The "something-free" Diet

Last summer I was training for an important 5K and hoping to post my best time ever. But my weight and my running times were stagnant. I was up probably 5-7 pounds from optimum, and no matter what I did, I couldn't budge. Cutting back on snacking and calories, watching the sugar and junk foods, ramping up my workouts - nothing worked. That's when my wife - a former professional pastry chef and certified natural foods chef told me, "You have to make significant change to your diet. Start eliminating things." So I went gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, alcohol-free, and caffeine-free for 30 days.

Bam!  I dropped almost 12 pounds and shaved more than a minute and a half off my 5K. I slept better, worked better, felt calmer, stronger, and more focused. 

Now, it's time to do something again. The holidays have been fun, but I know I've put on weight, and I'm not as productive and healthy as I can be. So, I'm going gluten-free, dairy-free, and alcohol-free for at least a few weeks. In terms of gluten, I know I am not a celiac sufferer and probably not even "intolerant." But I know that grains put weight on me. It's that simple. So, I am changing my diet to get back where I want to be, which is "cut, with no gut."

It's all about diet, people. So, if you're looking to improve, you have to change your diet.