Lorna from Canada

You know how good you feel when you're eating a compliant diet? And how you can't actually imagine going back to how you used to eat? And how it seems so straightforward and easy and just right? I felt that way from January 3 through to June 30th and then the wheels came off. And here I am, 6 weeks later eating the old way and feeling so awful I can hardly keep my thoughts straight! So, before I go another 6 minutes, Hubs and I are back doing round 3. What happened - my mom was diagnosed with a brain tumour in May - had a week of radiosurgery then fell and fractured her hip. She had a hip replacement surgery the next day and has been recovering from this double whammy ever since. I am her main go to person so, Hubs and I took our RV to a campground near her home and installed me there for 5 weeks. It was really awful. Hubs and I spend a fair bit of time living apart as I spend my Canadian winters in Australia (I have severe, debilitating Seasonal Affective Disorder) but this separation was the worst! It was just a sad, lonely, hard time to be away. In the middle of this, my main client offered me a huge role in their company which I accepted. So, even though that is positive stress, it's still big stress... Long story short - those old habits crept back in WAY faster than I would have thought possible. Hubs and I took an unplanned but much, much needed break last week in France where the wheels on the W30 bus fell completely off (oh the cheese! the wine! the bread! the desserts!) and I sit here today feeling so physically unwell I hardly recognize myself. This is my catalogue of diet related complaints - I'm putting them here in a comprehensive form so I can reflect back when I need to in the future. Hoping that this list will have some influence over my deeply habituated brain! weight regain (rapid!) lousy sleep quality - waking up and not being able to get back to sleep hot flashes return - thermodynamics in general are completely off sore feet - tired, achey, inflammed stomach distress - heart burn, stomach pain, lousy bowels general malaise - lack of energy, muscle fatigue, joint stiffness anxiety - I actually feel more anxious now than I did helping my mother for that first, terrible month when she was so sick and I was eating a compliant diet always hungry! That's the worst - I eat a non-compliant meal and am hungry an hour later! headaches brain fog Okay - I think that's about it. I just generally feel like crap and realise I probably felt this way for years and years before my W30. So, I am home now. My mom is stable (hoping for a nice, long period of stability now but am prepared for the worst which is just realistic) and it's still summer here. We're heading into the best season of fresh, local produce ambundance so, I am looking forward to getting back on the W30 plan and feeling better soon.

Yo Schod! Had a little read through - catching up and getting ready for W30 v3 starting today. My mom's sudden illness and tremendous care needs (brain tumour, radio surgery, fall leading to a broken hip and hip replacement surgery!) have me off the charts for the past 4 weeks. Hubs and I took a week off to go to France where, if it's possible, we didn't eat/drink a single W30 approved food for 8 days (is it possible to eat W30 in France?? Serious question. The cheese - OMG the cheese!!) I also took on a new role (Training Director - Global) with my Aussie based company and am up to my eyeballs in stress so, my eating has been a return to pre-W30 - awful, awful, awful. I remember when you came back from Bali - I feel like that. So - here I am again - raring to go. Hope you can get to bed soon without vertigo - I feel that way about my foot pain. I know it's related to food but impossible to totally figure out. It's back now but there's been so much wine, cheese, bread and dessert over the past 4 weeks so, what to say? Alright - off I go then - just thought I'd pop by to say HI!

Here ya go: http://www.brunswicksardines.ca/products/v/49 While popular in (and made in) Canada - I've purchased them all over the world - most recently in Australia. I don't like the fancied up flavoured ones - just the plain traditional ones. Different than sardines but equally delicious!

