First time...starting May 15th

[stravajunkie]

playtruly hang in there! You'll never know what this program can do for you if you don't get through the 30 days...which does NOT make it easy!! BUT-you don't want to have to wonder if you HAD made it through how it might have helped...I do think there is a lot of truth to clearing toxins-if our bodies react this strongly to just eating real food in a form that's pretty close to natural, then we probably have some clearing out to do...at least that is what I'm telling myself because I am also experiencing low energy when it comes to working out! No tiger blood yet that's for sure...

[Sharon!]

Hi all, I've been super hungry at dinner for the past two nights. It seems a bit out of control -- any thoughts from the more experienced Whole 30 meal planners whether this is normal or seems way out of whack? 

 

Day 11:

Breakfast:

Fist sized serving of steamed sweet potato mixed with 1 tbsp coconut oil

Braised kale and carrots

4 sardine fillets (canned in spring water)

 

Lunch:

Skirt steak salad with bacon, pickled onions, half an avocado

 

Dinner:

Two Paleo burgers: burger patties with mayo, 4 bacon strips, lettuce leaves, red onion slices

 

Day 12:

Breakfast

Grilled tri tip steak -- 5 oz

Fist sized serving of steamed sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp coconut oil

Braised kale and carrots

 

Lunch

Spinach salad with cucumber and carrots

Grilled chicken breast

Half avocado

 

Dinner

2.5 sauteed chicken thighs with skin

half an avocado

Stir fried cabbage with bacon

Braised kale and carrots

40 blueberries

 

How's everyone else doing?

[stravajunkie]

Hi Sharron!

I'm certainly not expert, but looking at what you're eating maybe you need a bit more at your midday meal? I don't know what your activity level is but I know I'd be chewing down the door posts by dinner time on that menu (which otherwise looks delicious!)!

If you are starving at dinner do you eat as much as you want? That is important....upping the protein might help, and adding more delicious fat like a whole avocado, mayo, etc...

I have been doing pretty well, have been SORELY tempted to weigh myself because I feel so puffy, but resisted the temptation...reward was finding that looks and behold some of my more "challenging" pants actually fit a bit better yesterday! How is everyone else doing!?!?

[bigmamabird]

We homeschool and at the end of the year we have a special dinner to commemorate it.  We normally don't have a lot of junk food in the house but the kids were begging for Cheetos and since it was a cook out I got them as a treat.  We also got one of those giant decorated cookies which I steeled myself to have problems saying no to,  but I just didn't crave it at all, even as I was cutting it up and serving it to everyone else.  Those Cheetos though!  I'm usually not drawn to salty stuff, but keeping my hand out of the Cheetos bowl was a feat of willpower!  We had a whole bunch left over that were calling to me from the kitchen, so I asked my husband to eat them, as an act of love, of course!

[Sharon!]

StravaJunkie -- Thank you for looking over my meals. I think you're right -- I wasn't getting very many vegetables at lunch. I had two lunch those days so I had to eat out, and it's always tough to cobble together a full meal at a restaurant. 

 

I made a sweet potato hash recipe by Nom Nom Paleo this morning that was delicious with some leftover steak. I highly recommend it if you have a cast-iron skillet -- and a food processor makes the grating easy. 

 

I also went to a Korean day spa yesterday and detox with some hydrotherapy, going from the hot pool to the cold plunge pool and then sitting in a dry sauna. My naturopath recommends 2-3 minutes in the hot pool (97-104 degrees) then 20-30 seconds submerged in the cold pool (60 degrees), do that a couple times, then go sit in a dry sauna and work up a good sweat. I ended with cold plunge, then rinsed off and went home. I highly recommend it to reduce stress. (Because let's just admit it: completely overhauling your diet is stressful on top of everything else you have going on in your life.)

