Going Gluten-Free: My Takeaways So Far

I am nearly two weeks in to this gluten-free adventure, and I thought I would share some of my thoughts and observations about it:

• I am CONSTANTLY hungry! Typically, I have a really small lunch {i.e. a piece of fruit} and opt for a larger breakfast and dinner, but since I've been on this gluten-free diet, I've noticed that lunch can't come soon enough.  I am practically famished by 10 a.m.  Not that weight loss was my aim at all, but I can definitely see how a diet like this could be effective, because I feel like my clothes already fit a little more loosely.  I have been trying to eat protein-rich foods like quinoa, beans and cottage cheese, in the hope that they will fill me up, but to no avail.
• I am also constantly tired.  A lot of people cite a gluten-free diet as a way to boost their energy level, and I have found the opposite to be the case.  You are all well aware of my 5 a.m. workout routine, and I have had to drag myself out of bed every morning since going gluten-free.  I am also a lot more tired during the day.  I blame the constant hunger.  Strangely, my runs have not really suffered too much...
• I detest rice flour.  I gave it the good ole college try and attempted gluten-free pizza crust at Mellow Mushroom {which is made from rice flour and tapioca, the latter of which is one of the more disgusting things I have ever tried}, and even attempted to bake some chocolate chip cookies with it last night, but it is some seriously disgusting stuff.  My cookies were such disappointing, flat little cookies, as opposed to the gooey, fluffy cookies that I usually make.  Baking fail :(
• I had these grand plans to make some nut-free, gluten-free granola for our hiking trip this weekend, which I attempted last night.  Before I went to the grocery store on Monday to buy the ingredients, I had one glass of wine at happy hour, but apparently that one glass went straight to my head.  Not only did I accidentally not buy gluten-free oats {the ones I bought are not in and of themselves gluten-rich, but may contain traces of wheat, and apparently oats are very easily cross-contaminated}, but they are also steel-cut oats, which are not at all conducive to making granola.  Needless to stay, the granola does not stick together very well.  I blame my perpetually hungry tummy for the apparently strong effects of the wine.  Seriously, people, one glass.  While eating food.  Sipped over an hour or so.  Sheesh.  Gluten-free baking - 2, Kristen - 0.

As you can see, I am feeling rather disgruntled with this diet adventure right now, so I have my eye on the May 12th prize.  I think I will be the happiest person in the world that day!

Life Updates

I thought I would give you all a quick run-down of everything that has been going on lately in the District:

• Spring is *ACTUALLY* here! It is due to get into the 80s today, which suits me just fine.  However, it is amazing that Washingtonians get excited for weather like this, knowing full well that those hot-as-Hades days are just around the corner...DC just seems to have had new life breathed in to it, though, because everyone is outside, whether exercising, chatting with friends or socializing at a happy hour, and it just gives you the warm fuzzies!
• The cherry blossoms are sort of out! We went to see them this weekend {Dan, ever the boy, had never seen them in his 8 years of living in DC, so I told him that he wouldn't be considered a true Washingtonian until he had seen them} and there were very few buds.  Dan's description of them as "twigs" wasn't too far off the mark, because cooler days have kept those babies from blooming.  The next few days are supposed to be great in terms of blossoms, though!
• This gluten-free thing is totally kicking my ass.  I am starving all.the.time.  However, we're going hiking this weekend, so I'm picking up some certified gluten-free oats, honey, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and chocolate to make some homemade nut-free, gluten-free granola, and I'm excited to try it! I also bought some rice flour, so may try to do some baking and see how well gluten-free flour works as a substitute.  If I end up liking the recipe, I will post it!
• Speaking of hiking, this weekend is when I get to redeem my birthday present from Dan: a stay in what looks to be an adorable little inn and a waterfall-filled hike.  The forecast for Saturday looks great at this point, so I'm crossing my fingers for warm-ish temperatures and no rain! Hiking is one of my very favorite activities, so I'm so grateful that Dan enjoys it as well!
• Following my first outdoor brunch of the year over Easter weekend, my friend Lindsay and I did our first outdoor happy hour at Commissary.  People, I'm telling you, if you have not tried it, their veggie burger {which has a quinoa base} is TO DIE FOR.  Yes, it did hurt slightly to have to order it without the bun, but the awesomeness of the burger outweighed any sadness I felt.
• Oh, and, one last thing: WE HAVE AN APARTMENT!!!!!!!!! We went to visit two places on Sunday that I had already looked at, and, luckily, Dan and I liked the same one.  We I already can't wait to decorate, have an apartment-warming party, and spend lazy summer afternoons using the grills in the courtyard and lazing by the amazing pool, Daisy Buchanan-style.  We are moving in towards the end of May, and we are just giddy with excitement {okay, giddy is maybe not an emotion that I would attribute to guys, but let's just leave it at the fact that Dan is really excited too}.  The fact that we have an apartment and a move-in date makes it all the more real, and I can't wait to have him as my roommate in less than two months! Also, fun fact: as an adult, I will now have lived in DC, Maryland AND Virginia.  

