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Success! (Results plus Home Makeover Edition)


trace357

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Day 31 here! Before I provide my results, I thought I should provide a bit of background:

2002

I started to feel horrible - many strange pains, GI problems, fatigue, weight gain, and slight depression. Five years ago (2007), everything got so much worse, including blood sugar drops that would leave me weak and shaking so bad, that I would just stand in the kitchen and literally inhale any food I could get my hands on to stop the feeling.

2009

I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying), gastritis, IBS, GERD, and gallbladder disease. Eliminating gluten and having my gallbladder removed allowed me to feel 75% better, but I still didn't feel like my old self. Even though I ate healthy foods, I turned to sugar to fill the void gluten left behind. My sugar consumption turned into a problem that got way out of hand. During these years, I had (and would continue into 2012) joined Weight Watchers probably 15 times (no lie). I would stick to the plan, not lose or even gain a bit, then quit, mentally beating myself up the whole way. I bought and tried every diet book there is in between and during Weight Watchers. My friends were all losing, and I was gaining, even though I had already cut out every drop of gluten.

2012

After joining a gym and religiously taking exercise classes (spinning, zumba, kickboxing), for six months, I was seeing ZERO results. In fact, I was starting to feel a bit worse, and the upper part of my stomach was getting larger. I would get out of breath easily, and I would have to eat a small meal before classes just so I wouldn't bonk, even if I wasn't pushing myself hard. My weight crept up even higher than it had ever been. I finally faced the fact that there was something in some food that was doing a real number on me, and in addition, I needed help with my sugar addiction.

A couple of years back, I stumbled on the website for Mark's Daily Apple,and I started playing around with a primal diet for a few days here and there, and then would get sucked back into my old ways. I felt better on it and terrible off it. So why wouldn't I just stay on it? I was tormenting myself. One day in July, Mark posted some of his favorite links. One was Whole9 (where I think he referred to Whole30 as ‘not for the faint of heart'. I read everything on the Whole9 site, and I bought It Starts with Food. Instead of going on vacation in August, I decided to start Whole30 and just take a vacation at home so I could ‘suffer' away from my co-workers. It seemed that a lot of people on the forums were already Paleo and looking to clean up their diet. I thought if they were experiencing the withdrawal symptoms, I was going to be 50-times worse. I set my goal to simply follow the food plan for 30 days. Nothing more; nothing less. So I signed up for the daily emails and started August 1st….

Day 1 and 2 – A little more tired and hungry than usual, but that's it.

Days 3-10 –

insane energy – I was stunned! This wasn't supposed to happen for another couple of weeks, so I thought since my diet was a mess that I wouldn't feel this until close to Day 30. I did feel a little drunk or air-headed, but I was speeding through my house cleaning it like it hadn't been cleaned in years. (note: my house always looks tidy, but there WAS a ton of hidden clutter). I spent these days that I thought I would be sleeping and laying around…

moving furniture

redecorating

running to the store to buy new comforters, picture frames, decorations, etc

washing windows

washing curtains

reorganizing every drawer and cabinet in my kitchen

filling bin after bin with trash, recycling, donations

Completed: 3 of 4 bedrooms, kitchen, laundry room, sunroom, finished side of basement, hall and entry-way, living room, bathrooms.

…and cooking (and bought the Well-Fed PDF, a pressure-cooker, and a mini lunch croc)

Days 11-26 –

Still very high energy, but not quite as maniacal.

Mood improved

Skin glowing

Stomach steadily (and visibly) deflating

Eyes clear (previously would get bloodshot, dry and blurry)

itchy, dry scalp – 100% improved

nails & hair always strong and grow fast, but this is ridiculous!

Keratosis Pilaris (bumps on back of arms) - gone

No need to carry snacks everywhere I go for fear of a crash. I can eat lunch hours late and feel great.

No sugar cravings – NONE.

Pants very loose (almost lost my shorts in a store when my hands were full carrying new things for my house)

My go-to, on the run meal: hardboiled egg, carrots, apple, nuts - meets requirements in a very portable fashion.

Fave meals out – salmon with veggies or chicken fajitas, no cheese or sour cream, and I bring my own coconut Pure Wraps and guacamole.

Results after 30 Days: 12.6 pounds gone, plus lost 3 inches just off my waist - I didn't realize how heavy, tired, and down I felt until now that I feel the complete opposite.

I think a large part of my success were the daily emails, particularly knowing I would have to click if I stayed on track or had to start over. NO WAY was I starting over. Now that I'm finished, I plan to add in a weekly glass of red wine, and test a bit of cheese. I may experiment with making things like Paleo pancakes, or some sort of muffin. Other than that, I am happy to continue with my new lifestyle. I'm going to start an Exercise30 on September 1. I'm going to try to make the 1st of each month a 30-day experiment on improving my life in various ways, all the while sticking to my new way of eating. If I find myself getting sluggish, gaining weight, I'll start another round of Whole30 immediately.

It was food that initially made me so ill, and it is food that has brought me back.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tracy

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I'm going to try to make the 1st of each month a 30-day experiment on improving my life in various ways, all the while sticking to my new way of eating. If I find myself getting sluggish, gaining weight, I'll start another round of Whole30 immediately.

LOVE this idea of constantly building on improving your health step by step. What a great story, congratulations!

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Awesome story! Thanks for sharing! Can you come do the same thing at my house? Maybe your October whole30 could be helping a fellow whole30 friend clean up the clutter!?

I had a burst of "clean out the cabinets and closets",but it didn't last as long as yours did! :lol:

Enjoy your success! Yeah for you!

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Well, you seemed to have inspired me because I got up at 5, the weather changed so I decided not to go hiking, and I've been cooking and cleaning since 530:) mixed in with posting here, of course...

The dog isn't sure why I said "hiking" and then started pulling the covers off the couch cushions, but she's been waiting patiently at the door for the hike for about 2 hours lol

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  • 2 weeks later...

Amazing job! I am inspired to keep at it :) In particular, I was happy to read that the keratosis pilaris and itchy scalp seemed to resolve themselves. I am really hoping for improvement with those two conditions. I've tried every shampoo for itchy scalp known to man short of straight tar, and none have had lasting effects, and I've had "pimple arms" (as my ex-boyfriend liked to call them) since I was a little kid.

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Pants very loose (almost lost my shorts in a store when my hands were full carrying new things for my house)

This cracked me up, especially because I have pants that are big and baggy now!

Great job and congratulations!!! Your story is very inspiring!

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