork sausage that
(08:17):
I know are gluten-free, andthat's it.
I just eat two pieces ofsausage and some water and I'm
done.
That's my breakfast.
Um, but I know a lot of peoplelike to have a more fulfilling
and bigger breakfast.
So, what is that for you?
What would you love to eatevery day?
Is it um eggs and maybe agluten-free toast with uh
something simple like butter orjelly on it?
(08:39):
You know, is it um avocadotoast?
You know, what is it that isfor you?
And make sure it's you know,obviously certified gluten-free
if you're going to go thatroute.
And then repeat the same thingfor lunch.
You know, maybe you have asimple rotation for lunch.
We want to make the decision totake small here.
We want to minimize it as muchas possible, especially those
(09:00):
first weeks going gluten-free.
I would recommend not gettingtoo adventurous, just so you can
keep things simple.
Obviously, we want to stillhave fun and reward ourselves,
but still keep it pretty simpleso that you are feeling better
and you're not too um having todecide too many things too much.
And then in week three, youmight see some small wins.
(09:21):
You're gonna see your digestionprobably improve.
You're gonna probably seebloating decreases.
You may even have seen that inweek two as you get gluten out
of your body, because when it'snot supposed to be in our
bodies, when our bodies are nottolerant to it, it can cause all
kinds of weird stuff, includingbloating and just feeling meh,
just very meh.
(09:41):
Um, more energy you'll probablyfind that you have that brain
fog is probably going to startto lift.
I remember when I first wentgluten-free accidentally, it was
like the world was in highdefinition again.
I don't know how else todescribe it, other than I didn't
feel like I had like this fogaround my peripheral vision.
(10:02):
And in in literally my visionitself, it seemed like, as well
as my mental vision, if thatmakes sense.
So you're gonna see some ofthat brain fog uh getting lifted
and you're gonna start feelingbetter there.
You're gonna probably startgetting some confidence as you
navigate restaurants or grocerystores.
And I also want to say heretoo, you're gonna gain that
(10:24):
confidence, but also expectyou'll might mess up later.
Just don't beat yourself upfrom it and you know figure out
what what went wrong.
What could you do better tomake um make make it so you
don't actually get likeaccidentally get gluten or
something like that?
So I want your confidence togrow.
I want you to feel good aboutyour choices and how you're
(10:47):
making your choices, but don'tlike beat yourself up if you
make a mistake.
I've made mistakes so manytimes, it's not even funny.
Obviously, I try to learn fromit and not repeat that same
mistake again, but I also don'twant you to get down on yourself
because this is a hard process.
If you make a mistake, let'ssay, you know, how do we fix
this?
Where do we go with this next?
What could I do better?
How can do I need to preparesomething?
(11:08):
Should I have brought a snack?
You know, what are all thesethings?
We talk about this in one ofour episodes.
How can we help whenever wemade a mistake and learn from
it?
And then in week four, you'regonna get even more confidence
and more into a routine.
I feel like about four weeks iswhen, oh my goodness, I just
felt so, so good.
And I felt like I had thisdown.
(11:30):
I felt like I was doing sowell.
You're gonna get more into arhythm, you're gonna find your
favorite products, your mealsand snacks that you love.
This is gonna be a wonderfulweek for you.
I feel like I feel like formost people, week four is really
good.
You're gonna also be able tosee how much better you feel,
and that's gonna be a motivationto keep going.
Um, some people ask me, how doyou not even want that donut or
(11:55):
that, you know, croissants orwhatever it might be, or that
bread at that restaurant.
And I just tell them, I said,it makes me feel so bad that I
just don't even want it.
So once you've detoxed enough,you're gonna probably get to a
point eventually where, and itmay not be at four weeks, it
could be longer.
It kind of depends upon yourupbringing, who you are, and how
(12:19):
you deal with these things andhow your body reacts too.
But you will eventually get toa point where it's like, I feel
terrible if I even have a littletiny crumb or a little tiny
bite.
It's just not even worth it.
And so you won't even want todo it.
So you're gonna really get intoa great routine and rhythm, and
you're gonna really feel howmuch better that you feel
afterwards, and that's gonnahelp you keep going.
