Susabella627

@emilyelowe @NoneOtherThanAmy I thought this was the best place to tag you both just to say "Hi" and congratulate you Emily on your whole 30 and to wish you luck Amy on your current one. I went to the Cape (Cod that is) for 10 days in the end of August and when we got back it was time to get my oldest 2 back to college and my daughter ready for her second year of highschool. Looking forward to things getting back into a routine around here!! I am not ready for an "official" whole 30 but I know it's coming soon. Have 2 surgeries scheduled, one in Sept. on in Oct. and will get thru those first. Will always be thankful for meeting you ladies on here, you are both very inspiring and just plain fun to follow (here and on insta!!) Look forward to seeing you around these boards in the future!! Best to you both!!!!

@SugarcubeOD Thinking of you and hoping you get things back under control and feel better soon. I have a brother who was diagnosed many years ago with bipolar disorder and he too has tried at times to stop the meds but that never ended well. Thank you for your honesty, we need to do more to stop the stigma of mental illness and help those who need it. Sending you hugs!!! To all you slayers you are doing an amazing job and though I am not on this journey at this time I love reading your posts and following along with you. I am feeling so inspired to start my next whole 30 (after vacation probably around Sept 1). Keep up the great work!!!

Thanks @SugarcubeOD - your words are so true!! I had done my first whole 30 in March of 2015 resulting in an almost 45 lb weight loss by October of that year. I was feeling better and more healthy then I had in my entire adult life... and that's when I was diagnosed with cancer. I am convinced that the healthy state I was in helped me to get thru the double mastectomy, the 4 months of chemo and the 6 weeks of radiation with relative ease. The dr. also said that they caught the cancer at a stage 2 and if I hadn't lost that weight it might not have been picked up by the mammogram... so yeah there is a silver lining in there. What really aggravates me though is I have not been able to get back to feeling the way I did right before the cancer. I have come close, but never as good as it was since my first whole 30. I'm sure the meds I have to take have something to do with it as well as a few medical issues along the way (kidney stone, infection, peripheral neuropathy, lymphedema, left shoulder impingement etc..) but I am determined to get back to that state and these little detours might slow me down but I refuse to let them derail me!!

Hello Slayers, I blew it on day 10. Blatantly let my emotions get the better of me. Got the results of my catscan Friday, and there is a tumor growing again in my nose (had it first removed last Oct.). It is benign for now, but left alone it would both continue to grow and most likely turn cancerous- so more surgery in September. I am also scheduled to have the last of my breast reconstruction surgery in Sept. I am just sick of the ongoing medical issues that seem to arise everytime I am feeling my best. It just has a way of sucking the tiger blood right out of me. It didn't help that I got my lupron injection on Thursday. I take it monthly because the breast cancer was estrogen positive and the goal is to suppress all estrogen. One of the side effects is mood swings and I was swinging high on Friday. Went to the diner for lunch and had a gyro with fries... as if that was supposed to make everything better. So, the good news, I am done with my pity party and ready to face the medical challenges head on, compared to what I've been thru, this is a walk in the park! This too shall pass! WIN: I actually stopped at the gyro and fries, didn't fall down the rabbit hole and by dinner time I was eating whole and healthy again. PLAN: There will be a strict whole 30 in my future, but for now I will stay as close to template as I can, but I am going to ease up on myself just a little bit until I get thru the surgeries. I will continue to follow along cuz I love this thread and find it very inspirational. Happy Saturday Everyone!!

Hi Slayers, Just checking in ... so much to catch up on and so much useful information in this thread! I love it! @SugarcubeOD that conversation was so spot on that I think you might be in my head lol. And for me in the past if I let the "your an idiot" side win it usually results in a downward spiral because "why bother, you've already messed up" kicks in. Really thrying to change that sound track. Thank you @NoneOtherThanAmy for that perspective, that is the convo I want to have in my head from now on and "only one meal away from getting back on track" is the mantra to live by! @emilyelowe Getting personal, Sorry you weren't feeling your best with the bloating and all, but do you think your bloating is caused from the constipation? I ask because I used to have horrible issues with bloating etc.. and it was mostly all because of constipation. One thing I found that works great for me is my daily Coconut oil that I whip into my morning coffee. It has been the best regulator I have ever found. That and the increased daily water intake. Edited to add: just read your above post, so glad your feeling better and thank you, the feeling is mutual @diamonds422 Great NSV on your beach weekend. @Delicacious I just love your menu ideas and recipes, keep em coming please. To everyone here slaying your demons and dragons Keep up the good work YOU GOT THIS!!

