Starting May 23

[Lorelai91]

Hi all! I also started May 23. The first two days have been good, i have prepared and have been getting my water in so I am super happy so far. I am having major sugar withdrawls as well and have ended the day with a headache both days. Keep keeping on! Looking forward to how we all go in the next 30 days

[BelieverL16]

Hi everyone! So I survived day one!

 

Well, yesterday I missed the afternoon snack, I have to confess! I felt a bit hungry, but I realised it could be just my bad habit of snacking, so I ignored and was ok... had loads of water instead. I also cooked the broccoli and cauliflower mash recipe from the book (Yummy!!) for dinner, and saved some for lunch today... 

 

This morning I woke up with no energy to do my early morning exercise dvds, but managed a run after I dropped my daughter at school. I'm on my period as well, so maybe that's why... So far so good.

[Lorelai91]

Good work Believer! I have had a dip in my energy as well I suppose its just all the change have a good day 2!

[aefrazier]

Hi all, I'm Ashley in the UK. I also started the whole30 yesterday (23 May). I felt great yesterday, though I worked from home so was equipped with all the fruit and veggies I'd bought and was protected from all the temptations of the outside world! I was amazed at how not hungry I felt...

...until about 10am today! I woke up feeling good but slowly throughout the morning my head seemed to feel more and more foggy. I'm regretting the chocolate binge I had on Sunday night now!

Anyway, I'm glad so many of us have started on the same day and I look forward to getting to know you all better over the next 28 days, 7 hours, and 56 minutes!

[pipes]

Day 2!!  I'm excited to be here.  I feel somewhat hungry in between meals, and did some snacking on compliant food yesterday (blueberries, some olives and a closed fist of walnuts, at different times).  I think with the diabetes I am more likely to have a major hunger trigger when the blood sugar drops (even when it drops to normal levels). 

 

I do love the food.  I love eating real food.  Seriously, I look forward to these meals like crazy because I know I'll feel good before, during and after.

 

If you all are not familiar with this, it is the easiest thing in the world to put eggs, chopped vegetables, salt and pepper in muffin tins and have a quick portable quiche-like breakfast.  I forgot to put olive oil at the bottom of the muffins and they still popped right out! Takes about 15 min total from prep to taking out of the oven.  I'm missing the cheese I used to put in them and was wondering how they'd be if I dipped them in a little homemade mayo

 

Have a great day everyone!!

[hollyelyse]

One day down! I was CONSTANTLY hungry yesterday, even though I did snack a little around my workout. I didn't really miss sugar, but I felt like bread would have helped me feel full. The food was delicious so it's definitely not a hardship to eat all this great stuff. I think my body is going to have to get used to eating less frequently. Good luck to everyone with your next day!

[klei6915]

Hey! This is my day two, but I'm just now getting to posting!  I haven't done whole30 before but it is very similar to a program I started in Nov 2014 to identify inflammation triggers.  I know what triggers my body to inflame (sugar, dairy, grains), but it's always hard for me to stay 100% (except for dairy, that is a very painful inflammation for me when I cheat).  I'm starting this now because I've been at like a 85% no-cheat place for the last 5 months and haven't seen any results in my body (that's with working out 20ish days a month).  I am getting married in October; that is another motivator for me.  I like the size of my body, but I wish I were more muscular/tight/lean.  But, really, it's just the principal.  I need to show myself that through 100% commitment I can change myself.  I've never utilized an online support system but I'm definitely willing to try it this time!  My fiance is amazing, but does not go on these fun food rollercoasters with me.  He does make all of our meals... and, I'm very lucky, he'll make mine to the whole30 requirements even if he's not focused on it!  I do have other support at work and through fam/friends... but nobody else that is 100% committed.  So, I guess I'm counting on this community for that!

 

Here we go!

