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Hi everyone!! I'm on day 10 of my first W30 and I am FINALLY feeling okay. I was struggling with massive bloating at first but I'm feeling fine today! That being said, I have an essential question for the pros out there. I work really odd hours as a morning news producer. My alarm goes off at 3am every day and I'm out the door by 3:40am latest. I have a 30 minute drive to work and then it's off to the races. I pack a breakfast (usually a spinach and tomato frittata with homemade chicken sausage and 1/4-1/2 avocado) but I don't eat it until around 9am. Before breakfast I'll have around 2 cups of coffee with nutpod creamer and a ton of fruit infused water. Then I'll have lunch at around 1pm at home, snack before and after gym at 4p, dinner at 7ish... bed at 8 or 9pm. Does my body not being "awake" at the ungodly 3am hour really matter that much? Or can I continue with my way of "waking myself up" at 9am with the rest of the world if that's what works for me? It's hard because it feels like I'm awake for so long ... meaning eating can easily get way out of control. I've thought of trying to eat 1 hard boiled egg as I'm leaving the house, but I can't see how much difference that would really make! And I'm also worried it might make me RAVENOUS all morning. On weekends, I'm definitely eating within an hour of waking no problem. Thanks for your help!

Today is Day 11 - As far as I know, I've done perfectly... till tonight. I sprinkled garlic salt on my food.... THEN REALIZED it had sugar as an added ingredient. Total accident. Start over?! HELP!

Hello! My name is April and I am excited to be on day 1 of my journey. I have a question about cooking with oils and wasn't sure where to post as it's not specifically related to cooking and recipes. As someone who used to "track macros" (count and keep track of calories and macronutrients), I can't help but think about the number of calories in coconut and olive oil. Yes, I know they're healthy but should I be concerned if I'm going from cooking with cooking spray to cooking with oils? I know the Whole30 isn't about weight loss but I also don't want to gain a ton of weight if I can avoid it. Thanks for your help! -April

I am going to Sundance Film Festival for 4 nights, I have to go for work, but I want to stay committed to my January Whole30 the whole time. I’ve never been to Sundance but have heard stories about it being a huge weeklong party: drinking and staying up late, shmoozing, eating out, drinking, drinking and more drinking. Ack! Anyone been to Sundance on Whole30? Anyone going to be there this weekend and want to check in with me? Would appreciate all the help I can get.

Hi. Not sure if this is the correct place to post this thread, but i'm wondering if anyone has experienced less migraines after doing the whole30? I have suffered from migraines since i was 5 years old, and i'm getting kinda desperate to find something natural that can help reduce the severeness of the migraines. I have been taking medication almost my whole life, and my migraines combined with the side effects of the medication is controlling large parts of my life. I'm looking for a lifestyle change, and i just want to see if anyone else has had a positive effect after doing the 30 days before i start to commit to testing this out. Thanks for any replies. xx

Hi All! I started on 1/3 and I have to say I'm surprised at how HUNGRY I am all the time. I'm staying away from everything off plan and am eating until I feel comfortably full. But it just seems, without fail, that I'm freaking ravenous within 1 to 2 hours. Did anyone else feel like this? I feel like I'm eating more now than I did before. Am I doing something wrong? I want to succeed, but if I'm worried that I will be miserable and hungry the whole 30 days if I'm constantly dealing with nagging hunger. Any advice appreciated!

