Jim4884

Hi there. I’m Liz and I’ve suffered from GI issues and anxiety for as long as I can remember. I’ve always made excuses — it’s just stress, I just ate too much, it must’ve been old food. I even went GF for a year, documenting how much better I felt for it, and now (back to my old ways) still won’t admit the difference because I love ____________. I do. I love to have a glass of wine in the evening or beers with friends on the weekend. I love to bake and enjoy every form of biscuit/bread/cookie/cake under the sun. I love to treat Aunt Flo to a poptart. But I feel like crap. Now I’m (begrudgingly) coming to the realization that it’s time to be a grown-up and stop trading my health and well being for the temporary pleasure of something delicious. I’m committing to the Whole30 to test for food sensitivities on a physical level, but also to heal my relationship with food on a psychological level. I’m scared. I’ve cried wolf many many times, to the point where I don’t want to tell my friends and family for fear of their reactions: “another diet??” And they wouldn’t be unjustified. My motivation lasts approximately 2 weeks and then I decide that things were perfectly fine the way they were and I shouldn’t deprive myself at the family BBQ where my sister-in-law brought her legendary booze-infused cupcakes. I’ve never had anyone to take me by the shoulders and give me a good shake and shout “the cupcakes aren’t worth the (insert nasty GI symptom here)!!” I feel like no one will understand that this isn’t about losing weight, or following a trend. I don’t discuss my issues and prefer to “suffer in silence”. I’m hoping that I will find a community here to support and understand me, because you’ve all done it. You’ve all had your reasons for committing to the Whole30, and even if they weren’t the same as mine are now you know that the struggle is real. I’m hoping that you will be my strength, my tough love, and my victory cheer. Because I certainly applaud all of you who’ve made this incredible sacrifice in the name of health (even if you really loved doughnuts). 

I hope this is encouraging.  I did my first Whole 30 over two years ago now, and I basically just eat Whole 30 95% of the time.  Why?  Because of the amazing health benefits I experienced.  I was 55 and obese when I started, so my results are probably not typical.  But:
I went from pre-diabetic (and a busy Kaiser doctor e-mailing me personally to let me know how serious it was) to completely normal blood sugar I lowered my blood pressure whilst getting off of meds for it My triglycerides dropped 3x My severely arthritic ankle that was so painful I could not run cleared up so that I can run at will I lost 40lbs without increasing exercise or ever feeling hungry Mild lifelong eczema disappeared I kicked my significant diet soda habit I learned to love vegetables I rejuvenated my enjoyment of cooking Modest improvements in sleep and mood (anxiety and depression improved) I've maintained these gains for two years now.  I am among the biggest Whole 30 cheerleaders there is, and I do not work for them or get paid in any way.  It just truly did change my life.
I've gotten pretty comfortable with eating "mostly" Whole 30 all the time, so feel free to ask any questions.  Two things - I cannot emphasize enough to read EVERY label.  I was shocked at some of the things that have sugar in them.  And try to frame it in your mind about what you GET to eat, not what you can't eat.  I've had people over for dinner for Whole 30 compliant meals tell me I should open a restaurant.  With EVOO, ghee, and pretty much every spice on the planet in play, it is possible to eat delicious and compliant food.  But it does take work  (see "rejuvenated enjoyment of cooking" comment above)

Wow Jim4884 thank you! I'm on day 24 of my 2nd whole 30 and honestly my 1st reintroduction I started with non-gluten alcohol which awoke my sugar dragon and I never regained control of it. I am so very committed to honing a successful reintroduction with insights, like you have shared, into my own Food Freedom Forever! 

