scoakley13

Thanks so much. Perhaps you're right, though I have been eating rather a lot of fruit  I'll have a look through those links. I'm hoping once I'm done I can go paleo--I certainly will if this is the effect. Anything to get my driver's license back and my health back on track.

Your dizziness may be from not having enough salt. If you were eating a lot of processed foods before you started your Whole30, your sodium intake has been greatly reduced and that can make you dizzy. When it happens to me I lick my finger, dip it in table salt and then lick it again. I usually do it a few times and it always helps me.
Whole30 will get your hormones aligned if you stick with it but it takes a little bit. Right now your hormones are all wonky and that may be why your period is early even though you’re on the pill. That’s probably also the reason you’re not hungry in the morning. If you stick with it you’ll start waking up really hungry (happened around day ten for me) and that’s one way you know your hormones are starting to align. 
Lastly, there is no failing a Whole30. You decide to start it and you decide whether you finish. It doesn’t make you a failure if you don’t finish. It makes you human. I started my first Whole30 in July 2017 and ate ice cream on day five. I started again the next day and again lasted five days. Third time was the charm for me and I was able to go all 30 days. I wasn’t a failure the first two times - just a human who really liked ice cream.

Your dizziness may be from not having enough salt. If you were eating a lot of processed foods before you started your Whole30, your sodium intake has been greatly reduced and that can make you dizzy. When it happens to me I lick my finger, dip it in table salt and then lick it again. I usually do it a few times and it always helps me.
Whole30 will get your hormones aligned if you stick with it but it takes a little bit. Right now your hormones are all wonky and that may be why your period is early even though you’re on the pill. That’s probably also the reason you’re not hungry in the morning. If you stick with it you’ll start waking up really hungry (happened around day ten for me) and that’s one way you know your hormones are starting to align. 
Lastly, there is no failing a Whole30. You decide to start it and you decide whether you finish. It doesn’t make you a failure if you don’t finish. It makes you human. I started my first Whole30 in July 2017 and ate ice cream on day five. I started again the next day and again lasted five days. Third time was the charm for me and I was able to go all 30 days. I wasn’t a failure the first two times - just a human who really liked ice cream.

I dealt with digestive issues for a couple of years and ended up reading a book on Traditional Chinese Medicine hoping to remedy the issues. The book said to think of your stomach as a pot of stew. Anything you add to it has to be warmed up in order to "cook". So if we eat things that are cold or uncooked, it takes our stomach longer to heat them up and start to digest them. It really made sense to me because I can eat a steak and be fine. However, if I eat a salad I end up looking like I'm nine months pregnant within 30 minutes or so. Now I limit my salads (and only drink room temperature water as that cools your stew down also) and it has helped me tremendously.  

ROUND 3, Day 8: Monday, September 9
Meal 1: three scrambled eggs with a splash of coconut milk; bowl of cauliflower bone broth soup; two slices of bacon
Pre-Workout Snack: hard-boiled egg; banana
Exercise (6 hours, 20 minutes): 5.88-mile, 10-pitch rock climb with 2,395 of elevation gain and topping out at 10,306 feet (137 average HR; 174 max HR)  
Intra-Workout Snack: pouch of peach, apricot, and banana baby food; pouch of blueberry, pear, and purple carrot baby food; half mango RXBar
Intra-Workout Meal 2: collard green sandwich wrap with four slices deli turkey, one and a half slices of bacon, half avocado, onion, sprouts and mayo; banana
Post-Workout Snack: hard-boiled egg; pouch of sweet potato and beet baby food; can of coconut water
Meal 3: one and a half chicken enchilada stuffed bell peppers; can of sliced potatoes pan fried in ghee
Water Intake: ~100 oz
Symptoms/NSVs:
Improved physical performance Jeans and climbing harness fitting more loosely Regular bowel movements (this is a big deal because I’m pretty regularly constipated on Whole30) Thoughts/Reflections: I did it! My first double-digit multi-pitch climb!
I don’t know if my hard work is finally paying off, if I’m turning the corner toward Tiger Blood, or if I just fueled right, but I felt great today! Honestly, it was probably a combination of all of those things and I’m so, so happy to finally see changes happening in the mountains.  
It was hard. Most definitely, it was hard. And my legs were oh-so tired. But I never doubted that I could do it! And that is a huge improvement over my last multi-pitch climb!
I do like the fueling strategy I used, which was basically lots of fruity carbs (thank you new Whole30 workout guidelines!). Though I think I could have used one more carb break before the summit. The final push to the summit felt like bonking more than general fatigue, and that’s likely due to the fact that I hadn’t had a carb hit in quite some time before those last few pitches. For a while, it just didn’t feel that far away so I kept holding out. And then I had an RXBar rather than fruit, which I think was a mistake. So, here’s to lots of fruity carbs for fuel!
[Photo 1: the lake where we started, with Tenaya Peak in the background]
[Photo 2: from the top of Tenaya Peak] 