Hello, I'm looking for some help with my Whole30. I am a 27 year old female trying the program out for the first time after hearing excellent reviews from co-workers. I bought the book and was really excited and motivated to get my Whole30 started. I was aiming at losing some weight (I probably had ~5 pounds to lose), to improve sleep, to improve mood (specifically, to be less fatigues and unmotivated by 2pm in the work day), and to help with swelling in my lower legs (called panniculitis). I had pretty high hopes after hearing about the program and reading the first few chapters of the book. I'm currently on day 22 and I'd go as far to say that it's pretty much a disaster. I'll back up and provide some more detail. The first week was great! I felt excited, motivated, energized, and my pants were less tight! Around week 2 I started noticing some undesirable side effects. My acne (which isn't really acne... I usually get 2-3 pimples per month) was TERRIBLE. My skin was extremely oily and broken out all over. They ranged from small, hard pimples on my cheeks and forehead, to under the skin painful welts on my chin. I read on this forum that nuts could be doing this. So I decreased my nuts. I will mention that I am a pescitarian, so I don't eat poultry/beef/pork. I do eat fish, seafood, eggs, and dairy [when not on the Whole30]. So I cut out nuts and stuck with my other protein sources. I also started noticing my mood getting worse (sad, angry for no reason, unmotivated). So for this, I read on here to increase my fruit and starchy food...I ate more starches and fruit daily. My side effects from week 3 up to now is what motivated to seek help here. I am depressed, unmotivated, and a completely different person for the worse. I am SO agitated all the time (when people talk to me, I was to cry and/or scream), I'm tired beyond belief, the acne has not changed at all, I have a hard time staying asleep all night, and I haven't seen any improvements in my lower leg swelling. Oh and to top it off, I'm now experience bloating, constipation, and terrible gas (sorry, TMI) that I never experienced before my Whole30. Again, I've looked up most of these symptoms on here and I got info on the depression side; eat more starchy foods and fat...but I already am. As for the gastrointestinal issues, I'm at a loss; seems like the Whole30 foods are causing me issues that other people eliminate during their Whole30. With only 8 days left to go, I'm seriously considering blowing it off. For whatever reason, the Whole30 isn't working with my body.Here is a sample meal plan to help guide any advise that you may have. I really appreciate it. Breakfast - 2 eggs fried in EVOO, homemade hash browns with onions, and half an avocado with S&P (I'll throw in some fresh berries if I still feel hungry) Lunch - baked sweet potato, sautéed kale, and a fruit (usually an apple or banana) Dinner - grilled salmon, lemon garlic grilled shrimp, and roasted veggies with EVOO & balsamic Thank you in advance, I really appreciate any help

Hi Whole 30ers! A friend introduced me to It Starts with Food last weekend and I've read (and reread many sections) the book and am excited to get started ASAP. I have exactly 30 days that fit between two travel dates so I'm currently in the planning phase and basking in my excitement as I'm sure I will experience an emotional roller coaster. I'm a vegetarian but occasionally eat fish so for the next 30 days I'll be relying on fish and eggs as my main source of protein. I'm not super excited about that much protein (I'm a fan of The China Study) but I'm really attracted to the reconditioning of our food mentality and just overall relationship which is my main reason for embarking on this journey. I'm excited to interact with everyone here and share experiences! To start it off, if you had one piece of advice for me, what would it be?

