Too Many Temptations

[sharilee]

I was diagnosed with celiac on February 22nd and have been on a gluten free diet since February 24th. I am doing fine with being gluten free at home but work is another story. First, there are girl scout cookies everywhere! Second, people keep bringing in pastries! Third, people who do not know I have celiac at work keep offering me goodies. It is so hard sometimes to resist. I have resisted but it has not been easy. The girl scout cookies have been especially difficult to resist. Most people at work who offer goodies, when I say no thank you, they say okay they are in the kitchen if you change your mind. Others are a little bit more pushy, if I tell them I have celiac that starts a whole long discussion about what it is, which is good in a way because I am educating others, but at the same time I am getting tired of explaining it. Not that I care if anyone knows, I just get tired of explaining it after a while. I have a co-worker who also has celiac and you would think my workplace would be a little mroe educated by now. She told me she went through the same thing after being diagnosed and alot of the people I am explaining what celiac is to, she explained celiac to them three years ago (guess they forgot or it when in one ear and out the other).

Just needed to vent a bit, a difficult day at work saying no and resisting temptation.

Does the temptations get any easier with time?

[Googles]

Hello.

I found the temptation went away with time. Especially after my cravings started going away. For the first year and a half or though after the initial cravings went away I would have really bad cravings when I got glutened. But luckily even those are gone now when I get glutened. I did find it annoying at times having to describe what celiac was. But when I really got annoyed by questions I would shorten the explanation down to something like "I have celiac, wheat, rye, and barley make me sick, so I can't have any". Putting it very succinctly should let others know that you aren't open to questions. I try to make sure I have something I enjoy eating when I know others are going to have food, that way I don't feel deprived. I hope you feel better soon.

[Lisa]

Yes, it does get easier. But you need to offer yourself some gluten free treats what will be the envy of all your office mates. There are some great recipes on the Baking Thread.

You are very new to the diet, but try to not let yourself feel deprives regarding foods to eat. And it takes time to find yourself on firm ground.

Take one day at a time and keep some DOVE Chocolates in your desk, and pop one when the Girl Scout Cookies come around.

[mamaw]

Hi

Lisa & Googles gave you somegood advice... it does get easier just don'tgive in to your co-workers. They will not get sick ----you will, so not woth it!

It's hard for people who honestly don't have celiac because it is hard to grasp(foreign) the idea that food can make someone very sick. And if its not them or a close loved one then they have no reason to remember ...

When I got Dx'd I had never heard of celiac before & it is mind boggling to think the staff of life was killing me & others like me....

I love to educate people on celiac.....it has even brought new freinds my way.....

I don't know it your are ready to put your hat in the baking arena yet but there are many recipes for girl scout type cookies the gluten-free version on the net.....

Buy some of your favorite treats that are gluten-free & keep them close by.. You don't ever want to feel food deprived.....

I just bought custard filled donuts from celiac specialties & they are so ooooo good........the other donuts are yummy as well...

good luck

mamaw

[Takala]

I associate cookies with feeling sick so it's not that difficult to say "no."

Parents have to buy the d*mned cookies and pass them off on somebody. Recently there were Girl Scouts pushing cookies at the lumber store AND the ski area this past week. I just say, sorry, no thanks, I can't eat them, and go on.

Just bring your own treats to counter it. Rice crispie type treats, for example, can be made gluten free with the correct type of puffed rice cereal (or rice cakes) and chocolate chips can be added. Grain free black bean chocolate Brownies can be made with mint frosting. Basic cookies are really not that hard to learn to make if you feel you have to have them, and can be made out of almost anything.

If you don't want to bake, go to the health food store and get some gluten free Midel Ginger Snaps or those k- too faux oreo type things.

[Lisa]

I'm currently addicted to Chex Honey Nut Cereal. I pour them in a large bowl (without milk) and chomp away. I can't wait to make "Chex"Krispy Treats out of them. I think it's the crunch I love!

[Marilyn R]

If it get's difficult in situations like this, remind yourself that you don't want to be a donut hoe!

A little piece of dark chocolate gets me through all those situations, even if I end up giving a couple of dollars or 50 cents to the seller for not buying the cookies that will hurt me.

(Hershey's Dark Chocolate Nuggets with Almonds is my current favorite, but I like other varieties too.)

Good luck fending of the cravings, it gets easier.

[sreese68]

Try to find French Meadow Bakery frozen chocolate chip gluten-free cookie dough. You just put the frozen cookie on a pan and bake. They are WONDERFUL! Had gluten-eating guests over awhile ago, and these cookies were devoured. (Our entire home is gluten-free.)

Yes, avoiding temptation gets easier. After awhile you forget what some foods taste like. Bread on the grocery aisle may start to smell odd to you. Little things like that.

I tell people I'll see a lot that I have celiac and explain it and explain that even a bread crumb can set off my immune system. If it's someone I'll never see again like at a cocktail party, it's easier to say I have food allergies. It's shorter, and people get it better.

[Skylark]

Yes, it gets much easier with time. Gluten stops looking like food. I would no sooner eat a kitchen sponge than a regular cookie. Come to think of it, the kitchen sponge would probably make me less sick! Until it becomes easy, as everyone else has said it helps to bring gluten-free cookies or some chocolate in to work so you have something safe when temptation strikes.

[Monael]

One way I have found that makes it easy to resist No-No's is to focus on what I can have. Try keeping candies and treats that you can have around so that when they offer a cookie you can resist and reach in your drawer for something yummy. I love chocolate so that makes it easy.