[Christine_]

OK guys, I want to do this right and to the letter, so I’m starting it over and leaving this positive, supportive, and very helpful group.  Thanks for all the encouragement, and enjoy your tiger blood days – I will get there!  I must leave you with this simple salad recipe though – it’s super easy and SO TASTY, especially if you have some fresh basil growing out back! For the dressing I just used lime juice, oil, and garlic.  

 

http://soletshangout.com/honest-whole-30-recap-week-two-raw-zucchini-ribbon-salad-with-tomatoes-basil-olives/

 

 

[mebaer2000]

Day 16, we are on the downhill slide. Feeling good. I have made it through many, many days of travel in the last two weeks. Im thankful.

[stravajunkie]

I am going to have to 2nd Christine_ 's comment above. I made it all the way through the weekend, then last night had some pretty acute situations going on and CHOSE (always a space between stimulus and response, right?) to throw in the towel. Frustrated with myself this morning but I know the best option is to re-start RIGHT NOW. This is a set back, but the habits I'm working on are stronger than they were 15 days ago, I will continue to build them starting right now, on a June 1 start date forum Best of luck to all of you!!!

[Christine_]

Stravajunkie, I totally agree.  It's an intentional choice every time we consume.  I was starting to feel good and am disappointed I didn't make it 30 days with this group, but I am going to celebrate by starting again instead of feeling bad for failing. I'm pretty much back on plan now but am joining the forum "Starting June 1st - First Whole30 started by JennSeitzer" -- it would be great if you would join me there to continue the journey and bike rides.  Good luck and good health to the rest of you, too!  

[Sharon!]

Christine_ and Stravajunkie -- Good luck on your restart and thank you for the support you gave to this group. I also flamed out on my first attempt -- this is my second one. 

 

How is everyone else doing? I had some cravings after dinner tonight and ate an Asian pear. I still have been waking up feeling allergic and tired instead of waking up before my alarm full of pep. I suspect it might be the bacon (Whole30 approved, but I think it's not sitting well.)

 

Otherwise I am very hopeful I can make it the full 30. 

[AB_MN]

Sorry to see you two go but appreciate your honesty.  You are doing this for you so do the best you can.  Start over and you'll feel better in your mind.  I made my first W30 and then failed next 2.  Here I am for #4 - hopefully this will be a success (too soon to tell, still taking it one day at a time). 

 

Had a challenging weekend but made it through.  Was hard to pass up the b-day cake (socially) as well as not join in on the happy hours before dinner over the long weekend we spent with bigger group away from home. But, I did.  I brought come compliant beef jerky with, some toasted coconut flakes and nuts, and tons of cut up veggies so I had some go-to foods when meals weren't in line with what I was able to eat.  I didn't tell anyone what I was up to.  Easier not to at this point.  

 

My cravings are gone but I do notice that I miss the 'treats' I indulge myself in (way too much I suppose).  Cream & sugar in coffee... 12 more days.  Will be first thing I add back in. 

 

Thanks for the idea to microwave a sweet potato.  much quicker than peeling, slicing and baking (for 1+ hours).  that's been helpful. 

 

Day 18.  Almost 2/3 done . Am thinking about what/how to reintroduce and in what order. Last time I just returned to all my old habits - would like to be more intentional this time and possibly keep 95% of what I've been doing.   Missing cream/sugar in coffee and maybe a bit of wine, and good bread.  that's about it. 

 

hope others are doing well.  

[bigmamabird]

I've been having a very hard time these last two days.  I want  something good to eat, I miss my tasty treats!  I sit around thinking about all the delicious things I can't have and then I try to turn it around and think of something I can have, but none of that sounds good!

 

I want cheese!  I want some Brownie Brittle!  I want a piece of toast with honey!  

 

I do not want vegetables!

[CNBCNB]

AB_MN,

Been thinking about reintroduction myself. I feel as though the gluten is the culprit so adding back first to confirm. I look forward to wine, but surprised to find I prefer black coffee now.

I think after I do the reintro, I will do whole30 lifestyle 5-6 days a week and then relax on weekend one or two days. That seems manageable and still disciplined. I do best with forbidding foods rather than managing reasonable amounts or number of choices.