Hello! I am on my first round of Whle30 and on day 14! woo woo half way practically! but I would love some critic to see if there is anything I might be able to improve on or maybe something im actually doing all wrong haha so here's a little play by play of my day and meals from this week ( week 2 whole30) Just a preface, I come from a "bodybuilding" background of fasted cardio and calorie restriction. Before whole30 I was most recently eating keto and macro tracking because I felt it helped with my hormone imbalance (high test low estrogen, no cysts so im told its not PCOS) with terrible cravings, mood swings, low libido, and hunger signals all out of whack, my poor husband! I have suffered from amenorrhea for the past three years and my weight has fluctuated between 130-170lbs during that time. I have a history of binge eating and anorexia that I believe will forever haunt me. Any way just some useful information I figured. Currenly i am happy with my weight although its been two weeks since i weighed myself (obeying Melissa) but im probably 140lbs 5 foot 6 inches and an athletic build (ex gymnast but still pretty muscle dense and fairly lean but not unhealthy i would guess about 17-20% bodyfat) 4:30am - Wake up (I work 6am-2pm) I have been weaning myself off this slowing so I don't shock my body but I used to do 30min on the stationary bike 5 mornings a week fasted, so far I have it down to 15-20min, next week I am aiming for 10-15min and probably cut it out the week after next. 5:30am I usually drink an espresso with 1/4 cup lite coconut milk and about 1 TBSP MCT oil ( I love the thickness it gives the coffee) on my way to work, and then eat breakfast once I get there ( I do this to give myself the max sleeping time but still don't want to eat while driving so I can give my full attention to my breakfast). 5:45am Breakfast - 3 cage free eggs cooked in a spoonful of ghee (fourth and heart) , 2 huge kale leaves cut up and sautéed in another spoon of ghee with peppers onion and garlic. 11:00 am Lunch - 1 can wild salmon (I think its 6 or 8 oz) , 1 heaping spoon of primal kitchen mayo, 1 open handful or olives, on top of about 2 cups spinach and 1 cup spiraled zucchini washed down with a Hint water. ( usually a decaf coffee with again about 1/3 cup lite coconut milk some where before I leave work) 2:00pm off work 3:00 pm Work out ( 5 x a week) - usually lasts about an hour and consists of about 40 mins circuit style weight training and 20 min treadmill or stair master hill intervals. 4:00 pm get home and usually make dinner while packing my lunch and prepping my breakfast for tomorrow. 4:30 or 5:00pm Dinner- a palm sized portion of pork tenderloin that was roasted with veggies ( Brussels, onions, garlic, beats, and cauliflower) coated in EPIC brand beef tallow) served on a bed of arugula and topped with a Tessemae's or primal kitchen dressing. 5:30pm - take my pup on a 15-30 min walk and then get ready for the next day or hang out with my husband until around 7:00 when I shower and settle down with some herbal tea or crio bru with coconutmilk and my book. Usually asleep around 8 or 9pm. * I have found myself being able to follow this template fairly easily, I find on some days I get very hungry between meals 1 and 2 or even after dinner before bed. about once a week I will have a what I call mini binge session where I stay compliant but its a bad habit and I always wake up feeling slightly swollen, puffy, hot, and exhausted regardless how much I sleep. Its not always that im hungry i feel physically full at times but just feel drawn to the fridge on these nights it happens! For example this happened last night. around 6:30pm I found my self dipped brussel sprouts in mayo and ghee and eating coconut oil with a spoon ( improvement from the first week where I ate three lara bars, 2 epic bars, and so many nuts) since then I have banned nuts, dried fruit, and bars from my whole30 (straight abstainer here). the binges have only happened twice since i started the whole30 (14 days in) but prior it would happen like twice a week on bad food and carbs so its an improvement. im sorry for the novel but i hope i can gain a little perspective and criticism on this post! thanks so much! i really want to gain control over my relationship with food!

Hello!!! I am new here to Whole30... my boyfriend and I started our first round on Monday. We're on day 3! Besides an awful headache yesterday, a not so bad headache today, and a few cravings.... we don't feel half bad! I was expecting to feel a lot worse! HELP! Am I doing something wrong here?!? Is anyone else expietencing this?! Thank you so much!

Firstly, let me start by saying that I know weight loss is not the point of W30. I know it is about NSVs but given that I’ve achieved many NSVs already, my primary focus is weight loss as I am about 10-15kg overweight and have been trying to lose it for over two years. In the past two years, I have done 6 W30s and eat mostly paleo the rest of the time. During my first two W30s, I lost 4kg but did not lose any weight in any of my subsequent W30s. At the beginning of this year, I began another W30 to try lose a bit more weight – this time I cut out fruit of any kind as well as nuts (unless as a garnish on a salad). 6 weeks later, I have not lost a single gram. I exercise 3-4 x week. I have PCOS/insulin resistance – I know this makes weight loss difficult but I am so frustrated and disappointed not to be losing weight. I am ashamed to say I am considering re-adopting a Weight Watchers style diet. I know that WW is completely rubbish and is a terrible way of eating but I lost about 18kg using WW 5 years ago, which I have never been able to achieve with W30/paleo. Typical meals for me: Breakfast 2 boiled egg, roast sweet potato, cauliflower, kale, kimchi, olive oil Chicken thigh, roast vegetables, ½ avocado Beef mince, roast vegetables, ½ avocado Lunch/dinner Kale/spinach/lettuce base, roast chicken, roast vegetables, ½ avocado, olive oil, kimchi Beef mince, cauliflower puree, spinach, broccoli Kale/spinach/lettuce, 2 boiled eggs, carrots/cucumber/red pepper, ½ avocado, tahini, kimchi Kale/spinach/lettuce, beef meatballs, mixed roasted or raw vegetables, olive oil, kimchi Pulled lamb, spinach, cauliflower, tahini, ½ avocado Shakshuka/baked eggs (2 eggs) with ½ avocado, kimchi I think I am eating enough because I don’t get too hungry between meals (although I am always hungry by the time the next meal comes around). I rarely eat a pre/post workout snack as I normally exercise around dinner time anyway (30-40 min run or 1 hour strength training). I eat a lot of kimchi, drink kombucha and a use apple cider vinegar in salad dressings and drink a diluted glass of ACV most days. Does anyone have any advice? Am I doing something wrong?