Here's some of my discoveries from two rounds of re-intro's and maintaining an "almost" Whole 30 diet all the time:
Legumes: any beans in their whole form gave me mild gas (sorry if TMI), but during my second whole 30 I realized I did not miss legumes at all, so never did that re-intro.  Hummus was more benign, and I like it OK, but if I must "dip" into something, I prefer ranch dressing made with homemade mayo, and when I discovered chipotle mayo, wow, there is NOTHING that doesn't make better  So I honestly cannot remember having legumes since my first Whole 30 re-intro - which was August of 2017. Non-gluten grains:  I did not discover any ill effects from non-gluten grain re-intro's, and the second time I tried to go a little overboard to see if I could get some reaction, and didn't notice anything.  However, the cumulative health benefits from doing my first Whole 30 were so dramatic, and by that time I had discovered and gotten pretty good at making different kinds of cauliflower rice, (I always loved real rice), that I just use cauliflower rice anymore.  But if I ever go out to, say, a spanish restaurant, I can order a big dish of paella with impunity   Dairy: Again, mild digestive issues.  I've found cheese in reasonable amounts doesn't really bother me, so a small cheese plate or something like now and then is in my diet, but I try to keep it to a minimum.  And generally speaking, anything that I used to use butter in, ghee works as well so I'm good there.  Gluten: Along with sugar, the main cause of inflammation that made my arthritic ankle impossible to run on (and several other inflammatory issues).  Diet change fixed that/those.  I RARELY eat any gluten now - xmas dinner with my family I had some of my mom's recipe mac and cheese, and maybe it's in my head, but my ankle is more sore than it's been in months.  Still, it was worth it, ONCE   Sugars: I don't have the sweetest of teeth, but I can binge on sweets, so I mostly avoid sugar, especially in the more obvious places like desserts.  I mentioned the jerk seasoning I use, it is SO good, and there is such a small quantity of sugar in it, and it does not trigger any binge tendencies, so I don't worry about those types of added sugars.  Yet I still make my own breakfast sausage, since I only recently found a brand that has no sugar (Pedersen's) and it is kinda pricey.  I've found my balance on putting in the extra effort to eat cleanly, and having a maintainable lifestyle - since I eat my breakfast sausage pretty much every day (along with scrambled eggs, my roasted potatoes (similar to home fries), Trader Joe's Salsa Autentica (no sugar, totally complaint, and oh so good!) and avocado), it's worth the extra effort.  OTOH, I eat ketchup like once every 3-6 months, so I don't make my own.  An occasional paleo dessert is enjoyable, but I find if I don't start eating any sweets, I don't miss them too much.  Soy: I cannot point to specific results from re-intro's, but I somehow feel fairly certain that soy was messing with my body chemistry so I avoid it completely.  It's taken awhile for me to get used to the coconut amino versions of soy sauce - it really doesn't taste the same, but it's good enough since I was never a huge Asian food aficionado anyways - so soy is out for me. Alcohol: This is in the interest of honesty, moderate amounts of alcohol don't seem to have much of a short term negative impact on me.  However, and it's a BIG however, I sometimes have a hard time finding the off switch once I have a drink, so I am mostly abstinent.   I don't wish this on anyone   Sorry for the length, but as I said, I've been experimenting with balancing optimal health and culinary enjoyment and cooking effort for quite some time now, and have found a place I'm comfortable with.   And I am enthusiastic about others experiencing some or all of the benefits I have.
And even after apologizing for length, I'm going to post the cumulative health benefits I've reaped, since I mentioned them, and  I'm pretty sure it's not a repeat for all:
I went from pre-diabetic, (with a busy Kaiser doctor e-mailing me personally to let me know how serious it was), to completely normal blood sugar I reduced my blood pressure whilst getting off of meds for it Triglycerides went from 3x normal range to normal I mentioned the improvement in my inflamed arthritic ankle - the immediate lifestyle improvement of that cannot be overstated I lost 40 pounds without increasing exercise or limiting portion sizes (I never felt hungry) mild lifelong eczema gone modest improvements in mood (specifically: depression, anxiety and anger) and sleep rejuvenated my enjoyment of cooking, and learned to love vegetables.  Veggies used to be (mostly) toppings on pizza and sub sandwiches for me, no lie All of these gains have been maintained for well over a year (16 months) now.  I still occasionally tease my friend who predicted I would start gaining that weight back within a month
 

