A Weighty Issue

Coeliac Disease affects different people in different ways. For those of you who have been intrigued enough to click on my 'What is Coeliac Disease?' tab, you'll know that it is a disease which attacks the digestive system in particular, thus making it difficult to digest food. This was where the disease got me.
   Now, I've always been skinny and I can already hear you, "Oh well lucky you", "No need to brag", but I'm talking about the wrong end of skinny. As a child especially, my physique was very small but it wasn't seen so much as a problem then because hey, I was only young and still growing. Maybe I was just a late starter, so it was looked at more as a 'we'll see where that goes' kind of thing and, well, it didn't really 'go'.
   As a teenager I started to notice myself how I just didn't seem to be putting any weight on and in high school this became a daunting thing because everyone around me was growing and maturing (if you know what I mean) and I still looked the same as I did when I was about 12. Not good.
I didn't necessarily feel ill around this time, I always had stomach aches after food but for some reason I thought this was completely normal (erm, wake up Amy!) so I never sought after any medical advice about my weight. I just came to terms with the fact that this was my body shape and that it might get better one day, I'd just have to be patient.
   Fast-forward to 2011 and as you know, I'm diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. This is where that diagnosis was a weird positive for me because I finally had an answer to all my body issues. At this time I was nearly 17 years old, about 5 ft 6 and weight under 7 stone, *gasps*. Almost immediately after diagnosis, I was referred to a specialist dietitian and thus began my journey of weight-gain.
It sounds ideal, right? Getting to eat all the food I want (gluten free of course), whenever I want, on purpose and not having to feel guilty about it! But it's been a lot less fun than that. Admittedly, eating loads of food is great but you have to be just as strict and dedicated as you do trying to lose weight and it can take its toll.
   About half way through my weight gaining process I noticed I started developing some psychological issues relating to the weight gain. I was so so desperate to finally gain weight that I became slightly obsessed. This got to the point where I would freak out at the idea of any sort of exercise. I'd somehow convinced myself that even if I walked half a mile down the street to Tesco, it would hinder my gaining weight and I'd have to eat three times as much that day because god forbid I did 5 minutes of walking. This quickly became unhealthy and before I knew it I'd stopped going places or doing anything. Any way without spending too much time in this doom and gloom, I eventually became aware of what I was doing and immediately reached out to my family who suggested I get back in touch with a dietitian for some more guided help.
So I did and, without boring you anymore, it worked and I re-started the process with a much healthier outlook and approach.
   Between then and now I have actually managed to put on over two stone (I'm not going to reveal my actual weight because, well, I don't feel we're at 'that stage' in our relationship yet) and more importantly I'm doing regular exercise like jogging and swimming and still maintaining the weight I want to be!
   Sorry for the huge post but I wanted to share this because it has been my biggest struggle/success that has come with Coeliac Disease, so it belonged on the blog really. Also other people may have similar weight issues when they first get diagnosed so I also wanted this to be a sort of motivational "you can do it!" story. I never thought I'd be at the weight I am and it feels bloody marvelous to say that I am.
SO KEEP GOING and for the love of god you CAN still walk to Tesco!
Amy

When At Home...

So it's pretty good timing that I've started this blog whilst I'm staying at home rather than at university because, as you can expect from most students, I do most of my eating when I'm back at home!
What I'm going to tell you about is one of the best things about coming home (food-wise) for me, and this is the fact that not too far away from where I live is a fish and chip shop that have a Gluten Free menu! The first time I found out about this place I was over the moon, I thought I'd waved goodbye to a good old chippy for good! But no, thanks to the lovely people at Wolverhampton's, 'Chip Stop' I still get to indulge in what is quite frankly the dish us Brits do best.

On our first visit there we had a lovely chat to the guy who runs the place, who was telling us all about how some family members of his also have Coeliac Disease, and immediately it's reassuring to know that the people serving you know a lot about it.
It is on Tuesdays and Saturdays when this particular chip shop offer their Gluten Free menu because on these days they have a separate Gluten Free batter which means they are able to serve fish, chips, onion rings, you name it! Unfortunately sausage in batter is not an option but I half expected this because more often than not, sausages themselves contain Gluten already.
Any way, so every time I'm back home, my awesome Mom drives me down on a Tuesday to, well, stuff my face! Now it's not a short drive away, about 40 minutes actually, so what we do is take a tray, drink and knife and fork each and when we have bought our food we eat it in the car on our laps before driving back! Not everyone's desired dining experience but when I'm getting to eat Gluten Free fish and chips, I couldn't care less where I did it!
This is what I had this week when we went: small fish and chips (yes that is a small!), onion rings and large curry sauce:

It's also good to note that when I've been there I have noticed the preparation and packing areas are separate to the other food so as to avoid cross contamination. And when my food was given to me it was marked with a 'GF' (Gluten Free) as not to confuse it with other orders.

All in all I LOVE this place. I hope they long continue to serve their gf menu and to anybody in the Wolverhampton area (or even 40 minutes away like we are) GO CHECK THEM OUT!
Amy

Welcome

Hello :)

Welcome to my new blog 'Life in the 'Free From' Aisle'.
This is going to be all about how I get around living my daily life coping with Coeliac Disease.
I LOVE food and I'll be the first to admit that my favourite part of the day is when I get to have a big slap up meal for dinner, so getting diagnosed with Coeliac Disease was a big blow to me. It hasn't come without its struggles, and what some may describe as minor breakdowns in the middle of Sainsbury's... but lo and behold I've had the disease for just over three years now and in the last year or so I have finally come to terms with living life with a gluten-free diet and still being able to enjoy all kinds of my favourite foods! 
Now I am enjoying a healthy, gluten free diet and lifestyle I wanted to put my experiences including daily conquers, and sometimes struggles, on the internet to help others who are newly diagnosed or just want to learn more about it!
I'll be posting 'days in the life' (sort of a food-diary), home meals, experiences of eating out/restaurant reviews, food/brand reviews, monthly favourites in the world of 'free from' food and anything else which I think is worth being noted for those with Coeliac Disease.

I hope you enjoy/find this blog interesting and if not, I at least hope you find it a much more worthwhile read than my usual drivel on twitter.

Amy
xx