Suzy

Pretty sad that she can't be supportive, as that indicates that she's really not that good at relationships in general. I always feel like trying to teach people to be better to other people, but then I ask myself, "Is this my job? Why doesn't this person know how to treat people already?" My arch nemeses (I have two) at work are like this. I cut people all the slack in the world, too much, because I have co-dependent tendencies (that I'm overcoming). It just frustrates me when people are the polar opposite of nice, as when I make a small mistake and they dislike me for all time after that. I think, "What the hell kind of parents did this girl have growing up??" Anyway, are you going to talk to your roommate about her unsupportiveness? If you do, I think you'll confirm that she's jealous. I hope you don't mind me suggesting that you get the hell away from this person ASAP so you can make space for really great people in your life. I just don't understand why people have to take from their friends instead of getting something really exciting going for themselves in life. I guess it's just stagnation.

HA! "Pizza wheat."

I just love that Whole9 opens up all these new avenues in the mind for day to day problem solving. It takes thinking and creativity to use ginger tea and coconut water when we always used corn syrupy sodas when we were kids. It takes guts to overcome the traditions that are emotionally comforting, but bad for health. After a couple of years of Whole9 living, I'm sure all of this stuff is going to be second nature and will become exciting new traditions that we can share with our families. Oh, and I have a new post about the weird GOOD things that people say about Whole9. I have a co-worker who, whenever he sees me with a steak or ribs, says, "I gotta get on that caveman diet. What's for lunch today, brontosaurus ribs that tilt your car over like Fred Flintstone? I could get down like that." Ha! I've got to remember to emphasize the fact that I eat tons of veggies, too.

Good lord. People come through my line all the time at Trader Joe's, trying to impress me (I guess because I look "natural" and work at TJ's) by telling me they're vegetarians. I also think they do it to see who is in their "tribe" of veggies. And when I say I eat grass fed meats a lot of times they say, "Oh, I do too, sometimes." What? Pick a team, you anemic flip-flopper. People are always trying to make other people's eating habits their business. I'm no exception, but I try to wait to be invited before I critique . . . unless they make personal comments about my food choices first, then I do my best to defend my choices and Whole9. There are tons of people who think I'm crazy, but they're mostly fat girls. Ha. Sorry, that was mean.

And let's all of us remember the all-important supplementation of vitamin D this time of year. Unless you live in a sunny area and are exposing all of your limbs in the sunshine for a couple of hours a day. Please get some D. It will turn things around within weeks.

I've had major success for my lifelong dysthymia and occasional anxiety. I went nutritional off-roading (as the Hartwig's say) around the holidays and now I'm doing the Whole100 with the forum group. I'm experiencing some dysphoria as well as unpleasant dreams. I'm thinking of this as a kind of purging, however, and I'm journaling, talking to friends, and trying to stay within the guidelines of W9. I'll follow this topic and let you know of my success later.

A co-worker who has severe central obesity, PCOS, and horrible mood-swings: "Wow, Suz! You look so good! Your pants are baggy you've lost so much weight! And your skin looks incredible. What are you doing to get that way?? I wanna lose weight!" I went into the Whole30 and how much I love it, but then I said, "I respect that you're a vegetarian. You can actually modify your diet to make it a little more compliant without eating meat. You would have to give up grains and eat a lot of eggs." Me, a couple days later: "I can't tell you how happy I am doing a Whole30. Have you given any thought to it? We can do it together!" Her: "I'M NOT DOING YOUR STUPID MEAT DIET! And I think it's really boring to talk about weight all the time!!!" Who brought up weight? She did. I just left it alone after that. However, I heard that she's been giving her own version of the Whole30 around my workplace and has gotten several people to think of me as kind of a food nut. Whatevs. I lead by quiet example now, as Melissa has suggested. Another thing that bothers me is the people that are really worried that I'm depriving myself and that I can't sustain this kind of effort for long. Soon, they think, I'll binge on cream horns. I'm not saying I haven't slipped, but I've kept my weight off and inflammation down for the most part. I'm learning new things and getting better every week. I love my lifestyle, and that's what counts. For the road: Mom: "So there aren't very many foods you can actually eat." Says the woman with only broccoli and spinach in her veggie repertoire.

. . . quickly avert their eyes and change web pages when they accidentally stumble upon paleo dessert recipes. . . . get excited and too chatty when they see a fellow grocery shopper with grass fed beef and coconut oil in his or her basket. . . . develop a thick skin to righteously indignant vegans and vegetarians. Thinks to themselves, "I wish them well, but just wait until they see my new bod and energy."

Right now, I'm obsessed with New Orleans. I know at first glance you might not think that this is the town for an ultimate W30 vacay, but I've been reading about roux-less gumbos and rich, delicious stews with local seafood, sausage, and chicken. I would hit all the fancy restaurants and be completely annoying to the wait staff by asking what is in all the food (and a condition of my vacation is not to feel bad about asking for what I want). Then, I would focus on all the history and jazz. I'd take long, long hikes all around the city, exploring sections of town and soaking up the culture. Immersing myself in culture will really reinforce my good habits by taking the focus further off numbers on the scale and food I can't have. Each day I would react to feedback from my body by getting massages and doing some stretching in beautiful outdoor spots. Hopefully a gator won't eat me while I'm in downward dog!