[Lorelai91]

Klei sounds like you have a great support system! I am getting married in September and I would like to lose 5kg and tone up as well

Holly I have been drinking water like a mad women for that reason too! Someone in the log section said that making sure we have enough fat on our plates makes a big difference in that starvation feeling. Maybe thats something to try upping...

Pipes thanks for the quiche receip sounds delish!

My day 2 went really well. Just woke up (Australian) and onto day 3. All prepped and ready. Looking forward to my lunch of garlicky shrimp

[T3LC]

Hi! This is my 2nd Whole30 and I am in Germany so day 3 has already started for me. I finished my first Whole30 in March of this year and want to do it again with a few modifications: I run/row 8-9 hours a week and my performance during the first round has dropped significantly due to a lack of carb-dense veggies, so more sweet potatoes etc., more water in general (less sparkling more tap), drink apple cider vinegar twice/day, more sleep, less coffee - more tea, and no snacking. It will be fun to compare the results of this round to the results earlier this year. It is only 30 days. We can do this!!!

[Lorelai91]

Yes we can T3LC! I just woke uo to start day 4 and I am feeling rested and ready to go. Hoping that the kill everything and everyone period doesnt kick in today

[IsabellaJ]

Morning from day 4! The "kill all things" hasn't kicked in for me yet .. but it did kick in for my husband! Boy, was a he a grump this morning ... so I sent him the day 4/5 day timeline which made him laugh! (will attach below in case you have not seen it), I'm really impressed with hubby sticking to it as no rice/pasta for dinner and no milk in his coffee is huge for him.

 

For me, I ate paleo anyway .. but the treats had been slipping in too often .. and after a pre-Whole 30 blow out weekend away last weekend, I am paying the the price. Mild headache on morning of day 2 which went away .. but returned with a vengenance today on day 4! Have had coffee (so it's not that), lots of water (so I'm not dehydrated) and just had an apple at 11:30 am to try to help .. no! Still there!

 

Anyone else having headaches? Any tips (other than painkillers!) to help?

 

Day 4/5 timeline

Day 4 dawns and you tentatively step out of bed, expecting to feel like you took a strike from Thor’s hammer in the temple. Instead, your head is surprisingly clear. Your limbs all feel functional. This could be a good day! You walk into the kitchen and as you’re greeted by the smiling face of your significant other you are suddenly overcome…with the desire to punch them in the face for smiling this early in the morning. Congratulations! You’ve made it to day 4. Now, I have no clue why this phase happens, or why it happens here (and not on, say, day 14).* I just know that it happens. Often. Even experienced Whole30ers (myself included) go through this phase. Every nerve is lit, temperance is non-existent and the only solution to the problem seems to be to Kill All of the Things. This phase, too, will pass. Beg your spouse, children, parents, co-workers, for patience and forgiveness – as nicely as you can (and no, “shut up and leave me alone!” does not count as nice). Take a deep breath and eat some sweet potatoes. I promise, you’ll feel better soon. *It’s probably because your brain is never very happy when you tell it that it CAN’T have something, and take it out of it’s habitual and accustomed comfort zone. An unhappy brain is a stressed brain, an anxious brain, a fearful brain. No to mention your hormones are desperately trying to keep up with your new food choices, your gut is trying to heal, you’ve had a headache for the last three days, and you REALLY MISS YOUR DIET COKE. So yeah, maybe we do know why this is happening now… -

[BreannaRose]

Yesterday, Day 4, I had my first positive result of Whole 30!

 

Ok, it was probably a coincidence, but I want to share anyway.

 

We were in the kitchen:
husband: Where is the lid to this water pitcher?

Me: White cupboard, top shelf, on the right.

husband: Wow!  You're gaining your memory back!

 

My husband isn't on the Whole30 and had no idea that "brain fog lift" is one of the results.  He just noticed.  I'm very forgetful and have some ADD tendencies.  Usually my answer to such a questions would be, "I don't know, I remember putting it somewhere..."