(12:40):
And I want you to startfocusing on thriving at this
point and not just survivingbecause the first few weeks
you're gonna more feel likeyou're in survival mode.
How do I do this?
How do I get this right?
But then as you get in theroutine and you get more
confidence, you're gonna be moreon thriving.
So, how can you thrive morehere?
And then, so I want to give youa little bit of tips for the
(13:01):
first 30 days on how to thrivethroughout it.
I want you to plan simple mealsto avoid overwhelm, like we
talked about earlier.
I want you to always carry safesnacks to prevent getting stuck
hungry somewhere where youcan't find something safe to
eat.
I want you to also join asupport group or an online
community like our Facebookgroup, the Gluten Free Engineer,
for encouragement.
(13:22):
And I want you to give yourselfgrace.
Mistakes can happen and theyprobably will.
And each one is there to teachyou something.
How can you fix it?
How can you avoid this in thefuture?
And if you're just startingyour gluten-free journey, you
don't have to do it alone.
Every few weeks I send out agluten-free newsletter with
recipes, product finds, andencouragements to make the
(13:43):
transition easier.
Go ahead and sign up attheglutenfreeengineer.com so you
always have support and newideas in your inbox.
And then here's the one thingthat made the biggest difference
for me in the first 30 days waskeeping a list of safe go-to
meals and snacks, whether it wason my fridge or on my counter.
In those early weeks, decisionfatigue is definitely real.
(14:05):
So having a list I could glanceat look, you know, took away
the stress of what do I eat andmade everything more manageable
because we don't want you stuckworried about what to eat next.
Thank you for listening to thisepisode of the Gluten Free
Engineer.
If you found value in thisstory, please share it with
someone who might needencouragement on their own
(14:26):
gluten-free journey.
For more tips, recipes,resources, and even links to my
YouTube channel, head on over totheglutenfreeengineer.com.
It's your one-stop hub to makegluten-free living simple, fun,
and full of flavor.
And don't forget to subscribeso you never miss out on an
episode.
And we will see you next week.
(14:47):
The Gluten Free EngineerPodcast is for informational and
entertainment purposes only.
I share my personal experiencesand stories about living with
celiac disease and navigating agluten free lifestyle.
This podcast does not providemedical advice.
Always consult with a qualifiedhealth care professional for
medical questions, concerns, oradvice specific to your health.
Quick reminder before we get started on this episode.
This podcast is based on mypersonal experiences and isn't
medical advice.
Whether you're celiac or goinggluten-free for other reasons,
the first 30 days of gluten-freecan feel overwhelming.
You may be cleaning out thepantry, you might be reading
labels like a detective, andmaybe even wondering if you'll
(00:21):
ever feel normal again.
But here's the good news (00:22):
those first weeks can also be a time
of big wins if you know what toexpect.
In today's episode, I'll sharethe changes you might notice in
your body, the challenges thattrip people up, and practical
tips to not just survive but tothrive in your first month
gluten-free.
And stick with me to the endbecause I'll share the one thing
that made the biggestdifference for me in those early
(00:44):
days.
Let's dive in.
Welcome to the Gluten FreeEngineer Podcast.
I'm your host, Carrie Saunders.
In 2011, I was diagnosed withceliac disease, a moment that
changed everything.
But I was determined not to letit hold me back.
With my two engineeringdegrees, I set out to reverse
engineer the gluten-freelifestyle, breaking down
recipes, safety tips, travelhacks, and everything in between
(01:07):
to rebuild a life I love.
Whether you have celiacdisease, gluten intolerance, or
simply choose to livegluten-free, this podcast is for
you.
Join me each week as wesimplify the gluten-free
lifestyle, make it fun, andprove that you don't have to
miss out on anything.
Welcome back to the show.
Today we're talking about thefirst 30 days of going
gluten-free, whether you are anewly diagnosed celiac or you
(01:31):
are making that diet change forother reasons, other health
reasons in your life.
And what you might find ifyou're especially if you're
going gluten-free cold turkey,which is not what I did, but I
have witnessed and seen otherpeople do that.
I didn't realize I had to gogluten-free cold turkey because
at first I accidentally wentgluten-free, didn't realize had
(01:52):
celiac.
