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Quitting Is Not An Option...


JeannieS

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... but I'm feeling close.

 

I have been sugar free, dairy free, booze free, legume free and grain free for 25 days.  I had a small bit of chicken that probably had some cargeenen in the brine on 10/24 so I started over (meaning started counting again) on 10/25.  So I'm 'officially' on Day 12 now.  

 

I'm day dreaming about a soft serve vanilla custard with rainbow sprinkles.  I would slap my husband for a peanut butter cup.  I am CRAVING sugar like a crazy person.  I had thought that 25 days with no sugar would curb that crazy craving.. and honestly the last 2 days are the only days I've really started to feel that craving.  Even the first week it wasn't bad. 

 

I am 'pre-diabetic' so I should not have it in any case, but HOLY CRAP.  What is going on with me?  

PLUS I have clean food ennui.  I have been happily prepping and cooking and choosing my foods for the last 3 weeks.. but suddenly NOTHING is appealling (except candy.. candy is very appealling).  Today I made a friggin' DELICIOUS salad with thin slices of porterhouse steak and roasted peppers and mixed greens and a spicy cayenne vinaigrette.. but I ate it with the same kind of enthusiasm that I'd eat wallpaper paste.  

 

AND.. as if that weren't enough.. I have a wicked sore throat.  And I'm wanting my special honey-ginger tea but I can't have honey so I'm cranky.

 

On a positive note.. I DO feel changes, my kids and husband see changes.  I look better and (barring today's sore throat and fatigue) I FEEL better.  I'm excited about the idea that I can do this.. I can eat foods that are healthful and I don't NEED a basket of garlic bread with a big pasta dinner and I don't NEED to have pizza night or Sundae Sunday.  So I'm willing to stick it out.. BUT WHEN DO THESE FEELINGS PASS??????? :wacko:  :blink:  :mellow:

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May I ask a personal question... are you expecting or currently experiencing your period?  Craving for chocolate and sugar when we're menstruating is a social joke now but it's actually because your body is craving carbs.  Up your starchy carb intake (yams, potato, beets, squash) and see if that helps?  I'd even go to a fist sized serving at every meal for a couple days and see how you feel.

 

You can definitely do this!  I liked your description of good food ennui... it happens to almost everyone... push through it... it sounds like you are making good tasty creative food so all I can say is 'this too shall pass' and also 'pass me some of that salad!!'.

 

If you want, post a couple days worth of your intake including portion sizes and we can have a look and see if there's anything to tweak to help you go out on a positive note!

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Oh!  I actually am just about due.  That's pretty intuitive.  

 

I have some cashew date bars that I made for my kids so they wouldn't murder me when I gave away most of their Halloween candy.. maybe I can have one of those with dinner or would that be cheating?

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Oh!  I actually am just about due.  That's pretty intuitive.  

 

I have some cashew date bars that I made for my kids so they wouldn't murder me when I gave away most of their Halloween candy.. maybe I can have one of those with dinner or would that be cheating?

I would strongly suggest starchy carbs. You want to keep up being fat adapted so giving your body pretty much straight sugar like a home made lara bar would be strongly discouraged.

Cook up a yam or some butternut squash, put some ghee or coconut oil on it and some cinnamon and a teeeeny sprinkle of cayenne... it's a flavor sensation and it's got the carbs, fibre and nutrition that you need that a cashew date bar does not have.

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That would be considered a sex-with-your-pants-on type of of thing.  (Wouldn't you much rather have sex with your pants off?) The LAST thing you should be doing when you are craving something sweet is to have something sweet.  You want to have protein and fat instead.

 

That being said - have a nice big baked potato / sweet potato with your next meal and the craving should wane.

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This week:

 

TUESDAY -   Breakfast:  roasted sweet potato cubes, sauteed greens, 2 eggs over easy (fried in ghee), beef bone broth - Lunch: leftover sweet potatoes, leftover taco meat, 2 mandarins  Dinner: Baked lemon chicken wings, Mashed cauliflower, garlicky asparagus, frozen grapes    WEDNESDAY:  Breakfast: Eggs scrambled with chard, kale, spinach, onion and peppers, some roasted grape tomatoes, small banana,   Lunch:  Leftovers from dinner, some raw cashews and a pear.  Dinner:  Portion of sliced porterhouse steak, baked white yam dressed with a little ghee, roasted broccoli with lots of garlic, sliced tomatoes   THURSDAY:  Breakfast: Monkey bowl - cashews, coconut, pineapple, apples and a chopped date with a little coconut cream and chia seeds  LUNCH: Salmon cakes, Israeli salad, Pear, raw almonds  Dinner: Sausage and Peppers, spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, frozen grapes  TODAY:  Breakfast: eggs scrambled with leftover sausage and peppers, 2 mandarins  Lunch:  Mixed greens with roasted red peppers,  leftover porterhouse, cayenne vinaigrette.  Tonight I'm planning on seared chicken breast with roasted root vegetables and roasted Brussels sprouts.

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I would strongly suggest starchy carbs. You want to keep up being fat adapted so giving your body pretty much straight sugar like a home made lara bar would be strongly discouraged.