I'm definitely in busy mode at work and in my personal life right now, but the weather is getting better, I only have 5 weeks left of this pesky gluten-free diet, and I'm moving in with the love of my life.  I'm not about to complain! 

My Latest Diet Adventure

I have struggled with mysterious stomach ailments for years.  Being that a stomach issue could be attributed to one of hundreds of conditions, the easiest way to determine what is plaguing you, once you have gotten bloodwork done, is by eliminating certain foods from your diet.

Celiac disease runs in my family {my Grampsy has it}, and, while I tested negative for celiac, my doctor recommended that I try a gluten-free diet to try and rule out a gluten intolerance.  For those of you who are not familiar, there are three different conditions that all fall more or less under the same umbrella; celiac, an autoimmune disorder that manifests itself in complete gluten intolerance {in other words, ANY gluten is a no-no}; gluten intolerance is a spectrum disorder that can range in severity {in other words, the less severe your intolerance, the more gluten you can eat}; and a gluten allergy.  The problem with all of these is that they are very difficult to test for.

The real kicker was when my doctor told me that I would have to be on this diet for SIX WEEKS {yes, sadly, you read that correctly}, because that is how long it takes gluten to get out of your system.  I felt like crying in the doctor's office at the thought of giving up gluten-filled foods for that long.  Yes, I am able to successfully give up sweets for Lent every year, but I usually overcompensate by overloading on other carbs.  Now, that is not an option, so my mission this week is to come up with some snacks that will fill me up during the day.  I have to say, though, I am really excited to have an excuse to try out the gluten-free foods at the grocery store, because I'm really curious about how good they are.  Whole Foods has gluten-free cupcakes, which could prove to be dangerous...

To be honest, though, my stomach has felt remarkably better since my race.  I have heard from many a runner how you put your stomach through the wringer during marathon training, and I can certainly attest to that fact now.  I am hopeful that the lack of race training {mind you, I am still running, because, being the crazy person that I am, I went for my first run a mere four days after my race} and the more mindful eating will help reset my system.  Also, I have the incredible resource of Pinterest at my disposal to help me find recipes that look delicious and also happen to be gluten-free :)

But frankly, right now, I'm starving...HAHA

Hunting

House hunting, that is!!!!  After several months of waiting, I can finally share, since family and close friends know, that DAN AND I ARE MOVING IN TOGETHER!!!!! I have been on Cloud 9 since we decided back in December that we were going to move in together once Dan's lease expired in May, but now the apartment search has finally begun, and it's all feeling so real.

This is definitely not a decision that either of us made lightly, because living together is a very significant step in our relationship.  Neither of us has ever lived with a significant other before, so we have thought long and hard about this over the course of our relationship.

I am so overwhelmingly excited to be able to wake up and fall asleep beside my best friend and love of my life every day, be there when the other gets home to compare notes on our days, not have to live out of a suitcase when shuttling back and forth between each other's places, and not have to say goodbye at the end of the night. I can't wait to live in a place that's ours, cook in our kitchen, lounge on our couch, spend our summer afternoons relaxing by our pool.   