But when you go cold turkey,gluten-free, you're going to be
in the detox and overwhelmphase.
This is like can be the hardestweek.
And if you get through thisweek, you're going to start
making momentum.
You may be cleaning out glutenfrom your pantry, from your
fridge, from your routine.
(02:12):
You may be thinking about howdo I have breakfast without
gluten?
How do I have lunch withoutgluten?
What do I do in this situation?
So it's a really good idea totry to think through those
situations, not to overwhelmyourself it, but from an
opportunity standpoint, what aremy opportunities for change?
How can I make this changeeasier?
(02:33):
So as long as you're focusingon making it easier, it's going
to be a bit just well, plainlyeasier on you mentally.
And whenever we see somethingthat is such a significant
change is a major roadblock inour lives, no matter what it is,
it can really make it moredifficult to go through that um
change that's happening, whetherit's a new health diagnosis or
(02:56):
some other situation in yourlife that is a major change for
you.
So always have a very positiveattitude when it comes to what
are your next steps with beinggluten-free and how can you make
this easier.
You might also in that firstweek get gluten withdrawal
symptoms that can includeheadaches, fatigue, and mood
(03:17):
swings.
You may feel worse before youfeel better, especially if
you're celiac.
And that's completely normal.
Our bodies at gut biome, I'mlearning a lot lately by reading
some doctor's books, reallywant to try to keep themselves
alive.
You know, it's just like anormal organism out there.
They want to keep themselvesalive.
(03:38):
So they crave the things thatare feeding them.
So there are certain bacteriathat live off of gluten and like
a gluten um type of cards, thebest.
So those bacteria that is inyour stomach, the digestive
bacteria, is going to get kindof angry at you that you're
starting to starve it.
Now, in the end, this is a goodthing because that's not the
(03:58):
bacteria you really want in yourstomach anyway.
You know, we want to havebecause that's just not
compatible with you.
So you just know that you mighthave some, you know, you might
kind of feel flu-ish that firstweek.
Um, I'm sure you probably heardof the keto diet and having
keto flu.
That's part of this.
You may you kind of may feellike a keto type of flu.
(04:19):
You might also get veryoverwhelmed and you might have
fear of eating the wrong thingif you're celiac.
You might have grief overfavorite foods, no matter the
reason that you're goinggluten-free.
And this is really normal.
And we actually have an episodeabout the grief that comes
behind um going gluten-free,especially when it's a medical
(04:40):
diagnosis and not, you know, achoice that you've made for your
own for health reasons.
So just know that there's goingto be potentially some
emotional overwhelm.
Have some trusted best friendor your spouse or partner who is
there and ready to support youduring those times.
It's really going to make it alot more helpful if you find
(05:00):
somebody, even if they're not inyour immediate family.
Maybe your immediate familydoesn't quite get it or
understand.
But I bet you can find a friendout there that can understand.
And you're always welcome tojoin our free Facebook group.
Uh, just look for thegluten-free engineer to find
support in there too.
And then in week two, you'llkind of get more into the
learning mode, likely.
You will start getting betterat reading the labels.
(05:22):
You will be able to find hiddengluten a bit better.
Um, you might find it insauces, dressings, and
seasonings.
We have some episodes on whereyou can find hidden gluten and
some places to watch out for.
So if you're new to beinggluten-free, definitely check
that one out.
You're going to want to bediscovering naturally
gluten-free foods that feelsafe.
That is going to really helpyou make this transition.
(05:44):
So go for single ingredientfoods.
That's the easiest way to begluten-free is single ingredient
foods, like an apple, a banana,an orange, salad, um, maybe the
cheese that's on top of it now.
Much, much of those cheeses arenot single ingredients.
So I'm going to give you alittle exception there, just for
some taste, if you can toleratecheese.
(06:05):
But I it's pretty rare thatcheese has gluten in it.
Just avoid like blue cheese andstuff like that because the
mold is grown on wheat sometimesthere.
But you want to add some thingsmaybe to your salad that are
single ingredients.
Um, maybe it's carrots, maybeit's celery, maybe it's bell
peppers.