This is just such an awesome post Julie.  I thought I was doing pretty well (and I am), but so many things in your post both resonate with me, or inspire me.  I completed my first Whole 30 last July, and I continue to eat Whole 30 probably 95% of the time - I just don't worry quite as  much about eating out - I do my best to stay compliant, but don't sweat it about a bit of crappy vegetable oil, trace amounts of sugar, or whatever.  My taste buds also changed - I truly love vegetables now, and prior to whole 30 veggies meant broccoli drowned in cheese sauce, or mushrooms and onions on pizza.  I only wish I were kidding   I too am 40 pounds lighter than when I started the Whole 30 - less than a year for me, but it is so common to gain weight back, and I am pleased that is has been effortless to keep it off.  
When I read the whole 30 information, I actually tear up a bit when they say "it will change your life"  - it truly changed mine...
I lowered my blood pressure whilst getting off of meds for it; went from pre-diabetic to completely normal blood sugar; lost 40 lbs without increasing exercise or ever feeling hungry, and have kept it off for 8 months; drastically lowered my triglycerides; modestly lowered my cholesterol; joint pain in an arthritic ankle has disappeared - I can now run again; mild eczema completely gone; sleep and mood have improved; rediscovered joy in cooking and learned to love vegetables.   
My biggest challenge is not getting preachy about it  
 

@jim4884 thanks for the support!  hoping my health improvements happen with these dietary and behavioral changes around food  / nutrition

I've been off-line due to a 32-hour power outage...and, a bit further down the mountain range from @kirbz, it has been very, very, cold here, too!
Hi everyone! Happy New Year!
I love me a December W30! This time around I added plated fat in the form of delicious olives nearly every day, and that is something I want to continue. I'm now keeping back-up jars in the pantry. I learned a couple of new recipes, like roasting duck, a creamy mustard chicken, and breakfast eggroll bowls. Otherwise, I find that during W30 (this is my 3d) I tend to stay close to familiar favorites, that aren't time consuming like new recipes (at least for me) and then play with new recipes in between. So now I'll start looking for some new culinary adventures!
Like Holly, I haven't stepped on a scale in a long time, and it seems I've let go of the number on the scale. At the end of 30 days, I know that inflammation is reduced from feeling slimmer, my clothes fitting better, not needing allergy meds (not since my first round April 2017), and feeling better in my joints, which is a real treasure, that last part. Like @Jim4884 my joints tell me immediately when I am too far astray from optimal ways.
I enjoyed a sip of single malt scotch last night at midnight. Today i will review formal re-intros, and figure out the next steps. I'll have to also take another look at all the vitamins I stopped taking while W30ing, and make some decisions. Soy and dairy are present in some...also I'm having mixed feelings about fish oil re sustainability vs. the great health benefit of taking them. Meanwhile, I feel confident going into the new year, and so grateful for our supportive community here!
Some things I am ready to let go of:
chips (no exceptions)
hard candy (no exceptions)
More to come.
Cheers, all!
 

@hollysmokes and @LadyLisbette I just want to say that I think you ladies are wonderful! Thanks for sharing all of your wisdom, adventures, and mishaps in such an open, honest, and friendly way! 
I'm planning to start my reintroductions this weekend. I'm going with the plan outlined in the book and have specifically identified the foods I care to reintroduce. Though, honestly, I'm starting to think that I just want my diet to be Paleo. I think I'd be pretty fine with that being my 90-95% diet, with an occasional splurge for a burger or pizza. Except for PB&Js. Is it weird that the thing I most want to be able to eat on the regular for the long-term are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? LOL. 
I also have about 20-30 more pounds I want to lose, and then I totally plan to make desserts a part of my life again. I'd like to stick ONLY to the Paleo versions, but I just don't see anything wrong with that. That is, of course, assuming I can learn to control my cravings. But, if I can moderate, I don't see anything at all wrong with making a dessert once a week and enjoying it. I love baking. And I love desserts. And I really just can't convince myself that some of the recipes I'm looking at are inherently bad. 
So, we'll see. Still very much figuring out how this translates into a long-term lifestyle. And while I'm very committed to doing the reintroductions for the data points, I'm honestly  not sure it's going to inform how I eat going forward. I think I'm already shaping that in my mind. Paleo + Paleo desserts + regular PB&J sandwiches + occasional pizza or burgers. :-) 