Cook up a yam or some butternut squash, put some ghee or coconut oil on it and some cinnamon and a teeeeny sprinkle of cayenne... it's a flavor sensation and it's got the carbs, fibre and nutrition that you need that a cashew date bar does not have.

 

To be honest.. the treat would really be treated like a candy bar and NOT food so you are right that I should probably avoid it - not just for the physiological reasons but for the sheer psychological reasons too.  I'd be using it as an emotional crutch  I can't wait for these cravings to GO AWAY!!  :(

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That would be considered a sex-with-your-pants-on type of of thing.  (Wouldn't you much rather have sex with your pants off?) The LAST thing you should be doing when you are craving something sweet is to have something sweet.  You want to have protein and fat instead.

 

That being said - have a nice big baked potato / sweet potato with your next meal and the craving should wane.

 

I kind of want to try sex with my pants on now.   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:   I'm sure my husband will not approve.  

 

Okay.. I'm going to have a small baked sweet potato with a little ghee for dinner and ride this out.  

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This week:

 

TUESDAY -  

Breakfast:  roasted sweet potato cubes, sauteed greens, 2 eggs over easy (fried in ghee), beef bone broth

- Lunch: leftover sweet potatoes, leftover taco meat, 2 mandarins  

Dinner: Baked lemon chicken wings, Mashed cauliflower, garlicky asparagus, frozen grapes    

 

WEDNESDAY:  

Breakfast: Eggs scrambled with chard, kale, spinach, onion and peppers, some roasted grape tomatoes, small banana,  

Lunch:  Leftovers from dinner, some raw cashews and a pear.  

Dinner:  Portion of sliced porterhouse steak, baked white yam dressed with a little ghee, roasted broccoli with lots of garlic, sliced tomatoes  

 

THURSDAY:  Breakfast: Monkey bowl - cashews, coconut, pineapple, apples and a chopped date with a little coconut cream and chia seeds  

LUNCH: Salmon cakes, Israeli salad, Pear, raw almonds  

Dinner: Sausage and Peppers, spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, frozen grapes  

 

TODAY:  

Breakfast: eggs scrambled with leftover sausage and peppers, 2 mandarins  

Lunch:  Mixed greens with roasted red peppers,  leftover porterhouse, cayenne vinaigrette.

Tonight I'm planning on seared chicken breast with roasted root vegetables and roasted Brussels sprouts.

 

You meals look relatively good except for Thursday - Monkey Salad - yeah - this yells to me that you will get cravings and continue to get cravings for fruit.  It is seriously lacking of template - it's fruit and fat only.  If you want to add this to your protein and veg in a very small portion fine.  But the Monkey bowl is a all out sugar bomb.  It's best to be avoided.  Please make sure that fruit does not push veggies off your plate.

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This week:

 

TUESDAY -   Breakfast:  roasted sweet potato cubes, sauteed greens, 2 eggs over easy (fried in ghee), beef bone broth - Lunch: leftover sweet potatoes, leftover taco meat, 2 mandarins  Dinner: Baked lemon chicken wings, Mashed cauliflower, garlicky asparagus, frozen grapes    WEDNESDAY:  Breakfast: Eggs scrambled with chard, kale, spinach, onion and peppers, some roasted grape tomatoes, small banana,   Lunch:  Leftovers from dinner, some raw cashews and a pear.  Dinner:  Portion of sliced porterhouse steak, baked white yam dressed with a little ghee, roasted broccoli with lots of garlic, sliced tomatoes   THURSDAY:  Breakfast: Monkey bowl - cashews, coconut, pineapple, apples and a chopped date with a little coconut cream and chia seeds  LUNCH: Salmon cakes, Israeli salad, Pear, raw almonds  Dinner: Sausage and Peppers, spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, frozen grapes  TODAY:  Breakfast: eggs scrambled with leftover sausage and peppers, 2 mandarins  Lunch:  Mixed greens with roasted red peppers,  leftover porterhouse, cayenne vinaigrette.  Tonight I'm planning on seared chicken breast with roasted root vegetables and roasted Brussels sprouts.

Hey girl...

 

That is a LOT of fruit and nuts... I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you're keeping your sugar cravings alive and well with this much fruit.. it also appears that in some meals, fruit almost entirely pushes vegetables off your plate.  You may want to consider removing fruit for the next few days... I see you're eating startchy veg there at least once a day... maybe push it up to two servings and some people report that it's more helpful to have the starchy carbs at Meal 1.

Also, that Monkey Bowl is not a proper template meal and it's entirely missing vegetables and protein so not a stellar choice, especially if you're having sugar issues.

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I kind of want to try sex with my pants on now.   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:   I'm sure my husband will not approve.  

 

Okay.. I'm going to have a small baked sweet potato with a little ghee for dinner and ride this out.  

 

Well personally I find sex with my pants off MUCH more fun!   :D

 

Basically all the SWYPO thing is - whatever your choice is instead of the original - the replacement is always more disappointing than the original because you expect the original taste when it really isn't nearly as good.