 

Like I said, maybe it is just a coincidence because it seems a bit early to be getting results like this, doesn't it?

Regardless, this has made my husband even more supportive of me doing this!  Hope to see more of this as the days go on.  

[BreannaRose]

One day down! I was CONSTANTLY hungry yesterday, even though I did snack a little around my workout. I didn't really miss sugar, but I felt like bread would have helped me feel full. The food was delicious so it's definitely not a hardship to eat all this great stuff. I think my body is going to have to get used to eating less frequently. Good luck to everyone with your next day!

 

Are you eating a lot of vegetables?  There is no limit to the amount we can eat so I'd fill your plate up with more at meal times.  It may be less food than you usually eat but since it is full of nutrients, you shouldn't feel too hungry later.  

[MummyAbby]

Hi all

Well the first three days have gone pretty well I think! I was absolute exhausted yesterday afternoon and fell asleep on the sofa, which I think is probably the sugar slump.

I am finding I'm hungry but I'm scared to eat more! I know this is something I need to get over, especially as I'm breastfeeding my 9 week old. Yesterday my meal plan was as follows

Breakfast - 2x scrambled eggs, sweet potato, 1 slice bacon and a few mushrooms

Lunch - firecracker tuna salad (with 1 can tuna), some cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sweet potato wedges

Tea - burger (made with 125g mince), lettuce wrap, fried egg, mushrooms, tomato, red onion and sweet potato chips

Pre bedtime snack (first time I've had one) - Apple with almond butter

Overnight snack (I'm up for hours during the night feeding) - 1 banana and some spiced nuts (30g - I've weighed them out and bagged them so I can't over eat)

I definitely didn't eat enough at lunchtime yesterday as I was so hungry a few hours later! I know I need to eat if I'm hungry, it's just getting t of the mentality of 'must lose weight, must not eat!'

Any advice would be welcome thanks!

[SharynF]

I made a lovely coleslaw style salad yesterday using Tesco's spiralised veggies. £1 a pot and on 3 for 2 currently. I used carrot, beetroot and courgette and a load of homemade mayo. Crunchy and delicious. Even hubby liked it (he emptied the bowl so I had to make more for my lunch) and he is so not Whole30! Good value too as I only used about a third of each container and planned on using the rest in a stir fry. 

[ShannonM816]

Hi all

Well the first three days have gone pretty well I think! I was absolute exhausted yesterday afternoon and fell asleep on the sofa, which I think is probably the sugar slump.

I am finding I'm hungry but I'm scared to eat more! I know this is something I need to get over, especially as I'm breastfeeding my 9 week old. Yesterday my meal plan was as follows

Breakfast - 2x scrambled eggs, sweet potato, 1 slice bacon and a few mushrooms

Lunch - firecracker tuna salad (with 1 can tuna), some cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sweet potato wedges

Tea - burger (made with 125g mince), lettuce wrap, fried egg, mushrooms, tomato, red onion and sweet potato chips

Pre bedtime snack (first time I've had one) - Apple with almond butter

Overnight snack (I'm up for hours during the night feeding) - 1 banana and some spiced nuts (30g - I've weighed them out and bagged them so I can't over eat)

I definitely didn't eat enough at lunchtime yesterday as I was so hungry a few hours later! I know I need to eat if I'm hungry, it's just getting t of the mentality of 'must lose weight, must not eat!'

Any advice would be welcome thanks!

You need to eat even more than the average person because you are breastfeeding. Your job right now is to make sure you consume enough nutrients for you and your little one to be healthy and have energy. Weight loss right now may happen or it may not but limiting your food intake to try to force it to happen is not a useful thing to do.

For anyone on whole30, when eggs are your sole protein source in a meal, have as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand, which is likely 3-4. If you don't want that many eggs at once, add some other protein with them. Bacon is a fat source not protein for whole30 purposes.

Do be sure you're adding fat to all your meals, in addition to what you cook in. Many nursing moms find it useful to have even more fat throughout the day by snacking on olives or sipping on coconut milk.