The Whole30 mantra is that those of us who are breakfast avoiders have messed up hormonal influences but, since this is something that has been present my entire life and, since I've been eating a W30 regimen for 6 months now (so, theoretically, my hormonal state should be more balanced and natural?) and I still can't eat breakfast, I'm going with outlier. @Jihanna I could not imagine olives as a FWNB! I like them well enough, prefer green to ripened olives, but, at best, I can eat 4 or 5 before feeling over it. What is it about olives that make them so reckless for you? @JenX I can't workout with food anywhere near my stomach. Even if I run 2 hours after eating a banana, I end up needing to find a place to throw up. That's another rule I break I guess. I'm not a very good W30 person. I suspect I must have a super sensitive gut. It's 9AM here and I'm heading to the gym on my 2 cups of black coffee... Cheers everyone!

I have always loved sardines and kippered herring. Sooooo good - nice to see you promote it here!

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.

Actually, humans are the same. One of the reasons obesity is such a problem is what we store in our adipose tissue. Even years after certain chemicals have been banned, we can see them stored in toxic levels in our adipose tissue.

I'd say this trumps the rules. My opinion.

That's a great article. The word "plan" came up 50 times and gave my impulsive, non-planning brain a little jolt each time

Where's the "love" button when you need it?

I have this feeling 99% of the time I eat out whether i'm on whole30 or not! I agree 100% with this. I find it obnoxious to throw food money after crap food Congratulations @SchrodingersCat for completing #2. I didn't find it as rewarding or the results as amazing either. I do think that, even though I had a few less than great days before my second W30 started, my overall health was so much better that I didn't have so much drama to clear out. I haven't found the reintro piece as stressful this time - I'm quite committed to stay as compliant as possible and that's been a lot easier. I figure if I do a W30 3-4 times a year, I will be able to maintain my weight and, fingers crossed, my health! Cheers!

Yes, you need to be prepared. I was on W33 while travelling from Toronto to Adelaide (34 hours of travel, 3 airports) and finding food was hell - the world is not geared up for W30. But, you also need to be mindful of what you can take on planes or through security. I found I couldn't even find things in Relay (airport shop). I ate a few bags of Lay's plain chips out of desperation. For travel, I'd recommend a packet of nuts, some boiled eggs, compliant jerky (if you can get it - I haven't been able to source it here in Canada), fruit/dried fruit, larabars, veggie sticks. Remember to leave any leftover food on the plane - most foreign countries won't let you in with them. From the Air Canada menu I have been able to purchase Wholly Guacamole mini pack (served with corn chips - had to skip those) and cut up veggies - that worked well. I love tomato juice so I get that as my free beverage. Finally, most airlines link to their menu offerings. Air Canada, for example, even sells vouchers for meals that allow you to pay a lower price ahead of time. It might be good to check with your carrier to see what'll be on offer. Of course, not everything is always available of every flight so yo're still going to want to be preapred. You might also be able to preorder a special meal. For the 10 days of hotel living - that can be a challenge. Hopefully a continental breakfast is on offer and you can at least get eggs and fruit I find it's a challenge otherwise. I tend to find the closest city style grocer and load up my room bar fridge with things I can eat just in case. Having fruit and veggies with some babaganoush on hand is a godsend if the food at the restaurant we're meeting at is largely non-compliant. Dodging the break offerings of muffins and pastries is easier if you're not starving! I also bring my favourite tea bags with me just in case the coffee is crap. I hope this helps a little... Safe travels!

Welcome @Mum4x4x4 Not currently doing a W30 but have done 2 this year and will be doing another in September. Meanwhile living the W30 template with a few sidetrips into "Worth It" land. Happy to support you in anyway I can!

I love coconut aminos and prefer them to soy sauce now. I use them in the same way as soy sauce and sustitute 1:1 in recipes. I've also fallen in love with this ketchup/BBQ sauce - so much better than anything I've every purchased: 1/2 cup tomato paste 6 dates, soaked for 10-15 minutes in 1/4 cup hot water to soften 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp chili powder 2/3 cup coconut aminos salt and pepper Once the dates are soft and mushy, mix it altogether to a smooth consistency. For ketchup, add more hot water to desired consistency.

I use the bacon fat from compliant bacon to saute onions, potatoes and other vegetables (including kale) for my morning hash but I don't save it for later use. Long live bacon. Amen.