Tanya K

I am paleo for the past 10 weeks. Although I must mention that I am only on day 2 of the whole 30, but pretty much no difference with the exception now I am not allowing treats say like coconut cream and strawberries. Anyway, for 6 weeks out the first 10 my bowel movements were a disgrace! It is only now that everything is normal! I didn't stop eating anything at all I just waited until it passed. Although if it had gone on any longer than 8 weeks I would have had to address it I think. But my feeling is don't worry! Drink loads of water perhaps there are s backlog of toxins there or something?

I am paleo for the past 10 weeks. Although I must mention that I am only on day 2 of the whole 30, but pretty much no difference with the exception now I am not allowing treats say like coconut cream and strawberries. Anyway, for 6 weeks out the first 10 my bowel movements were a disgrace! It is only now that everything is normal! I didn't stop eating anything at all I just waited until it passed. Although if it had gone on any longer than 8 weeks I would have had to address it I think. But my feeling is don't worry! Drink loads of water perhaps there are s backlog of toxins there or something?

This sounds wonderful! I wear hair extensions all the time now. My hair is extremely fine and it just won't grow! So I too was hoping that the whole 30 and being paleo would help! The last time I went to hairdresser she did say that I had a lot of new growth which is good, but still I suppose I must give it more time to see a noticeable difference. You said yours stopped falling out after 18 months, so I do hope mine actually starts growing after 18 months. Thanks for sharing this because it's been on my mind, would love to have naturally lovely flowing locks!

Hi Ladies!
 
I've come across some potentially helpful information for hair loss...but first some context.
 
Three years ago (when I was 25 years old) I discovered a bald spot the size of an oreo cookie (i know, bad point of reference) hidden underneath my otherwise full head of hair. I had lost thousands and thousands and thousands of strands in probably about 2 weeks without even noticing. This was the first time I had ever heard about alopecia and I was scared. I chose not to use prescribed steroids and looked for natural fixes. It took me a whole year to make the connection to gluten (meanwhile my hair was slowly growing back). So a year later I went gluten free. My hair was still falling out a lot in the shower. Every time I washed it I would be near tears at the hundreds of strands because of the potential of what could happen again (sometimes I literally counted ~300 strands). My dermatologist assured me it was a normal amount of hair (you see, it looked like I had a lot of hair but he didn't understand that I was working from a different reference point than him...it was definitely less).
 
Anyway, about a year and a half later after I had first decided to go gluten free, something magical happened. My hair stopped falling out. It just stopped. I'm talking like 5-10 strands when I washed my hair! I was ecstatic and relieved to say the least.
 
Fast forward to now, today is day 22 of my first whole30. Last week, I noticed quite a bit more hair falling out when I washed it (~100 strands). I got very worried again and it brought all the old feelings back. But, I came onto this forum and decided the solution was to have more starchy carbs (sweet potato, cassava, butternut squash)- I was having zero. I added some to my dinners for a few days and I am happy to report that today I washed my hair and it is back to normal (5-10 strands).
 
I wanted to share my experience in case anyone is going through something similar. I know how devastating hair loss can be from first hand experience and it took me a long time to learn the right diet for me (and I am obviously still learning! This is my first experience with whole30 and even paleo for other issues of mine but I will save those for another day ).
 
Ciao for now.

"I always thought you could stand to lose some weight"   Did you NOW?!
 
"I think people who 'diet' age really quickly in the face"
 
There are some people who only want us around to make themselves feel better about  bad eating habits.

This one is from work after telling co-workers that I was following Whole30:
"We're catering lunch; well, except for you because it won't be one of your 30 foods."
I think it's funny that there is a perception that the 30 means a finite number of allowed foods.

Sounds like a friend of mine...she's basically very overweight, and has had issues with her skin her whole life, had such terrible periods that she had to get a uteral ablation and still had to take iron for her anemia...eczema so bad that she takes 3 showers a day (or maybe because of it? yeah...)...migraines...a bit of a mess, but I love her.
 
She came up as being pre-diabetic, so she's now on a low-carb grain free diet...but she's still guzzling her diet Cokes! *sigh*

"It's not the bread that's the problem, it's the stuff you put on the bread"!!! Friend to me when I told her I was paleo!

"It's not the bread that's the problem, it's the stuff you put on the bread"!!! Friend to me when I told her I was paleo!

"When are you going to stop being crazy?"
Um, I can't answer that one!

Actual conversation between myself and two of my close girlfriends.
 