Sure, there are parts of this next step that I'm nervous about, the primary one being the search process.  I have looked at a few apartments already {and have shortlisted a few}, and we'll be going to look at some others this weekend.  I think I will feel less unsettled when I actually know for sure where we'll be living.  And part of me worries that my extreme cleanliness and abundance of home cooking will be too much for Dan.

You know what, though? I'm so excited to embark on this adventure together, whatever joys and challenges it may bring!

A Quarter-Century Old

I finally have a moment to come up for air today after a VERY hectic week!  I thought I would write about the goings-on of the past week, since there were many of them.

I had a really tough week at work last week.  Work seemed to come flying at me all at once, and I definitely was not managing that stress well.  I had a meltdown of sorts on Wednesday night because of how overwhelmed I was by work stress {which was compounded by the fact that I was out of the office on Friday working a wedding}, stress about that wedding {my first as a day-of coordinator}, and stress tied to feeling like I was coming up short in my many roles- friend, daughter, sister and girlfriend.  Sensing that I am failing other people is definitely a feeling that I am very conscious of, but, during this meltdown, I had to remind myself that I can't always be everything to everyone.  There just isn't enough time in the day!  But, in moments when I am stressed about other things, that anxiety tends to resurface as well.  Poor Dan, he is such a saint for putting up with my stressed-out crying fits.  I don't like to let my work/life stress spill over to our relationship, because I know that it makes him sad to see me upset, but sometimes that just can't be helped.  I thank my lucky stars for that guy every day, I really do!

On Thursday night, I headed up to the Philly area after work for the wedding, and, due to a series of GPS mishaps, ended up driving for about 4 hours.  It was miserable, let me tell you, and I had my very patient and understanding parents on the phone for the better part of an hour-and-a-half trying to get me to Point B in one piece.  I ended up spending a LOT of time in the car on Thursday, Friday {when the wedding took place} and Saturday, both because of the driving time to and from PA and the fact that none of the venues were close to one another.  I think that was the most I have driven in the past five years combined haha!  Despite the fact that there are always unexpected things that come up at a wedding, it was a beautiful day overall and the couple was deliriously happy, so I would consider it a success.

On Saturday, Dan and I met up with Lauren and Molly at District of Pi for dinner.  Dan and I are obsessed with that place, and it was the girls' first time, so it was well worth it!  We then stopped off at Lauren's house before heading to Brass Monkey in Admo for some birthday karaoke.  Now, Brass Monkey has been one of our mainstays since graduation, but this was the first time, as we all stood around, that we noticed how downright grimy that place is! We concluded that the amount of alcohol that we had imbibed on previous visits had probably contributed to that oversight.  Our other observation was that the crowd seemed a lot younger {as in, either still in college or not far removed from it}.  It is tough to be hit by the realization that you're getting older!  Nonetheless, I felt so blessed to have so many wonderful friends there, and I think we got some solid karaoke in as well :)

Sunday, on my actual birthday, Dan and I slept in a bit before going on a run {I think I am the only person who requests going on a run when asked what they want to do on their birthday haha}.  We grabbed bagels  from our favorite bagel place, my last bagel run for awhile since I'm going on a six-week gluten-free diet a week from yesterday.  Blargh.  Then, we watched some basketball and Skyfall and later met up with my parents and Tim at Farmers, Fishers & Bakers, which I have raved about before.  It certainly didn't disappoint this time, bringing an absolutely delightful birthday to a close.  Not that he doesn't treat me like a princess all the time, but Dan was really the greatest this weekend.  I actually got upset because I don't like being treated to things haha, even on my birthday!  He got me an overnight hiking trip {not to worry, we will be staying at a B&B, not in a tent on a trail} out in the Shenandoahs, which shows you how well he knows me.  We have been in serious need of a getaway for awhile, and he knows how much I've been itching for a hike.  We're going in about 3 weeks, so I'm really psyched for that!  Overall, I was blown away, as usual, by the heartfelt messages and calls that I received on my birthday.  It made the day so special for me, and the fact that so many people reached out made turning 25 slightly easier {I may have fake snapped at Dan when he playfully suggested that I am almost 30 haha}.