[Sharon!]

AB_MN Way to go on making it through the weekend at the cabin. That sounded tough. 

 

I'm wanting to eat cookies. It's been a stressful week at work, and in moments of anxiousness in the afternoon, I inevitably want a snack: potato chips, fun-sized Snickers bar, peanut M&Ms.

 

Whenever my dog gets anxious or overexcited, she runs to chew on her stuffed squirrel. I'm beginning to think we have more in common than I would like to admit. 

[ek_02]

I'm still rocking this thing.  I slept good before and still am. I do have this sense of major alertness during the day and evenings.  My problem is when to eat when I exercise on Thursday nights.  I am part of a synchronized swim team and I tried eating a couple of eggs 30 minutes before a two hour swim where I'm turned upside down half the time, and it just isn't going to work.  By the time I get home, it's 9 at night and time to go to bed.  At this point I've already had plenty of eggs because I get up at 4am to do a boot camp class in the morning.  I used to eat a PB&J on the way home and was fine that night and the next morning.  I'm always starving on Friday's now.  I'm also starting to get fearful of the reintroduction.  I don't miss sweets, I miss the easy convenience of food like my PB&J, or a bean burrito.  10 more days!

[Sharon!]

I had the dreams last night. I was eating a gooey marshmallow with chocolate. A friend had made mounds and mounds of candy in my dream. It was good. 

 

11 days left!

[AB_MN]

AB_MN Way to go on making it through the weekend at the cabin. That sounded tough. 

 

I'm wanting to eat cookies. It's been a stressful week at work, and in moments of anxiousness in the afternoon, I inevitably want a snack: potato chips, fun-sized Snickers bar, peanut M&Ms.

 

Whenever my dog gets anxious or overexcited, she runs to chew on her stuffed squirrel. I'm beginning to think we have more in common than I would like to admit.

I totally get this!!! I love eating crunchy things like popcorn and cookies. It's kind of a stress reliever. The squirrel analogy had me giggling.

[AB_MN]

Ek02, great to hear it is going well. And I am glad Sharon and CNBCNB are still here too. Is that it? Just us four?

Last full week and weekend coming up. I almost threw in towel a few times. So hard to pass up a few things that presented themself this weekend. Like, glass of wine, a sucker at a movie from a friend. I love to bake and have also not baked on purpose (cookies and coffee cake) since I knew one bite of the cookie dough would be the end for me. I can not resist that at this point or at least don't want to tempt myself.

I am sleeping well , pants feel looser, skin starting to clear up and have less anxiety. And, I fell like I am off the roller coaster of punishment excercsie. You know run 3-5 miles because you ate too much day before. Or worse, eat some junk because you just ran and can afford to have a treat which then totally negates all calories burned off. Now, I fell like I am eating so balanced that I exercise (walking and yoga) for enjoyment. This is a huge benefit thought kind of hard to explain. Anyone getting that? I miss the runners high but my hip was hurting so much I really did need to take a break from it for a while.

I made the breakfast pumpkin custard. It is OK. Mostly for breakfast I eat left overs from fridge reheated (chicken breast or hamburger/veggies).

Have a great day. Let me know who is still here so we can work through this last week together.

[playtruly]

Hello All - Just wanted to send a note of encouragement for your last week!  I've been following along clandestinely, although I had to drop off after an 8-day bout with a stomach flu that landed me in the emergency room on Day 14 of Whole30.  Once I started eating again, I went straight for the grains to settle my stomach (mostly non-gluten grains, rice and quinoa - so that was OK, healthwise); but then as soon I was really feeling better - I immediately starting binging on sugar in the evenings, for the next 3 days!!!