1. You need to check your attitude because the moderators on this forum are volunteers and deserve a little respect. Shannon definitely goes above and beyond with her explanations of how things work and has been a tremendous help to a lot of us who Whole30.
2. The Whole30 is free. All you need is the list of what's not allowed and the meal template. You may spend money on books or special products but neither is necessary in order to complete a Whole30. Changing and updating everything is expensive. I'm sure they could reprint the books every time a change is made if they decided to charge us to participate in the program. I didn't eat white potatoes during my first Whole30 because my copy of ISWF was published before they changed that rule. I accidentally (and happily) discovered the update by using the forum (for free) and didn't have to buy a new, updated copy of ISWF. 
3. I run, hike or weight train five or six times per week. I've done multiple Whole30's, random Whole21's and even a Whole75 and have never eaten a pre or post workout meal. They're not necessary for me and they might not be for you either. Or you may need to do it the original way but you may be better with the new way. Only you can determine what works for you in that regard. So yes, you will need to do a little research and figure out what works best for you. 
 

So here's the thing. Whole30 isn't intended to be a forever-diet... but it does make an amazing place to start, and it gives you a wonderful template to work from in determining food intolerance or processing issues, plus it's an excellent reset button. Part of learning to ride my own bike is falling off the blasted thing and then learning from the falling-off experience to build parameters that work best for me.
Reintroduction is important because that's where you learn what causes problems, which is necessary to start making decisions about what to include in your "life beyond" (where you get to write your own set of rules). Those rules can be as close or as far from W30 as you want, really. The point is that it's your decision, you make the rules and decide how much (if any) you can stray from them. All of that can (and should) be affected by your tolerance levels as well as your psychological relationship with foods and food-related habits.
And if you decide you need to push the reset button? Don't sweat it! Don't beat yourself up!
Starting another round (or a mini-reset) DOES NOT MEAN YOU FAILED!
All it means is that you've decided that you need a reset, for the sake of your health... and THAT is awesome, because you were able to see the need AND do something about it! Come out the other side stronger, with a renewed vision of what your life beyond rules look like, and acknowledge that they might need to be revised over time as you learn more about your health and needs.
I made the conscious choice to NOT stay "compliant" after Whole30, instead doing mini-resets often.
At home, I am almost entirely in line with Paleo. I do occasionally eat non-gluten grains (maybe once every week or two) and legumes (once every month or so). Most of what I cook is actually pulled from my Whole30 recipe stockpile. I still drink my coffee black, I still skip sugars in my cooking, and I very rarely make things that would be even remotely SWYPO for me. When away from home, I relax the limitations but I keep the "is this worth it?" question at the forefront. If I think I might regret it, I don't eat/drink it. No ifs, ands, buts, or maybes. Dairy, gluten, and soy all cause varying degrees of issues for me, so these are things that I might consider while out (maybe) but not at home. As a recovering alcoholic, I won't drink it or use it in my cooking (though I will use extracts). I reset for a few days every 2-3 weeks.
Keeping the mindset of being able to enjoy without regret helps me make more informed food choices, and resetting often allows me to find firm footing if things were beginning to get unstable. Note that I will reset after 3 weeks even if I don't feel that I've fallen off the bike, but I'll also reset much sooner if I feel that it's needed. I believe this keeps me more aware of the thought process behind choices, more accountable for the choices themselves, and more capable of maintaining a healthier relationship with food than I had before I started.
I decided not to follow Whole30 long-term for 3 reasons. First, it's an elimination diet, and the whole point of an elimination diet is to see what foods can be reintroduced without ill effects. Second, I want to be able to explore my Food Freedom and I can't do that if I just keep going in circles with training wheels on. Third, I wanted to have a clear set of rules that apply during a "reset", and those rules absolutely have to look different than the ones I expect myself to follow on a daily basis.
I honestly apologize for the book here. I've rewritten it several times, condensing thoughts and trying not to ramble as much, but I feel like I need to just go ahead and post it and be done so... here we are.

