Thinking Positively About Your Gluten-Free Lifestyle

Something that is often not talked about when shifting to a gluten-free lifestyle is the mental battle. All of a sudden, the foods you are used to eating are off-limits, you’re scared to “get glutened,” and you realize this might be a lifetime change.

That’s a lot to deal with while trying to learn it all.

I promise over time, things will get easier, but one of the best things you can do for yourself at the start is shift to a positive mindset around your gluten-free lifestyle.

“I Can’t Have This”

A phrase you will find quickly in your vocabulary is “I can’t have this; it has gluten.” However, “can’t” tends to bring a negative tone or mindset around it. That little word can often lead us down a rabbit hole of other things we “can’t do” and put us in a negative mindset. Yes, that little word can do so much damage to our brains.

Instead, shift how you talk about the food you now eliminate from your daily lifestyle, choosing your words carefully.

Here are some ideas:

• “I am going to look for a gluten-free option instead.”
• “My body doesn’t agree with some ingredients; I need to find something different to eat.”
• “Foods with gluten don’t serve my body’s needs; I will find something to nourish it.”

It might sound silly at first; however, making these little changes to how you respond to the idea of not eating your favorite gluten-filled foods will make a huge difference in how you mentally approach your gluten-free lifestyle.

Your Gluten-Free Lifestyle Isn’t Embarrassing

The other night on Instagram, I declared that 2024 is the year we are normalizing food sensitivities. Yes, we’re going to do that. Instead of hiding your gluten-free lifestyle, it’s time to embrace it.

It’s not a crash course diet that you’re doing to lose weight; chances are, you are gluten-free because your body and gluten don’t agree with each other. There is no reason to run from it. The more you have conversations about shifting to a gluten-free lifestyle, you will find there are so many others out there who are in the same boat as you.

The more conversations you have, the more recipes you will get, the more resources you will be sent, and the support you will receive will be unmatched. My recipe collection grew quite quickly once I started having more conversations. It’s incredible how willing people are to support and share things with you when you are open about it.

“I Can Only Eat Cardboard”

Just because you can’t enjoy gluten anymore doesn’t mean you’re stuck with cardboard. The cardboard probably has gluten in it, too 😜.

As you get further into your gluten-free journey, you will realize that there are gluten-free options that are just as tasty, and over time, you will come to appreciate the taste, knowing that you won’t wake up miserable the next day.

At first, it might feel like all you can eat is cardboard, but the more you ask questions and do your research, the more your gluten-free lifestyle will get easier.

It Will Be Worth the Mindset Shift

Shifting your mindset to a positive one will make the overall gluten-free transition much more manageable. You will enjoy more food, you will be happier and you will begin to notice the postiive changes that living a gluten-free lifestyle has on your body.

If you’re looking to approach the holiday season head-on, gluten-free, download our Guide To a Gluten-Free Holiday Season. In our eBook, we help you find new recipes, approach holiday gatherings, educate family members, and shift that mindset.