@emilyelowe I definitely notice a pep in your step that was missing the past few weeks. Maybe having your hubby on board this time around is making it easier. Love that your crushing it - keep posting those meal ideas it is inspiring me to think outside the box lol @NoneOtherThanAmy hope your ankle is feeling better today. Sounds like you are in a really good place with everything - makes me happy!! @SugarcubeOD your posts always make me chuckle - guessing you don't like spiders very much lol. Hope your headache improves. Day 4 here ... feeling steady, notice energy levels coming up and sugar cravings going down so all is good. Have a great weekend all!!

Ok halfway thru day 2 and feeling in control - which is something I was totally not feeling just a few short days ago. Walked 3 miles this morning and my joints are starting to loosen up again... they were so sore and stiff again due to the gluten and sugar no doubt. @SugarcubeOD I too survived skin cancer (melanoma in early stage removed from my back 3 years ago). Of course I am from the "the sun is good for you, stay in it all day and use baby oil" generation, but all kidding aside it is so important to protect your skin. Having had melanoma and breast cancer and always looking for a way to give back I try to push the importance of skin protection and regular mammograms! @Delicacious I know those cramps you are explaining and I have gotten them too. Braxton Hicks is a perfect way to describe them, I always called them the grippers. I think it might be from the the increased fiber (at least in my case the first thing I do on whole 30 is ramp up those veggies). @emilyelowe Loving your menu and it is inspiring me to think outside of the box this whole 30 I am such a self proclaimed creature of habit. Have a great day Everyone!!

Thanks for the encouraging words ladies -I'm just feeling frustrated because every time I think I'm free and clear there is something else that pops up to worry about. In addition to the nose issues I have some elevated blood levels that the oncologist is working up and look I know it's a good thing that my dr's are on top of things but I could bore you with stories about the crazy things that happened to me over the past 21 months. I have been so healthy for all of my life and I'm a nurse so it's very hard for me to be a patient now. But ever the optimist I always remind myself it could be worse. @emilyelowe I had to giggle about your dog stealing the chicken too, but because it made me think of our sweet yellow lab that we had to put down last Feb. She was the ultimate food thief and couldn't be trusted anywhere near food. She ate things that I thought for sure would upset her but it never did - except the time she ate a whole rack of ribs bones and all!! But she only had an upset stomach for a day or two. @NoneOtherThanAmy There are potatoes I found in the produce department of the grocery store that come in a steamable microwave bag. I've tried the petite sweet potatos and there really good, and I've seen them in white and Yukon gold varieties too. I can't think of the brand right now but it will come to me and I will let you know. The new group looks like a hoot gotta go catch up with the posts there now.

And I would also just like to add that @SugarcubeOD you have always been so helpful in the past (I think this is my 5th round) I feel like it's a privileged to have you in the group!!! Death to the Dragon!!

OK @emilyelowe I committed, just found your Death of the Dragon thread (great name btw) and jumped in. Tomorrow will be day 1 as I need to do some prep. Seems like a very active group so far. I mean most of them start out this way, but I think it's the makings of a good one. So... as I briefly mentioned in the other thread I found out today I have some tumors growing in my nose eww gross I know.... as of now they are benign, but they are a tissue type that will likely turn malignant if left alone. Had the surgery once already, last October, but I guess they didn't get it all so they are growing back. Also, my oncologist said my blood work was "off" a little. I know I am probably over reacting, but not a day goes by that I don't think about the stupid cancer coming back so news like that is just scary. Plan on repeating the blood work and going from there. Very happy to have a whole 30 to occupy my thoughts and distract me! I've also seen the "Coleslaw" mix in almost every grocery store. You just reminded me about a whole 30 friendly recipe - pineapple slaw I will have to go look that one up. @NoneOtherThanAmy great job on the clothes fitting better, I'm with Emily don't sweat the measurements!! The way they fit, feel and look is all the validation you need! Have a great day!