[birdie22]

I agree, it does get easier. I'm 4mo into this. I have 2 boxes of Thin Mints in my cupboard at home that I bought just days before going gluten-free. My kids eat them. Sometimes I look at the box and feel sad because I love love love those cookies, but it just isn't worth it to me to have one. We also have a weekly staff meeting that we take turns bringing a treat too. I have 2 coworkers who bless them try to bring something gluten-free (store bought so I trust it) but my other coworkers could care less and bring donuts and bagels. I always bring something for myself and eat it happily. I do focus on what I love that I can still have: reese's peanut butter cups (my fav candy), fritos, wine, quite a few ice cream flavors I love.

[Metoo]

We have the girl scout cookies lingering here too.

I miss a lot of donuts, bagels, cookies, cakes...etc. But then everytime I see everyone scrumptiously stuffing their faces, I realize that I don't 'celebrate' with food as much anymore, and that maybe thats healthier, and that I will be healthier in the long run with not eating all those treats.

My other tactic besides just trying to think about it in a positive light. I keep a drawer full of gluten-free oatmeal, gluten-free popcorn, and usually a small can of dr pepper or something, so that if I just simply can't stave off the feeling for a treat after seeing all of that I will pick something out of that drawer. Or go have a coffee.

i consider my treats now stuff I make at home, gluten-free pizza (this is big on my treat list now!) or gluten-free brownies (I have 4 boxes of mix at home, just in case =) )

[GottaSki]

It will get easier with time...those first few months I was close to tears in the grocery store and found it really hard to avoid the office treats.

My office chair has a permanent sign on it -- just in case someone new hasn't got the word that microscopic amounts of food on their hands can make me quite ill. Says something like

"If you touch anything on my desk (keyboard, mouse, stapler, tape), borrow a pen or sit in my chair -- PLEASE USE THE cleaning products located under my monitor to thoroughly wipe down everywhere you touched -- don't forget the armrests of my chair! I am not a neat freak -- I am however highly allergic to many different food items and will become VERY ill should residue from these items be left on my desk. Thank you "

Since I have the sign - no one touches a thing in my office ~ I never even have pens disappear anymore Added benefit is some other coworkers have announced that they have severe food allergies (nut, etc) and were afraid to make it known -- always living in fear that someone was munching nuts and then using their computer or touching their stuff! I have found it is always good to educate those around us -- some people just don't get how serious it is until they really listen or hear it from several sources.

[sharilee]

Thank you everyone for the words of advice and encouragement!

[Kim69]

Hi sharilee. I agree with the other posters. I too was regularly in tears at the supermarket and especially when travelling (work or holidays) trying to find something cheap and easy for lunch.

Be kind to yourself and allow yourself small treats. But - sorry for the but - reaccess your situation in a year or so. Hopefully you won't be like me but I have found I am healthiest if I avoid all the gluten-free cereals (fructose syrup is in a lot of them and makes me sick), cookies and cakes. I am now on a whole food diet to lose the weight I put on from those yummy gluten-free treats lol.

I am really enjoying my diet now. Fresh Fruit and yogurt for breakfast. Salad and chicken, salmon or ham for lunch. Stir fried veggies, tofu, chicken or fish on a big bowl of mixed greens for dinner. Mixed nuts and fruit for snacks. I truly enjoy this diet and am not hungry. And I don't envy other people being able to eat pastries and bread.

Be patient. Be kind to yourself and do have treats while you are feeling deprived. Reaccess in a year or so.

[ndw3363]

I agree with Kim...I've changed over to a whole foods diet (mostly) and it really does make a difference. There are days, like today, that I desperately wish I could get a pizza or Chinese food cause I'm exhausted and really don't want to cook tonight. But I'll just broil up some fish (takes less than 10 minutes) and have that with veggies - I'll feel much better than I would if I had greasy chinese!! Most super sweet stuff doesn't even sound appealing anymore. Once you beat those sugar cravings back with a stick (and they should have rehab for kicking sugar addictions...just sayin), they tend to stay gone until you eat something really sweet. Good Luck!!

[Jetamio]

These tips are all so good. I've done much better in my second week after bringing in a few things I know are "safe" to keep in my desk in case I can't get to lunch and my blood sugar drops. A few small pieces of dark chocolate have been heaven this week when I started craving something sweet. Hang in there, one day at a time right?

[birdie22]

And don't forget to bring in some scrumptious gluten-free treats for your friends/coworkers and surprise them with just how good gluten-free can be. Today was my day for treats for staff meeting. I made Pamela's chocolate chunk brownies. People raved about how good they were. They had no idea they were gluten-free. And I agree that your tastes start to change too. I had a brownie but all I needed was a small piece and it satisfied my chocolate craving.

[sharilee]

Thank you again everyone for the support and advice

[mamaw]

Sharilee

As I just looked at your kitty pic --- it must be my kitty's twin!!!!! Our kitty is so kind to let us live with him...& also to allow us to buy gluten-free food for us humans just as long as he gets wild alaskan salmon & grain free kitty foods.....

[Lisa]

Sharilee

As I just looked at your kitty pic --- it must be my kitty's twin!!!!! Our kitty is so kind to let us live with him...& also to allow us to buy gluten-free food for us humans just as long as he gets wild alaskan salmon & grain free kitty foods.....

*like* ....oh, sorry, I get confused sometimes where I am.

[sharilee]

Thank you, my picture is my Toby Joe, he passed away on September 10, 2009 at the age of 14, he was baby and I will always love him and miss him. He was a great kitty so loving and affectionate.