Though I'm officially done with my Whole30, I'm not sure exactly when I plan to start my reintroductions. I'm feeling good with Whole30 for now, so I plan to continue for at least a few more days. Regardless of the when, I do plan to do the formal, structured reintroduction as outlined in the book. I want to know how different foods affect me as I refine what I want my long-term eating to look like.
Here's what I want to reintroduce to see how they affect me (i.e., these are the foods I'd be most inclined to eat on occasion): 
Legumes: garbanzo beans (because hummus), peanut butter (because PB&J)  Non-Gluten Grains: white rice, gluten-free bread (see above), gluten-free oats (because overnight oats)  Dairy: cheese, yogurt, sour cream  Gluten-Containing Grains: TBD  Sugars: honey, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar (because Paleo desserts)  Anyway, these are really just some thoughts for me for now. :-) 

Dang, meant to reply to this earlier.  Ground caraway seeds and cumin are very different flavor profiles, and I would never substitute one for the other.  Caraway seeds ARE the predominate flavor in rye bread, but that also is not similar to the flavor of rye whiskey.  No idea why they share a name.  Further, cumin and caraway are not from the same genus of plant.  I grow many of my own herbs so I am a bit anal about this, haha!  Let me know if you have any further questions!
 

I read the recipe, and my one thought on when I try it (soonish  ) - I will slice my zucchini thinner than what the recipe says, and pre-cook it, I think that will make it taste more neutral, therefore closer to traditional lasagna.  
I would not believe how close cashew cheese could be, had I not once had some cashew ice cream (before I even went paleo actually) and found it pretty close to the real thing.
and Kirbz, the pasta and dairy is what would have made you feel bloated with traditional lasagna (which I used to be famous for, maybe I will be again), so I'm not surprised you felt better.  Thanks for sharing the recipe!

@Jim4884 You're welcome on the lasagna recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! With regards to the changes you're thinking about, perhaps consider just doing one or the other (i.e., slicing the zucchini thinner or pre-cooking the zucchini). I think if you do both, you might just have a mushy mess! The zucchini was actually cooked well. I just don't really love zucchini and the flavor is definitely there.

I use a coffee bean grinder to grind my spices and it works great.  I have a separate grinder for coffee beans, as I don't really want my coffee to reek of rosemary or whatever other spice I may have ground in it  
- and thanks for that brainpickings link - looks intriguing, going to investigate further! (I read a lot of Herman Hesse as a young man, maybe time to revisit...) (Damian, Siddhartha, Glass Bead Game, Narcissus and Goldmund, Steppenwolf)

Welcome Jen!  I have done two official whole 30's, and I eat 95% plus Whole 30 all the time now, 18 months total.  When I started, I was pre-diabetic, and my doctor (at Kaiser, so a fairly busy doc) e-mailed me personally to emphasize that I needed to do something about it.  My first Whole 30 brought my blood sugar into completely normal range, and it has remained normal since.  I too have had to deal with anxiety and depression issues all my life.  I've found various solutions to help with that, but I will add that the Whole 30 brought about modest improvements in mood, and energy levels as well.   I've had many other health benefits from Whole 30, and would never even consider going back to how I used to eat.
I'm happy to share anything that I've learned and experienced, and I can be a cheerleader for you, as I love to hear about others' successes.  The Whole 30 tagline "it will change your life" may sound contrived, but I believe in it.  It truly did change mine.
 