1. You need to check your attitude because the moderators on this forum are volunteers and deserve a little respect. Shannon definitely goes above and beyond with her explanations of how things work and has been a tremendous help to a lot of us who Whole30.
2. The Whole30 is free. All you need is the list of what's not allowed and the meal template. You may spend money on books or special products but neither is necessary in order to complete a Whole30. Changing and updating everything is expensive. I'm sure they could reprint the books every time a change is made if they decided to charge us to participate in the program. I didn't eat white potatoes during my first Whole30 because my copy of ISWF was published before they changed that rule. I accidentally (and happily) discovered the update by using the forum (for free) and didn't have to buy a new, updated copy of ISWF. 
3. I run, hike or weight train five or six times per week. I've done multiple Whole30's, random Whole21's and even a Whole75 and have never eaten a pre or post workout meal. They're not necessary for me and they might not be for you either. Or you may need to do it the original way but you may be better with the new way. Only you can determine what works for you in that regard. So yes, you will need to do a little research and figure out what works best for you. 
 

1. You need to check your attitude because the moderators on this forum are volunteers and deserve a little respect. Shannon definitely goes above and beyond with her explanations of how things work and has been a tremendous help to a lot of us who Whole30.
2. The Whole30 is free. All you need is the list of what's not allowed and the meal template. You may spend money on books or special products but neither is necessary in order to complete a Whole30. Changing and updating everything is expensive. I'm sure they could reprint the books every time a change is made if they decided to charge us to participate in the program. I didn't eat white potatoes during my first Whole30 because my copy of ISWF was published before they changed that rule. I accidentally (and happily) discovered the update by using the forum (for free) and didn't have to buy a new, updated copy of ISWF. 
3. I run, hike or weight train five or six times per week. I've done multiple Whole30's, random Whole21's and even a Whole75 and have never eaten a pre or post workout meal. They're not necessary for me and they might not be for you either. Or you may need to do it the original way but you may be better with the new way. Only you can determine what works for you in that regard. So yes, you will need to do a little research and figure out what works best for you. 
 

OMG! I was totally skeptical, but I made it tonight and it was delicious!!! Thank you so much for the recipe!

In all of my years of Whole30'ing and Paleo, I've never found a sugar free Italian sausage. I buy a pound of ground pork and use my own spice blend. And when I say 'my' I mean Mel Joulwan's. 
http://meljoulwan.com/2013/04/07/spice-world/
I keep a little bottle of the mix on hand at all times. Good stuff! 
 

I had some vertigo on and off today, but it's definitely lessening. I'm far less foggy, less tired and feeling generally better. 
Had my optometrist today and my eyes are in good shape, which is a relief. A few years ago I had a bout of optic neuritis, which is an inflammation of the optic nerve, and while it remitted, there was a chance of damage. Bad news is that I'm long sighted and my eyes are struggling with reading and computer work, so I'm getting glasses. I picked some really cute ones though - totally fought my urge to go the plain safe ones and got some funky ones instead!
I'm changing my style now I'm back into 'normal' sized clothing. I've been dressing like someone far older than I am, and I'm sick of it! 