Me and my ladies! Don't let this picture fool you, there were other guys there besides Dan.  He was just the only one who wasn't able to stealthily avoid my photos ;)

26.2

I promise, I'm still here!

People, March has been a BUSY month for me, so blogging just hasn't been in the cards for me.  Between being ridiculously busy at work and having lots of exciting things going on in my personal life, I just haven't been able to find the time to blog.  To give you a good idea, my last four weekends are as follows:

Weekend of March 2nd and 3rd: Anniversary celebrations!

Weekend of March 9th and 10th: Cuse game + cousin in town + lots of friends in town

Weekend of March 16th and 17th: MARATHON {and then doing a whole lot of nothing}
Weekend of March 23rd and 24th: Working a wedding + birthday + March Madness

Yes, FINALLY, the blessed event happened last weekend, the marathon I had poured my blood, sweat {lots of it} and tears {yup, some of those too} into for the past four months.  Even though I had run two half-marathons before, I was terrified on race day.  When I did my 22-miler two weeks prior to the race, I had felt myself starting to hit the "wall" that all marathoners talk about, which typically happens somewhere between miles 20 and 21.  I hoped that I would have just enough adrenaline to help me power through.  It didn't hurt that I had THE most incredible support team.  From the minute I had told him that I was running this race, Dan had been my biggest cheerleader, telling me how great I would do even when I was sulking after some miserable long runs.  I knew that Dan, my parents, and a few friends would be cheering me on along the course, and I can't fully convey how big of an emotional boost that was.  In short succession, from miles 13.5-16, I saw: my friends Alix and Lauren, my parents, my coworker, Beth and her husband, and Dan.  I had the biggest smile on my face as I ran by all of my people.  In general, though, race culture is so wonderful, because there are always residents lining the roads and cheering runners on. This race was certainly no exception!

Here's a look at the course.  For the most part, it was, mercifully, flat, but there was one hill in particular, the hill just before mile 6 as we exited Rock Creek Parkway and took an off-ramp up to Calvert St.  BOY, was that a steep hill.  Luckily, it was also brief, but I was dizzy and gasping for air at the end of it.  

But I digress.  This marathon was certainly not fun the entire time {I hit my wall at 21, but luckily, after taking the advice of a coworker and ingesting some M&Ms along with my Shot Blox, I got a HUGE burst of energy, which I can probably also attribute to the adrenaline rush of almost being finished}, but I learned, as I did throughout this entire process, how mentally tough I can be if I have to be.  Sure, I may cry at the drop of the hat and may occasionally be overly sensitive, but damn it, I pushed through all of my self-doubt and finished a marathon, and in pretty good time, no less!! My goal had been to finish in less than 4 hours, which obviously is not going to qualify me for Boston, but seemed like a reasonable goal given my pace and the fact that it was my first marathon.  While my goal was definitely just to finish, I think I would have been a little bit bummed if I had finished in over 4.  Well, my time was 3:53, so I was one happy girl!!!!!!!!

The greatest feeling {other than crossing the finish line and getting to stop running} was rounding the final bend and spotting my parents and Dan, all of whom were screaming words of encouragement to me.  At this point, the adrenaline was flowing and I was trucking it around that final turn, all smiles.  You would never know that I was in the final tenth of a mile of a marathon, right? HA!  When I had crossed the finish line and it was FINALLY over, I just stopped for a moment and put my hands over my face.  In that moment, I experienced the greatest sense of accomplishment that I ever have in my life.  I had set a goal for myself {and a difficult one that that, given the miniscule percentage of the world that has run a marathon} and accomplished it.  All of the training, all of the injuries, all of the early Saturday morning wake-ups to run, it was all worth it.  After hobbling over to them, I was finally reunited with Dan and my parents.  Seeing the pride with which they all looked at me only reinforced that sense of accomplishment that I was feeling.    I am also thrilled that running a marathon is now yet another bond that my dad and I share.

