LisaLeeO

Day 20...but not. I caved and had some wine yesterday. For me, being able to enjoy a glass is the signal to my brain and body that it's time to unwind. I know there are other things I can do to give myself that same signal, so I am not giving myself a pass - I broke my Lenten W40. I'm also really okay with it. Last week I was talking about how to shift from strict rule-following to being in maintenance mode, where my primary eating habits are W30 compliant with the foods I absolutely don't want to live without being a part of my eating without taking me out of overall compliant eating. Yesterday I drank something that's noncompliant, and I didn't go off the rails. Today I'm back to being 100% in compliance without batting an eyelash. I think the shift has occurred for me, and I'm really excited about how that's going to look over the long term.

I had dreams last night about eating tortilla chips! I don't remember having dreams about eating non-compliant food during my first W30, but I know this is a common experience. LOL, I felt so guilty in my sleep that I even dreamt I spit out one of the chips after realizing I wasn't supposed to eat it. I'm a little on the struggle bus. I have been craving wine a lot and I noticed this morning (thankfully not last night!) that my husband opened a bottle. It's just sitting on the counter, looking delicious. Yesterday or Tuesday I was talking about my nervousness about maintenance after this Lenten W40 ends and it's so funny how the universe works! I am the Director of Teachers and an Instructor at a yoga studio, and I learned that in April I'll be facilitating a 28 Day Program for which nutrition is a component. It will give me the motivation to be really mindful about non-W30 eating and it creates accountability because I'll be sharing my experiences with the participants in the program. Happy Friday-Eve for those of you in the US/Canada and Happy Friday to those of you on the other side of the world!

So, my faves, that I know I don't want to live without, are wine and popcorn. On the surface, that shouldn't be hard to introduce, right??? And yet, it opens up this whole mindset of, well, I'm not Whole30-ing so....and bring on the fried cheese and pizza. In saying that, the work for me is in shifting away from an attitude of Rules vs. No Rules and instead adopting an approach to eating that is along the lines of Maintenance, I think. Eating Whole30 except for the things I really don't want to live without.

Day 14! I was talking to my boss yesterday about Whole30 and she was like, You're doing it again? Which got me thinking about why. I want Whole30 to become my default way of eating and after my first completed W30 and my subsequent attempts, I've never been able to make it such a strongly entrenched habit that it's my "go-to". I hope that after this Whole40, it's that much more engrained in my to cook and eat W30 most of the time, with exceptions for my favorite "worth it" foods and not go completely off the rails. I'm not sure how that really looks because I haven't been successful at maintenance, so that's what I'll have to figure out over the next 26 days. Love so much reading about all the NSVs lately! You guys are so inspiring and amazing.

Day 9! Because I'm committing to 40 days for Lent, I'm almost 1/4 of the way through. I can't believe how minimal my PMS symptoms have been! I knew that I felt better - less tenderness in my chest, less moody, fewer cravings for salty, fatty, cheesy foods from the first time, but when I was off W30 and experiencing PMS symptoms like I did BEFORE I discovered this way of eating, I was shocked at what I was putting up with. There have been a few times in the last couple of days that I've been soooo tempted to stop and get some mozzarella sticks, but I haven't. I've also been tempted to crack open a bottle of wine at the end of some very long nights and haven't. You guys keep me so motivated and I'm so happy we're all in this together! xo ~Lisa

Did you try it? How did it go?

It's Day 7 for me! I am already feeling more energetic and balanced, which is so motivating! @Ksprljan, my favorite non-egg breakfast dish is this: roasted sweet potato mashed with banana and cinnamon and topped with a scoop of almond butter. It's super satisfying, sweet like a breakfast food, and easy to prep ahead so when you're up at 5 am, all you have to do is reheat your potato and assemble: 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes 2 bananas, halved Cinnamon, to taste 4 Tablespoons almond butter, divided Roast your sweet potatoes in the oven at 350F, skin on, until soft all the way through (1 hour to 1.5 hours). Allow to cool cut into halves or quarters - depending on the size of the potato. Peel the skin off and put into containers. When you're ready to eat, pull a container out of the fridge and warm your potato and add half a banana, cinnamon, and almond butter. Mash and enjoy! <3 ~Lisa

I'm on day 3 and feeling the sugar hangover - scatter-brained and fatigued - and at the same time I feel so light and happy. It's crazy how quick the good things are kicking back in to gear in spite of some protest from my brain looking for quick carbs. :-) You guys are freaking rock stars! Love hearing about all that you're up to.

*raises hand I'm also doing a Lenten Whole40!! This will be my second completed Whole30, I did my first back in August and attempted my second in January. Unfortunately, unexpected travel and illness derailed my January Whole30. I've also added in some extra workouts and I have found that I am not eating enough to support my calorie expenditures, even though I'm eating the same portions as my last Whole30. Time to up my eating game - NOT COMPLAINING! I'm so glad to have others in the boat with me over the next 40 days. ~Lisa

My typically very regular period is 3 days late, and I'm on Day 12 of my first Whole30. I'm glad I found this thread! I've been concerned. Sounds like it's not too uncommon to experience some irregularity.