Ann's Success Story!

[Ann]

Yesterday was my Day 30. Wow.

I began this journey as a total newbie - I had never really even read about the Paleo diet. I bought ISWF on a whim - I'm an avid reader, and was in the mood for something other than fiction, and quickly stumbled onto ISWF on Amazon checking out the non-fiction best sellers. Downloaded it onto my Kindle, read it in two days (finished on 7/4), and was instantly hooked. My friends would say “she drank the Kool-Aidâ€. I couldn't wait to start - I spent my weekend perusing the options at my local grocery stores and stocking up in preparation. I began on Monday 7/9.

Through these 30 days, I have been fortunate that I didn't struggle terribly with cravings. I like vegetables, and I like to cook, which makes something like this a lot easier. My pitfalls were careless mistakes. Days 1-3, I had organic uncured bacon, with honey as an ingredient. Days 2-4, I had Applegate turkey lunch meat, with carrageenan (boo! I had a mini-meltdown when I discovered this 2+ weeks in). I have since learned to very carefully read the ingredients, twice. On day 21, at an oil and vinegar shop, I tasted three olive oils before realizing I had just downed three tiny pieces of bread in the tasting process. Those were my only “food†mishaps in my 30 days. Not bad.

The scale is another story. I had a terrible time staying off the scale. I weighed every day for the first two weeks, then stashed my scale in the depths of my garage for the remainder. Last Sunday I couldn't stand it, and I dug it out and have weighed myself for the last few days.

Results of my Whole 30:

• Weight loss. I lost 9.6# - started at 178.4, this morning 168.8. This makes me very happy.
  

• Sleep. I am sleeping through the night, which was one of my primary goals. Before I started, I woke almost every night at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep for sometimes two hours, then would be in and out of sleep until it was time to get up. I'm going to bed a little earlier, and fairly regularly sleeping 7 solid hours. SEVEN HOURS!
  

• Decreased body pains. I have a painful Morton's neuroma in my foot, which I have received cortisone shots for. I haven't been able to comfortably wear any shoes except my Dansko's for more than a year, and high heels were out of the question. I can once again wear my pointy high heels all day without significant discomfort! I know it's not a good idea to wear these types of shoes and I'm just asking for my foot to get worse, but it is sooo nice to be able to wear girly shoes once in a while My lower back still has pain, but it has lessened. I can roll over in bed almost without even thinking about it.
  

• More energy. I'm more productive at work (and more cheerful), and getting things done at home which have been on the back burner for sooo long. Instead of spending the first several hours Sat/Sun morning on the couch drinking coffee, doing the crossword, and channel surfing, I have started to go for an early walk, have a healthy breakfast, and get stuff DONE. In the long run, I expect this will free up some weekend time to get out of the house and do fun things.
  

• Healthier relationship with alcohol. Before this, I had wine every single night. Sometimes two glasses, many times the whole darned bottle. I had gotten into the habit of buying a Black Box (contains 4 bottles), so I guess really I had no idea how much I was drinking. I'm sure this was a primary contributor to my sleepless nights. But it had gotten to be such a ritual for me to get home and automatically pour a glass of wine. Much of it was out of boredom, and because I was tired from a long day and it just felt so soothing. And I wonder how much it could have been from sugar addiction - I'm not much of a sweet tooth, but maybe I got my "sugar fix" with wine? What I've figured out during the last 30 days, is that I'm less tired from my long day if I get a good night of sleep, and my good night of sleep happens when I don't drink. I still love my wine, and am not going to give it up, but will definitely make educated decisions about if/when I want to imbibe.
  

All of this, and I wasn't even exercising (I went for three walks the entire time). This is my next goal. I'm going to give myself a personal challenge to walk every day for 30 days, probably starting Sunday (a "Walking30").

I plan to go forward on a mostly Paleo diet, using the “guide to nutritional off-roading†in deciding whether to have an occasional treat. And I will definitely do this again, maybe in a few months. I am so glad I did this, I really believe it is a life changer.

p.s. I'm going to stick with W30 eating until Saturday eve, to compensate for my slip-ups on Days 1-4.

[Emily]

I love reading success stories! Congratulations on all the changes, especially the sleep! Waking up at 3am and not going back to sleep sounds horrible. Enjoy your life changes!

[Renee Lee]

Ann, this is such a great success story! Good for you!

[Derval]

What a great success story. You have great resolution Anne, very admirable. Thrilled for you that it had paid off so well.

So how about the walking 30 plus only once a week weigh-ins?

[Laura Jeanne Penrod]

Congrats on the weightloss and all the extra benefits of the program. So proud of you!

[jhmomi]

Congatulations Ann!! You did an awesome job and you earned those results.

I think doing an exercise commitment for 30 days is a great idea.

FYI - After decades of trying to make myself exercise on a regular basis, I finally figured out something that worked for me that I thought I would share. I made a New Year's resolution to exercise and began January 1 with a VERY small goal for myself. Instead of setting elaborate goals like walk two miles a day, or go to the gym 5 times a week or strength train x times a week and do cardio x times, etc., I set the bar VERY low. My goal on January 1 was to simply "Move my a$$ 30 minutes a day." Movement in the form of INTENTIONAL exercise. Walking, running, hiking, biking, walking in place while I watch TV. Anything counts including three 10 minute sessions of movement. I don't care how fast I move, or how far I go or what my heart rate might be. Anything counts. Except things I would have already done such as shopping, going to the park with my kids, playing at the pool, yard work, house work, etc. Today is August 8th and I have not missed a single day of exercise all year. Not one. It's habit. After years of trying to get on track with exercise, setting the bar so low that I couldn't reasonably talk myself out of it made all the difference. Who can't walk in place while watching TV? More often than not now, I surpass my minimum goal. The mental benefit of making a commitment to be healthy and exercise daily has been outstanding and worth equally as much as the physical benefit.