As a nursing mom you need to plan on eating four full meals instead of three meals and a couple of snacks.

Finally, you don't have to weigh things to determine how much to eat. Check out the meal template linked in my signature below to see how much to eat -- nuts, for instance, are a closed fist full for a serving. Olives are a heaping handful.

[ShannonM816]

Start Day 3 here!

I'm still shocked that I haven't really been hungry. I've thought, "I should eat..." but then I realized I wasn't actually hungry so I waiting until I was, which was close to meal time.

First two days were like this:

Breakfast:

Fried a tomato and green pepper with olive oil and then added eggs.

Today I only had one egg and had fruit on the side.

Coffee without sugar or anything.

Lunch:

Fried vegetables (whatever I had)

Added tuna along with the veggies

Fruit

Supper:

Chicken and vegetables, again fried in olive oil.

Snack:

Fruit

I also try to keep my water bottle full of water and ice, sometimes a squeeze of lemon (not every time because the acid can be too much for my stomach)

I don't make decisions based on calories, but I'm using MFP and so far I'm eating under 1200!! This makes me excited because it means I'll definitely loose weight! I was eating at least 2000 before and still hungry! No hunger this time.

I've never been a big veggie eater but I'm finding it very satisfying.

A serving of eggs, when they are your only protein source, is as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand. One egg is not sufficient.

Quit tracking things in MFP. There will be days when you have more calories and days when you have less, and even though you say it doesn't affect how you eat, it can still subconsciously affect things. Base your meals on the meal template. If you want to jot down what you've eaten each day in a notebook or here on the forum in a log, or take pictures of it, that's fine, but stop with the tracking. This article has more on this: http://whole30.com/2016/01/tracking/

[MummyAbby]

Thanks Shannon. I know you're absolutely right!

I have done a lot better today I think - breakfast was nuts, fruit and almond butter because I really wanted a break from cooking at breakfast. Tomorrow I'll be back onto breakfast meatloaf with eggs or avocado I think. At lunch I had the rest of the firecracker tuna salad, but I also had 2 devilled eggs and salad. I'm still stuffed 3hrs later! Tea tonight is homemade curry with cauliflower rice.

I think a lot of it is just getting my head around eating more not less. It's just a change of mindset which I need to focus on. But I have to put my babies health first so I can't go starving myself!

Am I ok to be having snacks too? I was trying to avoid them but I'm happy to start having them! I do struggle with an idea for a fourth meal though which meets the nutritional requirements. Any suggestions would be very welcome!

Thanks again for your advice and support.

[ShannonM816]

In general I find it easiest to prep a bunch of food over the weekend so I can just grab food at mealtimes without too much actual cooking. So, you could keep things like hard boiled eggs, grilled or baked chicken, cooked ground beef, a roast of some sort, an egg casserole, chili or stew made up in the fridge, keep chopped vegetables or even frozen vegetables on hand, and make up some mayo and another sauce or two of some kind. Then throughout the week, you just grab some protein and some vegetables, heat them up if you like, top with some kind of sauce or add olives or avocado, and you've got a meal.

Even if you prefer to cook one meal a day from scratch, it might be helpful to have a variety of options on hand for your other meals.

If you're hungry, definitely eat. Try to make any between meal snacks still have some protein, fat and veggies, or at least two of the three.

[1grtRN]

Day 4 and I'm not cranky, just tired! I wasn't really energized enough to exercise, blah! The food has been amazing and filling so I haven't been hungry. I just hope I can get up and get going tomorrow!

[IsabellaJ]

Day 5, and I feel much better today, TG! The headaches yesterday were not good, but are much better today. I have been tired and going to bed early in the evenings, sleeping really heavily and having vivid dreams/nightmares. But today I woke an hour before my alarm clock and felt good (I am not usually a morning person!).