And the madness is not ending, friends.  Here's a brief rundown of the next few weekends of my life:

Weekend of March 30th and 31st: Easter weekend

Weekend of April 6th and 7th: Work event all day Friday and Saturday

Weekend of April 13th and 14th: Cousin in town + going on a birthday trip {more about this soon!}

Weekend of April 20th and 21st: Possible weekend trip to Pittsburgh, followed by a quick overnight visit from an out-of-town friend on Sunday night

I will post more next time about fun goings-on in April, May and June!

With my friends Jame and Lindsay, who also ran the marathon, prior to the race

My biggest supporter :)

Seeing my parents and Dan both along the course and at the finish line brought the biggest smile to my face.  I'm so lucky to have so many wonderful supporters!

Two Years :)

Two years ago yesterday, I walked {okay, more like power-walked, because, due to a bus that was behind schedule, I was running uncharacteristically late} into Saloon on U St. for my first date with "some guy".    I looked to my right, and there was the guy that I assumed I was meeting for drinks, tucked away at a little table for two.  Knowing now how obsessive-compulsive I am about being on time, that same guy still gives me grief, two years later, for being a couple of minutes late {in my defense, I did text him to let him know that I would be a little bit late!}. What followed was the best first date that I've ever been on, and, well, you know how it goes. The rest is history.

Little did I know, two years later that same guy would not only be the love of my life, but also my best friend.  Dan has brought innumerable blessings to my life, and I can't really remember what my life was like before I met him.  The mention of his name still brings a smile to my face, and, on the days that I get to see him, I look forward to it all day long.  I can honestly say that I didn't know what true, unconditional love felt like until I met him, and I am so proud to be able to call him my boyfriend.

This year, we celebrated our anniversary by going out to dinner at Acqua al 2, which, as you may remember, I raved about last month after some girlfriends and I went there for a friend's birthday.  Think yummy Italian food at its finest and that is what you get when you dine at Acqua al 2.  We split a delicious burrata appetizer with pomegranate seeds, spaghetti squash and honey {truly the perfect winter dish}, and, for our entrees, I ordered the farfalline alla zucca {bowtie pasta with pumpkin} and Dan opted for the balsamic filet.  So freaking delicious.  I was truly in foodie heaven :)  From there, we metroed to Iron Horse to watch the Georgetown game.  Since I gave up drinking for Lent {mostly in preparation for my race}, I opted for a couple Shirley Temples {I probably shocked the bartender with that request!}, and we watched our Hoyas avoid a trap game loss to Rutgers.  Side note: this upcoming Saturday is the Cuse rematch, and I am beyond excited! I'm thrilled that we'll get to be there!

On Sunday morning, we went to our favorite bagel place, I baked Dan an anniversary dessert {think cookie cake!}, we caught up on Homeland, went for a walk around Roosevelt Island, and had a nice, romantic anniversary dinner at District Taco haha, which suited me just fine :)  My top priority was spending time with him on our anniversary, which I got to do, so, therefore, was one happy gal!

I had gotten Dan a photo book that I put together to include some of my favorite memories from the past two years that I've captured on film {see, he should be THANKFUL that I'm an incurable photog!}, and he gave me the sweetest card, along with a massage gift certificate {BLESS HIM! I will redeem that after the marathon for a deep tissue sports massage!} and a voucher for one home-cooked meal.  Dan does not like to cook, although I doubt he would be half-bad at it if he tried, and, despite his acknowledgement that something easier would have a better chance of actually tasting good, I told him I had confidence in him that he could make me anything and I would like it.  I'll have to do some scheming to see how I can test him...MUAHHHH!

It really was a perfect anniversary weekend, and I can't wait to see what this next year holds for us!  We have some very exciting things in store this year, which I'll fill all of you in on as they come, and I anticipate that we will have grown in our relationship by even larger leaps and bounds by this time next year!