Um, and then when you want toadd something else into it, I'm
(06:28):
kind of squirreling here on thesalad because I kind of got
stuck on salads lately when I'meating.
Um, make sure you find agluten-free dressing so that you
are satisfied.
I know a lot of people can'teat salads without dressing.
I am one of those weird oneswho can.
It doesn't really bother methat much.
Although I do enjoy a very goodranch or some sort of
vinaigrette.
Um, but Tessame brand andPrimal Kitchen are great at
(06:50):
being gluten-free.
So look for those if you arehaving a hard time determining
whether a salad dressing hasgluten in it or not.
Okay, back to single ingredientfoods.
I a little bit went on atangent there, um, but I want to
make sure we have enjoyablefood too.
So other single ingredientfoods would be like potatoes.
Um, we could be putting in theprotein of your choice, provided
(07:11):
it is not modified, it is not,you know, marinated, it is
there's nothing done to it.
It's just literally a chunk ofchicken or beef or pork, um, and
nothing else has been done toit.
So those single ingredientfoods can really make it super
simple for you at first, untilyou might want to add in a
little bit of somewhat processedfoods.
I do like to talk on thepodcast about, you know,
(07:34):
minimally processed is so muchbetter for us in the long run
and in general.
And it makes it a lot easierwhen you're gluten-free to find
gluten-free items when you getminimally processed things,
things that are like fiveingredients or less.
And I find my tummy feelsbetter that way too.
And then I want you to findyour first go-to meals that make
your life easier.
What would you love to have forbreakfast, for example?
(07:57):
What could you eat every dayfor breakfast so you don't have
to decide how to eat agluten-free breakfast?
And then maybe you rotate itthe next week.
It depends on who you are.
But me personally, I can eatthe same thing for breakfast
every day.
I just really don't even likebreakfast.
And it just is just fuel for myday.
So I eat um a couple things ofuh chicken or pork sausage that
(08:17):
I know are gluten-free, andthat's it.
I just eat two pieces ofsausage and some water and I'm
done.
That's my breakfast.
Um, but I know a lot of peoplelike to have a more fulfilling
and bigger breakfast.
So, what is that for you?
What would you love to eatevery day?
Is it um eggs and maybe agluten-free toast with uh
something simple like butter orjelly on it?
(08:39):
You know, is it um avocadotoast?
You know, what is it that isfor you?
And make sure it's you know,obviously certified gluten-free
if you're going to go thatroute.
And then repeat the same thingfor lunch.
You know, maybe you have asimple rotation for lunch.
We want to make the decision totake small here.
We want to minimize it as muchas possible, especially those
(09:00):
first weeks going gluten-free.
I would recommend not gettingtoo adventurous, just so you can
keep things simple.
Obviously, we want to stillhave fun and reward ourselves,
but still keep it pretty simpleso that you are feeling better
and you're not too um having todecide too many things too much.
And then in week three, youmight see some small wins.
(09:21):
You're gonna see your digestionprobably improve.
You're gonna probably seebloating decreases.
You may even have seen that inweek two as you get gluten out
of your body, because when it'snot supposed to be in our
bodies, when our bodies are nottolerant to it, it can cause all
kinds of weird stuff, includingbloating and just feeling meh,
just very meh.
(09:41):
Um, more energy you'll probablyfind that you have that brain
fog is probably going to startto lift.
I remember when I first wentgluten-free accidentally, it was
like the world was in highdefinition again.
I don't know how else todescribe it, other than I didn't
feel like I had like this fogaround my peripheral vision.
(10:02):
And in in literally my visionitself, it seemed like, as well
as my mental vision, if thatmakes sense.
So you're gonna see some ofthat brain fog uh getting lifted
and you're gonna start feelingbetter there.
You're gonna probably startgetting some confidence as you
navigate restaurants or grocerystores.
And I also want to say heretoo, you're gonna gain that
(10:24):
confidence, but also expectyou'll might mess up later.
Just don't beat yourself upfrom it and you know figure out
what what went wrong.
What could you do better tomake um make make it so you
don't actually get likeaccidentally get gluten or
something like that?
So I want your confidence togrow.
I want you to feel good aboutyour choices and how you're
(10:47):
making your choices, but don'tlike beat yourself up if you
make a mistake.