 

I know the next week or two will be up and down ... but today I feel good, refreshed and happy I am enjoying the kitchen prep too!

 

Hubby is going great too, very impressed at how he is doing. And although it is early days yet, he is talking about continuing to eat this way during the week after whole 30, but just having Friday lunch out (instead of bringing his own). 

[IsabellaJ]

Hi all

Well the first three days have gone pretty well I think! I was absolute exhausted yesterday afternoon and fell asleep on the sofa, which I think is probably the sugar slump.

I am finding I'm hungry but I'm scared to eat more! I know this is something I need to get over, especially as I'm breastfeeding my 9 week old. Yesterday my meal plan was as follows

Breakfast - 2x scrambled eggs, sweet potato, 1 slice bacon and a few mushrooms

Lunch - firecracker tuna salad (with 1 can tuna), some cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sweet potato wedges

Tea - burger (made with 125g mince), lettuce wrap, fried egg, mushrooms, tomato, red onion and sweet potato chips

Pre bedtime snack (first time I've had one) - Apple with almond butter

Overnight snack (I'm up for hours during the night feeding) - 1 banana and some spiced nuts (30g - I've weighed them out and bagged them so I can't over eat)

I definitely didn't eat enough at lunchtime yesterday as I was so hungry a few hours later! I know I need to eat if I'm hungry, it's just getting t of the mentality of 'must lose weight, must not eat!'

Any advice would be welcome thanks!

 

I have previously eaten both Paleo and AIP, and found it better for my blood sugars and hunger levels  if I cut out starchy veg, like sweet potato, in mornings, had a small amount at lunchtime and my biggest portion at dinner time. that may help with your hunger levels too ?

 

Also fat keeps me full, so I always have avocado or olives with meal. I have a nice homemade mayo that I use to make coleslaw and that counts towards fat at meal time too. But your menu looks pretty good. so hopefully the hunger levels out over the coming days

[MummyAbby]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Shannon when you say it like that it makes me realise that it's actually really straightforward! I'm going to roast and strip a chicken today and roast up o load of veg so I can have chicken and veg as a mini meal, then add olives/avocado etc as a far. I think I was over complicating things in my head and just needed someone to make me see things more clearly - thank you! I feel much more confident about eating more now. I think I needed to go through those first few days to have a eureka moment and to really understand the programme better. So thank you for your advice.

Isabella that's interesting what you say about starchy carbs in the morning. This was the first morning I'd had sweet potato (had it left over from tea the night before) so I'll def bear it in mind next time I have it, and adjust accordingly. And will def start including more fat in each meal. Thanks

[MummyAbby]

Ahh apologies for all the typos there! It's 3.20am and I have a baby on top of me!

[BelieverL16]

Hi everyone!!

 

My update: my 3rd day was a battle with myself. But I win in the end.

I work as a healthcare assistant in a clinic, and I can tell you there's always crap food around! On top of resisting temptation for 8hs (there were doughnuts everywhere!!) I had to fight with a strong habit that I build up since I started this job: grazing biscuits... Rich tea, to be more specific. I serve hot drinks and biscuits to the patients, and until last week, I would happily grab a (good) handful and get on with my work. So, this week, I had to learn to work without nibbling biscuits. The sugar dragon wasn't happy. And I realised that I was just craving. But I resisted, because just the thought of re-starting W30 due to silly rich teas, wasn't worth it.

 

Yesterday was fine. Had some headache, but wasn't that uncomfortable... But didn't feel like exercising. Felt so sleepy in the afternoon!!

 

l'm still getting my head around the food portions... I'm sorry if it's silly, but not always I can visualise the "hand measurement". But if I feel hungry between meals, I rethink the amount of protein, fat and veggies for the next meal. I am making a good effort to ban this habit of snacking, because that's when normally I would eat unhealthy food. And would sabotage myself (which I am very good at doing, btw).

 

Today is all right so far. Hope you guys have a lovely weekend!!