Best of luck to you as you continue to develop your new healthy lifestyle post Whole30!!! I hope I am just as pleased as you on Day 30.

[Ann]

Thanks jhmomi I love your strategy! And way to go keeping it up all year - that's really something! I'm still going to start with a walking-30, but will definitely file your idea away for potential use at some point down the line!

[lauraska]

Great job, Ann!

[Kelly F]

Wow Ann!!! What a great job!!!!! I'm on day three and your success story is a great inspiration! I promise you will fall in love with exercising after you get started. It is such a wonderful feeling to move your body and release endorphins. Try to find ways to make it pleasurable. As an example, I run on a treadmill (and lift weights) in my basement gym. I have a TV and Tivo in there, so it's a great time to watch my favorite shows while working out. When I run or walk outside I listen to podcasts on my iPhone. There are some AWESOME and very motivating podcasts. I'm happy to send you some suggestions if you'd like. You could also listen to books on tape or rather Audibles. Again GREAT JOB!!!!

[Ann]

Hey Kelly, thanks I have an "ancient" Blackberry (3 1/2 yrs old), and the volume has gotten stuck on LOUD, which makes listening to anything pretty much impossible, and anything other than the simplest of internet searches freaks my phone out and it locks up. I'm SOO ready to switch up to an iPhone, but am trying to hold out for the new one coming out in (September?) But I love listening to audible books, and have done that while walking the neighborhood or at the gym in the past (back when my phone behaved). I'd love it if you'd send along some podcast suggestions, that's something I've not yet done!

[Vickizee]

Yay, Ann! I'm so happy to read your success story. I haven't "filed my report" yet. Not sure why I'm waiting...

[Derval]

I love my podcasts I listen to them when I'm doing the washing-up after dinner (no dishwasher ) and it makes it more tolerable. Mt fav in the health category would be -

Balanced Bites

Everyday Paleo

Fat2Fit Radio

Fat Burning Man

Healthy Mind Fit Body

Live.Love.Eat

Primal Diet Modern Health

[Kelly F]

Hey Ann! My four favorites ---

1. Vinnie Tortorich - America's Angriest Trainer --- www.vinnietortorich.com. He is a Hollywood trainer and has lots of good celebrity stories integrated with great fitness and diet tips. He does curse a lot, but I look past that bcs he is so funny. He is a friend and he is a super great guy.

2. Make Shift Happen --- Dean is also a friend. It's a self help podcast but he is also a paleo guy and talks a lot about diet and exercise

3. Wellness Guys --- 3 guys based in Australia. They have GREAT interviews.

4. Jillian Michaels -- Her show is pretty good but of the 4 my least favorite. It's pretty good though.

5. Everyday Paleo -- Haven't listed to Sarah in a while but it's a good one too!

Looking forward to hearing about your workout successes!!

[Ann]

Shoot guys, am I going to be able to wait until the new iPhone comes out? Stupid old Blackberry -- I want to go get the iPhone now so I can start walking and listening to these podcasts!

[Kelly F]

Hey Ann --- I think you should wait for the new iPhone --- it will be here before you know it. Maybe you could get an inexpensive mp3 player that is iTunes compatible!

[Michele Larocque]

Good for you!

[Ann]

Hey Ann --- I think you should wait for the new iPhone --- it will be here before you know it. Maybe you could get an inexpensive mp3 player that is iTunes compatible!

Yeah, I'm totally going to wait -- I think it's just a month or so till it's released. In the meantime, both my kids have iPods, I will just borrow those to get me through. hehe.

[Colleen Roy]

Great job Ann! I'm right there with you on the wine/alcohol thing. It's been SO lovely to sleep soundly at night! For SEVEN hours-or more! I feel a million times better since completing my first whole30 at the end of July. We have also decided to continue eating this way-it's just easier! Shopping is quicker and easier. Cooking is quicker and easier-no need to worry about sauces, or boiling water for pasta, or baking bread...Eating out has become pretty easy too. I will order as close to whole30 as possible and then enjoy my meal without guilt. I haven't run into any push-back or problems at any of the restaurants I've been to either-they are always accommodating.

Enjoy those results and be proud! You deserve it! And enjoy the (occasional) glass of wine too! I'm heading to a favorite Italian place with a good friend tonight and I plan on off-roading with a glass of wine and a caprese salad. They have the best homemade mozzarella! Two little indulgences and the company of my friend...yup, it's worth it tonight! Besides, I can sleep in a little tomorrow if necessary! Yeah Saturday!

[Ann]

Thanks, Colleen And have fun tonight!

[rubarb]

Your story is inspiring. Way to go! I'm just getting started and I'm right where you were when you began your W30. Thanks for sharing.

[Ann]

Hey guys, FYI -- I FINALLY got my iPhone day before yesterday!! YAY YAY YAY! Soooo much better than my old Blackberry! I have it all set up and am totally enjoying listening to podcasts (Everyday Paleo so far). Added bonus, since I'm a total list person, and sort of a gadget person too, I've loaded an app to keep track of my walking (RunKeeper), which I really think will motivate me to get out and walk more often. Hopefully by the time the gadget-novelty wears off, walking regularly will have become a fixed habit. I'm a happy camper.

[Derval]

I love my iphone!

[Sara M Clark]

Congrats Ann YOU DID awesome!!!