Welcome Jen!  I have done two official whole 30's, and I eat 95% plus Whole 30 all the time now, 18 months total.  When I started, I was pre-diabetic, and my doctor (at Kaiser, so a fairly busy doc) e-mailed me personally to emphasize that I needed to do something about it.  My first Whole 30 brought my blood sugar into completely normal range, and it has remained normal since.  I too have had to deal with anxiety and depression issues all my life.  I've found various solutions to help with that, but I will add that the Whole 30 brought about modest improvements in mood, and energy levels as well.   I've had many other health benefits from Whole 30, and would never even consider going back to how I used to eat.
I'm happy to share anything that I've learned and experienced, and I can be a cheerleader for you, as I love to hear about others' successes.  The Whole 30 tagline "it will change your life" may sound contrived, but I believe in it.  It truly did change mine.
 

Welcome Jen!  I have done two official whole 30's, and I eat 95% plus Whole 30 all the time now, 18 months total.  When I started, I was pre-diabetic, and my doctor (at Kaiser, so a fairly busy doc) e-mailed me personally to emphasize that I needed to do something about it.  My first Whole 30 brought my blood sugar into completely normal range, and it has remained normal since.  I too have had to deal with anxiety and depression issues all my life.  I've found various solutions to help with that, but I will add that the Whole 30 brought about modest improvements in mood, and energy levels as well.   I've had many other health benefits from Whole 30, and would never even consider going back to how I used to eat.
I'm happy to share anything that I've learned and experienced, and I can be a cheerleader for you, as I love to hear about others' successes.  The Whole 30 tagline "it will change your life" may sound contrived, but I believe in it.  It truly did change mine.
 

Hey Kirbz!  Good to read you again.  What works for me is (roughly) alternate day mini-cookups.  So maybe Saturday you can cook up some stuff for you to cover you for Monday, then cook on Tuesday for Wednesday.  If you have no kitchen Mon-Tues-Wed and won't cook on Sunday, that's a challenge, but maybe you can find a cadence that works.
I am a big fanboy of Mel, I cook her recipes all the time - I have all the ingredients ready for those salmon cakes and will be making them tomorrow.  Paleo Running Mama is pretty good too, but Mel and I must share taste buds or something, hers are just perfect.

I have had other aborted attempts at a Whole 30 start. So why not when I will be facing the Holidays as an extra challenge (at least if I stick to plan I can  not gain weight over  the month of December. I am really really finally ready to give an honest go at this Whole 30 beginning December 1st. Today was a test day with one or two items such as hot chocolate and milk in my coffee and herbal teas but I am ready to do whatever it takes to improve my health.
 I have various chronic issues with health -- Cancer Survivor (grateful to be 15 years post - Blood Cancer), hypothyroid, PCOS, and pre-dabetes also Anxiety / Depression. I am active somewhat regularly but just have not been able to get the food right. So the workouts running , mountain bicycling, walking/ hiking occasional swimming and spinning class and yoga class but mostly home yoga over past year also trying Fitocracy (calisthenics) and Barre workout ( a few classes) now home workout (very challenging) and core workouts including a really good workout with Yoga International online with a core yoga sequence about 45 minutes. I also tend towards chronic fatigue even though i push through 40 hour work week and commute and tend to stay on top of the exercise schedule sometimes falling off plan during the weekdays.
So any help would be appreciated. so far I have about four or five how to do the Whole 30 books and a few Paleo cookbooks and just bought Practical Paleo book also. no questions yet. Hopefully tomorrow off to an ambitious start even with the Holidays to navigate through this month.
I am so grateful for all the helpful online tools to get started and this community with experience and practical tips and guidelines. 
 