I've made mistakes so manytimes, it's not even funny.
Obviously, I try to learn fromit and not repeat that same
mistake again, but I also don'twant you to get down on yourself
because this is a hard process.
If you make a mistake, let'ssay, you know, how do we fix
this?
Where do we go with this next?
What could I do better?
How can do I need to preparesomething?
(11:08):
Should I have brought a snack?
You know, what are all thesethings?
We talk about this in one ofour episodes.
How can we help whenever wemade a mistake and learn from
it?
And then in week four, you'regonna get even more confidence
and more into a routine.
I feel like about four weeks iswhen, oh my goodness, I just
felt so, so good.
And I felt like I had thisdown.
(11:30):
I felt like I was doing sowell.
You're gonna get more into arhythm, you're gonna find your
favorite products, your mealsand snacks that you love.
This is gonna be a wonderfulweek for you.
I feel like I feel like formost people, week four is really
good.
You're gonna also be able tosee how much better you feel,
and that's gonna be a motivationto keep going.
Um, some people ask me, how doyou not even want that donut or
(11:55):
that, you know, croissants orwhatever it might be, or that
bread at that restaurant.
And I just tell them, I said,it makes me feel so bad that I
just don't even want it.
So once you've detoxed enough,you're gonna probably get to a
point eventually where, and itmay not be at four weeks, it
could be longer.
It kind of depends upon yourupbringing, who you are, and how
(12:19):
you deal with these things andhow your body reacts too.
But you will eventually get toa point where it's like, I feel
terrible if I even have a littletiny crumb or a little tiny
bite.
It's just not even worth it.
And so you won't even want todo it.
So you're gonna really get intoa great routine and rhythm, and
you're gonna really feel howmuch better that you feel
afterwards, and that's gonnahelp you keep going.
(12:40):
And I want you to startfocusing on thriving at this
point and not just survivingbecause the first few weeks
you're gonna more feel likeyou're in survival mode.
How do I do this?
How do I get this right?
But then as you get in theroutine and you get more
confidence, you're gonna be moreon thriving.
So, how can you thrive morehere?
And then, so I want to give youa little bit of tips for the
(13:01):
first 30 days on how to thrivethroughout it.
I want you to plan simple mealsto avoid overwhelm, like we
talked about earlier.
I want you to always carry safesnacks to prevent getting stuck
hungry somewhere where youcan't find something safe to
eat.
I want you to also join asupport group or an online
community like our Facebookgroup, the Gluten Free Engineer,
for encouragement.
(13:22):
And I want you to give yourselfgrace.
Mistakes can happen and theyprobably will.
And each one is there to teachyou something.
How can you fix it?
How can you avoid this in thefuture?
And if you're just startingyour gluten-free journey, you
don't have to do it alone.
Every few weeks I send out agluten-free newsletter with
recipes, product finds, andencouragements to make the
(13:43):
transition easier.
Go ahead and sign up attheglutenfreeengineer.com so you
always have support and newideas in your inbox.
And then here's the one thingthat made the biggest difference
for me in the first 30 days waskeeping a list of safe go-to
meals and snacks, whether it wason my fridge or on my counter.
In those early weeks, decisionfatigue is definitely real.
(14:05):
So having a list I could glanceat look, you know, took away
the stress of what do I eat andmade everything more manageable
because we don't want you stuckworried about what to eat next.
Thank you for listening to thisepisode of the Gluten Free
Engineer.
If you found value in thisstory, please share it with
someone who might needencouragement on their own
(14:26):
gluten-free journey.
For more tips, recipes,resources, and even links to my
YouTube channel, head on over totheglutenfreeengineer.com.
It's your one-stop hub to makegluten-free living simple, fun,
and full of flavor.
And don't forget to subscribeso you never miss out on an
episode.
And we will see you next week.
(14:47):
The Gluten Free EngineerPodcast is for informational and
entertainment purposes only.
I share my personal experiencesand stories about living with
celiac disease and navigating agluten free lifestyle.
This podcast does not providemedical advice.
Always consult with a qualifiedhealth care professional for
medical questions, concerns, oradvice specific to your health.
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