Elimination Diet - Any Tips, Advice, Recipes?

[Aly1]

I am gearing up to do a strict elimination diet leaving only non nightshade veggies, lamb and turkey, and maybe brown rice (not sure in an part with that one, though I probably should.) This is going to be tough because I really don't like proteins and only eat them because I should. It's really important that I don't lose any weight because I am down to a gaunt 100 lbs and struggle to keep that on to begin with...

I'd really appreciate any advice from anyone who's been there, done that. How to eat during the 3 weeks I do this? Any pitfalls to avoid? I'm dreading this. Maybe there's nothing anyone can tell me, but I thought I'd check in here first...

[stri8ed]

If possible, try to rotate the foods you are eating. When I did an elimination diet, I was eating copious amounts of brown rice every day, and soon my body developed an intolerance to rice. Thats not to say you will have this problem, but If you do have multiple relatively "new" food sensitivities I would give this some thought.

With regards to not loosing too much weight, I think it would be a good idea to keep as much of the animal fat as possible, as fats are very calorie dense. Also, sweet potatoes are a great source of calories and they are not nightshade.

[Aly1]

Unfortunately I really hate sweet potatoes! . You hit the nail on the head about brown rice - I eat it all the time - and suspect I should do a trial without it. But I don't eat any other grains so I'd be down to just veggies and meat...unappealing thought.

[cahill]

When I did my strict elimitation diet I ate ground lamb ( easier for me to digest ) white rice ( again for me eaiser on the tummy) pea,carrots, canned peaches . I also ( now that I think about ) used olive oil to make these foods into a stir fry . No coffee ,tea or other dirink execpt water.

The key here is strict.

You will need the rice or sweet potatos ( or something carb heavy ) for the calories.

I ate ONLY these foods for about two months before starting to add foods back ONE at a time. And would wait about a week to 10 days after I reinterduce a food before I would declare it a safe food.

A very very slow process but necessary for some of us.

Three weeks is not long enough for an elimination diet ( from My personal experience), it can take longer than three weeks for reactions from foods to clear out of your body.

[cahill]

If possible, try to rotate the foods you are eating. When I did an elimination diet, I was eating copious amounts of brown rice every day, and soon my body developed an intolerance to rice. Thats not to say you will have this problem, but If you do have multiple relatively "new" food sensitivities I would give this some thought.

With regards to not loosing too much weight, I think it would be a good idea to keep as much of the animal fat as possible, as fats are very calorie dense. Also, sweet potatoes are a great source of calories and they are not nightshade.

A rotation diet is different than an strict elimination diet.

While rotating foods can be helpfull in some circumstances,,, to idenify an intolerance an elimitation diet is best.

[Aly1]

When I did my strict elimitation diet I ate ground lamb ( easier for me to digest ) white rice ( again for me eaiser on the tummy) pea,carrots, canned peaches . I also ( now that I think about ) used olive oil to make these foods into a stir fry . No coffee ,tea or other dirink execpt water.

The key here is strict.

You will need the rice or sweet potatos ( or something carb heavy ) for the calories.

I ate ONLY these foods for about two months before starting to add foods back ONE at a time. And would wait about a week to 10 days after I reinterduce a food before I would declare it a safe food.

A very very slow process but necessary for some of us.

Three weeks is not long enough for an elimination diet ( from My personal experience), it can take longer than three weeks for reactions from foods to clear out of your body.

Baaagh, longer than 3 weeks. Omg I already thought it was way too long. How long should I mentally plan for here?

And are there any starchy alternatives to rice and sweet potatoes? I hesitate to try a new food right now but maybe I have to. I feel too that I need it (starch) if I have any hope of not losing weight, but I would be surprised if rice isn't an issue for me, after eating it 2-3 times a day (in various other forms, more often than that!) for the past year. I am tired of being sick and tired and just want to do whatever I have to do and get it over with, you know?

[Aly1]

If possible, try to rotate the foods you are eating. When I did an elimination diet, I was eating copious amounts of brown rice every day, and soon my body developed an intolerance to rice. Thats not to say you will have this problem, but If you do have multiple relatively "new" food sensitivities I would give this some thought.

I think you're right -I do plan to do a rotational diet after completing my elimination diet!