 

Ah well - it wasn't exactly the easiest start to my first Whole30, but it's been really great to read all of your posts, and try your fun recipes.  The good news for me is that, after my 3 days of evening chocolate binges (!), I seem to be pretty much back on track - with the addition of the non-gluten grains which are helping to sustain some heavy workouts.  So, at least part of the lifestyle adjustment seems to have stuck.  I'm planning to get back to a true Whole30 again once I get through some calendar challenges in the next few weeks.

 

In the meantime, best of luck with your last week!!!  You can do this!!  I'm inspired by your great commitment.  Wishing you all the best of health!

[ek_02]

I went out to eat in Dallas and found a restaurant that specifically has Whole30 options, when the waitress asked what brought us here, I let her know whole30 and the lady next to me overheard.  She said she has done 3 rounds of it!  She said that the restaurant was where she lived during those months.  I'm not sure I will ever do it again, but I do hope to continue to eat this way 90% of the time. 

[Sharon!]

I am still here. But honestly, I feel gigantic. I've been complying for 21 days. But my clothes are even tighter than before. I feel like I've gained a few pounds. I did take an Ambien last night, so maybe that has something to do with it? 

 

Right now just sort of depressed about it all. 

[AB_MN]

PLaytruly - sorry to hear you were so sick.  that's scary.  glad you are better now.  thanks for checking in :-)

 

ek_02 - haven't heard of any restaurants up my way that serve W30 compliant food but what a great idea!    

 

Sharon - maybe you should post in the 'Troubleshooting' forum and see what a moderator says. They can give helpful ideas.  It's so much work and would be frustrated to head in the opposite direction?  Do you have any Non-Scale Victories?  

[mebaer2000]

I'm still here too! Three days left to go. I haven't cheated at all. But, I have been so tempted to weigh myself. I feel good, but I don't think Ive lost any weight. My stomach is kinda bloated. I have eaten way too may potatoes with ghee. A week ago, I hit a major wall. It was weird to feel so bad after feeling so good. I decided to eliminate some things one at a time. I started with eliminating my newly introduced green juice. Turns out, this was the culprit. My energy returned. Hard to imagine a "Green Goddess" causing so much fatigue. Would love to continue past the 30 days, but we are going to Kauai on day 30. I have decided to eat clean, but allow myself some freedom. I will  start my second whole 30 when I get home, but this time around eliminating nightshades. I have really enjoyed this program. I love the structure!

[Sharon!]

I'm still here with 3 days to go! I managed to stay compliant on a weekend work trip to the East Coast. I hit Whole Foods the first night and bought a bunch of food that ate during the trip. 

 

I was able to stay mostly compliant. On the flight back I ate a few too many handfuls of apple chips, but I'm not going to consider that grounds for a restart. There wasn't any added sugar in the apple chips.

 

AB_MN I have had NSVs. My skin looks better. Clear and healthy. I had great energy and stamina during the work trip and my mood was really positive. I was actually happy each day instead of feeling like I had to grit my teeth until I got on the plane to head home. It's a routine trip I make every three weeks, so I can definitely compare changes in my energy and outlook. But I still feel like I weigh more than ever. It's a real downer. Thanks for your supportive reply! I appreciate it. 

 

mebaer2000 - I had to eliminate a few things as well. I cut out an avocado blueberry smoothie on weekends. And I suspect eating a sweet potato with coconut oil each morning was contributing to bloat and weight gain. I'm cutting that out. 

 

How are people feeling about life post-30? What are you going to keep and change? I think I need to stick with it another week without sweet potatoes to see how that changes things. 

[Yia-yia]

Im still hanging with you guys too. Starting to think about reintroduction also. Had a little bon-fire party with my brothers and sisters from out of town and resisted the smores Loved the time catching up though so the small time of temtation didnt ruin the evening...but to make a long story short, as i was leaving i was hit by a car. It could have been worse because i saw it coming and dodged the brunt of it. Most damage was to my knee, and there are no breaks so im lucky, yet pretty immoble now. I was just feeling so great about my progress, too. Anyway, hope all of you are well, and dont beat yourself up if you fall, just get right back on that horse so to speak.