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You meals look relatively good except for Thursday - Monkey Salad - yeah - this yells to me that you will get cravings and continue to get cravings for fruit.  It is seriously lacking of template - it's fruit and fat only.  If you want to add this to your protein and veg in a very small portion fine.  But the Monkey bowl is a all out sugar bomb.  It's best to be avoided.  Please make sure that fruit does not push veggies off your plate.

Yes.  I see that now. Darn it!   And I was STARVING after that too..  I guess that's no coincidence.  I could not wait for lunch.  LOL  

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Hey girl...

 

That is a LOT of fruit and nuts... I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you're keeping your sugar cravings alive and well with this much fruit.. it also appears that in some meals, fruit almost entirely pushes vegetables off your plate.  You may want to consider removing fruit for the next few days... I see you're eating startchy veg there at least once a day... maybe push it up to two servings and some people report that it's more helpful to have the starchy carbs at Meal 1.

Also, that Monkey Bowl is not a proper template meal and it's entirely missing vegetables and protein so not a stellar choice, especially if you're having sugar issues.

 

I do think the Monkey bowl was seriously problematic - but I found that when I don't eat fruit at all, I get super tired during my workouts.  I guess I'll try eliminating them for a few days and see how I feel.   Thank you!

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maybe push it up to two servings and some people report that it's more helpful to have the starchy carbs at Meal 1.

 

Just wanted to chime in here.  If you are looking for better sleep, better energy and reduced cravings, we actually notice more people getting that by moving those starches to the later meals in the day.  It's an experiment of one (you) so shift those servings around and see how you do best.  

 

Personally I don't care what is for breakfast or lunch but find that I need a starch at my evening meal in order to feel like the day is closed off.  Nice full meal, wind down, quiet time, bed.  That's just me though.  ;)

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You're doing great, Jeannie! You are doing a wonderful thing for your health that many people are not able to accomplish.

 

A lot of people experience food boredom partway through a Whole30. I think it's hard at times to get past feeling like everything has the same flavor profile. Maybe a few days with some fresh seafood, or making a curry, would give your taste buds a break. 

 

Melissa Hartwig recommends upping the starchy carbs to one or two a day before your period, and eating more in general.

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You are getting tired because you have been propping yourself up with sugar.  The idea is to become a fat burner - not continue to be a sugar burner.  You will suffer with low energy levels for a number of days as your body switches over.

 

oh God... do I have to start over AGAIN?  From Day 1?  :(  I don't think I can take it.. 

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oh God... do I have to start over AGAIN?  From Day 1?   :(  I don't think I can take it.. 

No, if you haven't eaten anything on the "no" list (eg, grains, dairy, legumes, added sugar, alcohol) then you're fine. 

 

That said, your best results are going to come from allowing your body to convert to being able to burn either fat or sugar rather than only relying on sugar.  

 

You have around 18 days left on this Whole30, use them wisely.  Eat breakfast (according to the template) within an hour of waking.  Limit your fruits, increase your starchy veggies and mess around with the timing.  Make each meal meat the template and you could be feeling much better by Day 30.  :)

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You're doing great, Jeannie! You are doing a wonderful thing for your health that many people are not able to accomplish.

 

A lot of people experience food boredom partway through a Whole30. I think it's hard at times to get past feeling like everything has the same flavor profile. Maybe a few days with some fresh seafood, or making a curry, would give your taste buds a break. 

 

Melissa Hartwig recommends upping the starchy carbs to one or two a day before your period, and eating more in general.

 

 

Thank you for the compliment!  I really needed to hear that.  It's nice to be get a little reminder that I've actually been doing something right and have come a long way.. even if I have a long way left to go.  LOL

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No, if you haven't eaten anything on the "no" list (eg, grains, dairy, legumes, added sugar, alcohol) then you're fine. 

 

That said, your best results are going to come from allowing your body to convert to being able to burn either fat or sugar rather than only relying on sugar.  

 

You have around 18 days left on this Whole30, use them wisely.  Eat breakfast (according to the template) within an hour of waking.  Limit your fruits, increase your starchy veggies and mess around with the timing.  Make each meal meat the template and you could be feeling much better by Day 30.   :)

 

 

Thank God!  I was terrified that eating 'off template' might mean I need to start over!!  I know I've lost weight.. I can feel it.  And my blood sugars have really gone way down.. but I will avoid eating so much fruit and will try to follow the template Thank you!

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The LAST thing you should be doing when you are craving something sweet is to have something sweet.  You want to have protein and fat instead.

I think we should each have to type this before we can sign into the forums each day. You must type it exactly, you must not miss a single word of it. If you do, you are denied access. Over and over and over again until you get it right.

Please pass that suggestion on to Dallas & Melissa. :lol:

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I know its already been said that you are consuming a lot of fruit/nuts and I can tell you from personal experience that it was a BIG problem for me.  I did my first Whole30 back in July and found myself shoveling fruit and nuts in my mouth.....like all out binging because I kept feeding my sugar dragon.  I'm currently on my second round and decided to limit fruit and nuts to only garnishes.  I have yet to eat a full piece of fruit alone.  This time around is so much better for me.  I get cravings here and there but not very often at all, and its nothing I can't control.  Last round, forget about it! 

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