Girl 1: My doctor is making me give up diet sodas. She thinks they may be linked to my migraines.
Me: totally worth it - you are basically drinking a can of chemicals and there are a zillion studies that show how bad they are for you.
Girl 1: yeah, and I read an article linking diet soda to Alzheimer's.
Girl 2: I'd rather get Alzheimer's than give up my diet soda.
Girl 1: I'm going to switch the diet soda for crystal lite. That's healthier
 
(I just stopped participating in the conversation)

I'm on day 18 and loving the Whole 30, but I had friend last night that I was trying to explain the Whole 30 program too, but he didn't listen too well and said "Why can't you have pasta, my homemade pasta is healthy".

From a coworker who was sitting across from me drinking a Diet Coke and eating a teriyaki bowl that was 3/4 white rice and 1/4 tofu drenched in sugary teriyaki sauce, while I drank water and ate grilled steak and sautéed veggies:
 
"You're lucky you're so naturally fit. I could be as skinny as you if I didn't have to work for it."
 
(Hint: Everyone has to work for it!)
 
 

Mom: "If you aren't eating an dairy, how will you get enough calcium?"
Me, after a dinner with both spinach and chard: "Um..."

"I'll do it with you, but I'm not giving up having a few beverages of a weekend"
"What can you eat? You're not allowed anything!!! I'm hungry!!"

"It isn't healthy to not eat dairy or bread."
 
"This diet is too extreme and promotes an unhealthy relationship with food."
 
"You should be able to cheat once in a while. If not, you're unhealthy."
 
"Carbs aren't the enemy."

“Why don’t you try smaller portions and eating every 3-4 hours?”
Breaking news! Thank you for that. It’s just really hard for me to convince my mind,  that eating all day long is a good thing. And I’ve tried it!  

a conversation between some coworkers today that goes like this:
 
"I can't eat gluten (she has a sensitivity) but I still eat junk food... it makes me feel sick"  -- well uh, if it makes you feel sick, why do you eat it?
 
(when someone mentioned not eating carbs - meaning breads -  today) "I don't know what planet you're on, but that's just not possible for me"
 
"I don't eat (red) meat so I don't feel bad eating carbs" - another coworker's respone to this was "oh yeah that balances out" -- yeah, totally balances out.
 
"I would die if I couldn't eat cheese, I love cheese"  -- acutally I'm quite certain you would not die.
 
I'm just keep my head down and rolling my eyes. lol

"I could never give up bread/cakes/protein shakes/add any non-compliant food here" - Pretty much anyone.
Yes, you could. You might not want to though.

"I should not have told you what was in the stew, then you would have eaten it" - My mom after I said no thanks to a beef stew with red wine and non-compliant broth in it.
No I wouldn't.

"Why are you still trying to lose weight, you're already married?" - A co-worker of mine.
I wasn't trying to lose weight before the wedding, I'm not trying to lose weight now and seriously, WTF?!

"Sorry you couldn't join in on our coffee break, but there is only cupcakes and cinnamon buns, no carrots" - Another co-worker.
Well, I can still join the coffee break and enjoy my tea and the company (of other, nicer, co-workers). No cupcakes or carrots needed.

I also managed to upset a friend of mine when she first asked me if I wanted to join a wine-and-cheese-party and shortly thereafter if I wanted to hang out and have some wine and chat. I said that I gladly join both the party and the hangout, but that I'd pass on the food and wine (just so she would know she wouldn't have to get any for me). She sourly told me "Well, just forget about it then" and when I asked her why she was so upset she said that it made her sad/angry when I said no to every suggestion she had made. I still really don't understand the problem, I just said no to the food, not the company (which I thought I made clear I was really looking forward to).

Maybe genuinely, without any snark, just curiosity, ask "How would you know?" or "Do you honestly think I am less healthy now than a year ago?" I doubt she'd be able to answer that. 

After I had been Paleo for several months, my friend asked, "Are you still watching your weight?"
 
I'm 5'6", female and my starting weight was 222lbs a year ago and I've lost 45lbs prior to starting my W30. Same friend has twice reminded me that it's possible to lose too much weight. The first time she said it I was 191lbs (dangerously skinny!) and then again when I was 179lbs (really dangerously skinny!). She's about 5'4", weighs maybe 110 (maybe!) and says she's been at the same weight since she was 14 yrs old, except while pregnant.
 
Would it be appropriate for me to say, "Shut the F up, you skinny biotch?" LOL - seriously, I would never ever say such a thing and she really is a dear friend, but SERIOUSLY???  Cluelessness....

Me: We aren't buying that ham it is full of cr*p
Mother: Don't be ridiculous, its not for you, its for the children