@Beckha99 Exercising is usually difficult the first two weeks or so on Whole30. I’m a (middle-aged, overweight) runner and the first 17 days I felt like I was running uphill both ways with lead shoes on. On day 18, I dropped a full minute off my average pace. So don’t get discouraged - it really does get easier once you become fat adapted.
 
@Jihanna A pair of SuperFeet inserts should help. My ankle seizes up and I get shin splints if I don’t have them in my shoes. I like the berry but they have several options. They’re a tad pricey but worth it.
https://www.superfeet.com/en-us/insoles-and-sandals?filter=womens,insoles,running
 

@scoakley13 I'll bookmark that for later, thank you. Unfortunately it'll be a little while before I've got the ability to put that kind of cash toward myself, thanks to kids going back to school soon, but maybe I can manage it in the next month or two. They do look nice. I will say that my feet and legs seem to fare better when we're on the disc golf course (which has inclines, declines, roots to step over, etc.) than they do when we're on the walking route (level pavement)... I'm not sure if it's because of the differences in the actual ground, or if it's also because I usually am able to rest a little bit on the benches between holes. Either way, I can typically walk further on the course than I do otherwise, so I guess it works   Thank you again for the suggestion!

I know this is a bit old, but I'm really at a loss as to how this sits against:
"Cacao (100%): Yes

Cacao (or 100% cocoa) is great when used as a savory spice (our Mocha Steak Rub, found in It Starts With Food, is a great example), but you can also feel free to add it to your coffee or tea, or brew it Crio Bru-style. But per the rules of the program, it’s not okay to add cocoa to dates and other fruits to make chocolate-y confections."
This bar is LITERALLY a mixture of cocoa and dates. I find that W30 (which I largely adore) can be very inconsistent when faced with a conflict in its commercial interests. 
It would never be ok for me to mix these ingredients at home, so why is it ok in this instance? 
 

This is GREAT!!! Thank you so much!! I will definitely give this a go! Now my mouth is watering lol!!

I'm not sure if this recipe is close to what you're looking for but it's delicious! 
http://www.thedefineddish.com/nashville-unfried-hot-chicken/

Congratulations! You look great!
I don’t comment much (I’m more of a lurker) but I’m proud of you for finishing after your struggles during your first round. You really do look great and I know your clothes being too big feels great. 

Day 27
I'm out of eggs so I had chicken breast and Brussels sprouts for breakfast. 
Also I was looking at old photos and I’m amazed at how much thinner my face looks. Look at this!
before

After

My doctor asked me to do a Whole30 to try to solve a number of health concerns. I work in the food industry and was highly skeptical of a diet that eliminates whole grains and legumes.  
But I have tried so many diets and techniques and I kept gaining weight and suffering from migraines, so I agreed to do this.   Today is my last day and I just got off the scale - down 14 pounds!
And I haven’t had a migraine in 30 days, after having them weekly for the past two years. 
I miss legumes but I also wonder if they contribute to my health issues.  I will pay special attention to this food group on reintroduction.  
 Today I will savor the happiness and health I am feeling.  I can’t wait to go back to my doctor and talk about what’s next.  I have a feeling there will be more Whole30s in my future, and I’m totally ok with that!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I can’t believe it’s day 26 and it’s almost over! Food freedom here I come!

up at 03:45 to watch the sunrise
1 = eggs & broccoli rice
2 = squid & prawns (no veg though )
3 = steak & broccoli, b sprouts, green beans, roasted cabbage, mushrooms  
 
In one week I will be finished work for my holiday in less than that my 30 day reset will be done

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3569688/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6101675/
There's a couple to get you started.

Doctors appointment today, and it went great! My blood pressure went from high to normal it was 120/70! I have lost 15 lbs as well (I knew it had to be significant because my pants are too big now). I know you’re not supposed to weigh yourself but they always weigh you at this doctor. Also I’m off Prilosec, I’m no longer nauseous...ever. Even my back pain is better.
The Whole 30 works, y’all.

Naughty naughty. I got a promotion today, so corn reintro has now meshed with champagne. I'll have a compliant weekend and reintro non gluten grains again on Monday!