welcome Mel and follow her journey as a new Gluten Free-er

Alrighty I am going to post two photos for you. The first photo (below) was taken on March 3rd 2011. I had not started a gluten free diet. I have been on Amatiza (a medication to assist in going to the bathroom) due to digestive problems for two years at this point. I started messing around on GF in the summer and haven’t stopped since. Here is my before photo. I hated taking full body shots of myself because I was not happy with my body image. Pictured with me is my wonderful husband of 12 years Leon.

This is me now down from the picture below weighing in at 228lbs and now down to 176. I am not a marathon runner, I am a housewife. I don’t exercise much nor do I leave my home much. I am not proud to say so lol but it’s the honest truth. If I did imagine how much more drastic this picture would look! The only thing I changed in my lifestyle is knocking gluten out of my diet. I slip now and then and have a roll somewhere, or maybe some rice or whatnot and I notice a big difference in the way I feel. I do not have an allergy perse' but even someone who is not a gluten-intolerant person such as myself can reap benefits from living gluten free!

noticed my clothing beginning to get looser especially getting closer to Thanksgiving. I really didn’t take it seriously and just went about my day. I stepped on the scale in early December because I noticed I didn’t "swell" after Thanksgiving which really set off a light in my head. So I ventured to the bathroom and I stepped on the scale. Remember last time I weighed myself was maaaaaaaaaaaybe mid-September and it was 225ish. I was surprised to see the following image!I immediately went bezerk!

I posted this image on Facebook at the beginning of December and really started buckling down on GF! I kept pushing and pushing and minding what I ate. This picture was taken after Christmas, the holiday where we ALL belly up!

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I don’t plan on stopping. I can fully see the benefits of being gluten free. I feel better, I am in much better spirits and I poop every day! Yes I know that sounds horrid but trust me. Not being able to poop is a very disturbing thing, especially when your normal movements were once maybe twice a week if you were lucky. I have not taken Amatiza in over two weeks now and have still maintained a regular DAILY bathroom break! I am proof guys. I am not with a fitness trainer, I do not have a dietician, I am just a regular housewife here in NC and have dabbled in the GF lifestyle and am now proud to say I am living GLUTEN FREE!!!!!!!