Arielle's Fitness Blog
by Arielle Novak, Fitness Expert

every one of my meals. I’d had no clue how unhealthy it was for me. All those sensible sandwiches I ate at lunch had been bloating me, and were steadily contributing to my weight struggle!

In “Wheat Belly”, Dr. Davis suggests a 30-day wheat-free challenge. I told myself I had nothing to lose. I went for it! Days 1-21 were more or less unbearable. I didn’t take well to the challenge. I think I had a wheat addiction!!! I went into detox mode, and it wasn’t pretty! Somehow I managed to keep going. It took a lot of willpower and dedication to get through each day. I had to be creative with old recipes and learn some new ones. I even learned how to make my own wheat free pizza crust with almond flour and flax seed! Even with some new recipes under my belt, it was still an uphill battle.

During week two I dreamt I’d broken down and eaten a bunch of pastries at a buffet table. I woke up convinced I’d lost my wheat-free battle. Luckily, it was only a dream. Once I got through week three, something changed—I didn’t crave wheat anymore! I also noticed a drastic change in my appetite. When I was on wheat, I was constantly hungry. I had an insatiable appetite; one that could only be calmed with more bread and wheat products. Suddenly, the crazy cravings and intense hunger throughout the day had gone away.

I now feel much more in control. It makes sense; I no longer put myself through extreme highs and lows. The wheat that had caused my blood sugar to rise to high levels, felt great in the short term. However, when I crashed a couple of hours later, I’d look around for my next wheat fix. It was a vicious cycle.

During my first month, I lost eight pounds. I couldn’t believe it. I was most pleased with how much better I felt—energized and revitalized. I believe being wheat-free made me feel better than I had in a long time.

After the 30 days, I was inspired! I continued on for an extended wheat-free challenge. I lost another twelve pounds over the next five months. When I made it through six months, I realized it was no longer a challenge, I had committed to a wheat-free lifestyle.

I constantly get asked what my secret is and how I trimmed down. When I say I gave up wheat, I often get strange looks from people. A few are intrigued enough to pick up a copy of the book.

Everyone is different and will have their unique reactions to food, diet, and lifestyle. My best advice is to be aware of your body and take notice when you feel unhealthy. If you know something isn’t right, take action. You deserve to be the best version of you! Consult with a doctor or dietitian if you need more answers about how to live a healthy life. I believe the answers will be different depending on the person. But what was causing me to feel unhealthy was right under my nose! Here’s to us all living as healthfully as we can today and hoping we do even better tomorrow!

Be happy, healthy, and energized!

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