- Jen
 
 
 

Hey Kirbz!  Good to read you again.  What works for me is (roughly) alternate day mini-cookups.  So maybe Saturday you can cook up some stuff for you to cover you for Monday, then cook on Tuesday for Wednesday.  If you have no kitchen Mon-Tues-Wed and won't cook on Sunday, that's a challenge, but maybe you can find a cadence that works.
I am a big fanboy of Mel, I cook her recipes all the time - I have all the ingredients ready for those salmon cakes and will be making them tomorrow.  Paleo Running Mama is pretty good too, but Mel and I must share taste buds or something, hers are just perfect.

Welcome Jen!  I have done two official whole 30's, and I eat 95% plus Whole 30 all the time now, 18 months total.  When I started, I was pre-diabetic, and my doctor (at Kaiser, so a fairly busy doc) e-mailed me personally to emphasize that I needed to do something about it.  My first Whole 30 brought my blood sugar into completely normal range, and it has remained normal since.  I too have had to deal with anxiety and depression issues all my life.  I've found various solutions to help with that, but I will add that the Whole 30 brought about modest improvements in mood, and energy levels as well.   I've had many other health benefits from Whole 30, and would never even consider going back to how I used to eat.
I'm happy to share anything that I've learned and experienced, and I can be a cheerleader for you, as I love to hear about others' successes.  The Whole 30 tagline "it will change your life" may sound contrived, but I believe in it.  It truly did change mine.
 

@jim4884 that's great news. I just saw my husband die in Kaiser from complications of diabetes and kidney disease. (I don't blame Kaiser.). I'm starting my 2nd whole30 after four years. So let's call it my first. I won't be a statistic.

Welcome Jen!  I have done two official whole 30's, and I eat 95% plus Whole 30 all the time now, 18 months total.  When I started, I was pre-diabetic, and my doctor (at Kaiser, so a fairly busy doc) e-mailed me personally to emphasize that I needed to do something about it.  My first Whole 30 brought my blood sugar into completely normal range, and it has remained normal since.  I too have had to deal with anxiety and depression issues all my life.  I've found various solutions to help with that, but I will add that the Whole 30 brought about modest improvements in mood, and energy levels as well.   I've had many other health benefits from Whole 30, and would never even consider going back to how I used to eat.
I'm happy to share anything that I've learned and experienced, and I can be a cheerleader for you, as I love to hear about others' successes.  The Whole 30 tagline "it will change your life" may sound contrived, but I believe in it.  It truly did change mine.
 

Hi Mike,
I am not currently doing an official Whole 30, but I am a man who has done two complete Whole 30's, and I have just switched my diet to be at least 95% Whole 30 all the time, I'm just am not as strict about eating out or an occasional off-plan splurge.  I have been maintaining this for almost a year and a half now, and have no desire to go back to how I used to eat.  Why?  All of the incredible health benefits I experienced.  I am now 56, and was obese when I started, so my results may not be typical, but I:
Went from pre-diabetic and my doctor e-mailing me personally to tell me I had to do something about it, to completely normal blood sugar Got off of blood pressure meds and my BP has stayed lower than it was on meds Lost 40 lbs without limiting portion sizes or increasing exercise Mild eczema completely disappeared Inflammation in arthritic ankle was so bad I could not run due to the pain, that has totally cleared up and I can run and hike without issue Cholesterol lowered modestly and triglycerides dropped 3X Mood and sleep improved modestly Resurrected my joy of cooking and learned to love vegetables (which used to mostly be condiments on burgers/subs and pizza toppings  ) Hopefully that's a little motivating.  I will happily go ahead and be strict whole 30 for the rest of yours, hope to hear from you!

Always love hearing your results, Jim! And what a wonderful offer to another member to jump in with both feet as a show of support! Well done, you give me the warm-fuzzy feelings!

I have a pretty severely arthritic ankle due to an old volleyball injury.  The inflammation in that had gotten so bad, that I could not run, as it was too painful.  After my first whole 30, I was able to run again.  I continue to eat Whole 30 about 95% of the time, and it only gives me a problem now if my eating habits drift too far from Whole30.  I hope you achieve similar results - but I would never consider going back to the way I used to eat, the health gains I've experienced are too profound!