Wow @emilyelowe, guess we are doing this again!! And what a great thing to already have such an active group! I love it. And I see a lot of familiar faces!! I need to do some prep work today but will be jumping in and making tomorrow my Day 1. Having some medical issues going on so I would really like to focus my energy on something positive like a whole 30 as I will be needing some more surgery in September ugh. I am also on vacation in the end of August so I think I am looking at a whole 25, which is fine cuz Its a reset for me, the reintro part I already have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't work for me. Good Luck everyone!

Hi Ladies, First I would like to acknowledge all of your posts, I have been reading them all and feel exactly like both of you the support, encouragement, chuckles and knowledge I get from your posts are priceless and I am very thankful we have each other to bounce off of. With that being said, full disclosure time for me, Talk about falling of my bike - I've been a weapon of mass consumption lately. Eating "Junk" food, sweets, ice cream pretty much anything I please and almost no veggies and not even getting 8 cups of water in. I feel it, Joints are achy, I've been sluggish, sleep pattern is out of whack etc.... Whew that actually feels good just to admit it out loud (well sortof out loud in my head lol) and to tell somebody and own it!! There is a very small light at the end of this tunnel, and that is the little voice in my head that has recognized this behavior and wants to turn things around, right now before any real damage is done. I feel certain that this is a sign that I have gained something from my whole 30's as there was a time when I would have just thrown in the towel and said @#$% it. I am even more certain that the accountability I feel towards you guys is also pulling me back out of the unhealthy abyss I have fallen into - and again for that I am grateful. This morning I got up, enlisted my daughter as my walking partner and we did a 3 mile walk. We plan on trying to make this a part of our daily routine with 3 miles being the minimum. Since we are in a bit of a heatwave here, 3 miles was just enough this morning, but It is amazing to me what a little physical activity can do to the psyche. I am drinking water, have made good food choices today, and just feel better already. I am not going full on whole 30 yet, but it's coming, maybe with you Emily when you start. @emilyelowe I totally agree that volume matters. Went to the Chinese buffet the other night and would have been fine if I had stopped at one plate, but nooooo this is a buffet gotta go back and get more, and more and even more until I felt horrible. Again, I guess recognizing this is a step in the right direction! Hope you are having a blast this weekend and managing your food choices in a happy healthy way. @NoneOtherThanAmy Good luck in your new place! I bet your glad the move is behind you now. Sounds like your doing great and really riding your own bike. I am continually inspired by your attitude!! Ok, now I am going to find you both on Instagram!! Happy Saturday!

Hello Ladies, I am back from the woods!! Had a great trip - time spent with extended family is the best!! Reading all that I missed and I see you are both doing well and continuing to learn and apply that knowledge. I LOVED reading about all the NSV's. Emily, hope your dog is ok, I looked back thru the thread but haven't been able to find out what the surgery was for. Amy, your progress is inspiring!! And I will find you both on Instagram, my name is the same as here, but I don't post much... I am more of a stalker lol. Would love to see your pics and crafts though!! So.... I need to get my motivation back. I definitely ate "off track" while away, but I think it was sort of controlled chaos. I did have my hand in the proverbial cookie jar a little more then I should have, and now that sugar dragon is rearing it's ugly head. I am strongly considering another strict whole 30 (20, 15, or even 10) until I feel in control again. Glad to be back ladies and glad you are both still hanging in there!!

Hey Ladies, Amy I love your revelations and the way you approach things. I think that the not beating ourselves up and taking some of the emotion out will really help put an end to the vicious cycle... Eat poorly...feel bad and eat more unhealthy choices... until I completely spiral out of control. Your objective analysis will definitely be something I should make a habit of!! I did some off roading myself this holiday weekend. Didn't go crazy off the rails but have not been following the template as closely as I would LIke to and I can definitely tell I don't have as much energy today. Also getting ready to head out of town for a few days to spend some time with extended family. Will be mostly unplugged because the area we are headed to has lousy service and I won't even have access to a computer. Will also be harder to stay on plan there because I am at the mercy of my cousins and meals are often take out or BBQ but will do the best I can and learn from it all and not beat myself up! Will hopefully check in before I go. Hope things are going well for you Emily!! Have a great Day!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY!!! kinda funny mine was Tuesday and Emily is a June Baby too!!