Hi all, Today marks Day 30 for me and I just want to talk about my NSVs before weighing in and measuring tomorrow. I also want to ask some questions about reintroduction but I am quite nervous about it. First, a little about me. I'm a 27 year old female that has struggled with food and weight my entire life. I finally felt like I had taken back control about 6 years ago when I started to really learn about portion control and overall eating "healthier" and when I say "healthier" I mean, counting calories and putting in the lowest amount of calorie foods in my body so I could still eat a large quantity of food,even though it may have not been the best quality of food. Nonetheless, I managed to lose 75 pounds, found a passion for running, and did learn to eat more fruits and vegetables that I otherwise would have passed on. Fast forward 5 years and I find myself 20 pounds heavier (even while still watching my calorie intake) and not having changed my activity levels... I was frustrated, felt like I tried everything to lose those 20 pounds (because I didn't want to go back to where I was) and tired. AND then I got the diagnosis of hypothyroidism (hence the additional 20 pounds without changing my diet or exercise regimen.) In a way, I had hoped that diagnosis would solve all of my problems -- taking my thyroid pill I thought would help the weight would magically come off, my energy levels would return to normal, and I would feel like myself again, but it didn't happen. So I found Whole 30 and decided to give it a try. 30 days later and I'm feeling pretty darn good. My gastrointestinal issues have basically disappeared. (TMI, sorry, but I am still not regular, but I don't have any of the stomach cramping that I would have a couple times a week). I do feel like my energy level is a little more even -- I don't spring out of bed in the morning -- but I do feel like I can make it through the day without crashing and I am still motivated to make dinner and workout after work. My clothes have been fitting better and I even find myself pulling out clothes I haven't worn in months! I have also found a bunch of new foods and recipes that even after Whole 30 I will definitely incorporate into my meal plans (Looking at you, Spaghetti Squash!!) Overall, this process has been wonderful -- minus a mini-meltdown in a grocery store on a weekend away (EVERYTHING HAS ADDED SUGAR!) it was really enlightening and quite easy to follow the rules. But this is where I get concerned about Reintroduction. I read and re-read some advice from Melissa that talks about "taking off the training wheels" and riding the bike on your own, but this scares me. I don't want to go back to feeling crummy and not even realizing how crummy I feel. I am not sure that I have experienced the "Tiger Blood" that the book talks about so that makes me feel like I should extend the program for longer than 30 days, but I cannot tell if I am using that as an excuse to stay in the comfortable confines of the "rules". I have read the "slow roll reintroduction" but I do feel like I would benefit from knowing how each food affects my body and how I feel. I just don't know what to do or how to proceed with Reintroduction. There are foods that I am eager to reincorporate into my diet, but I also feel like it took 25 days for me to finally feel like this program was "working" and I am nervous that reintroduction will make me feel bad again for weeks. I just can't tell if what I feeling is nerves about not having as many rules -- or if this is something that I should continue extending and I am looking for any advice. Thanks in advance and I am sorry about the long story...

Sorry for the sort-of-TMI-post, but I've gotta see if anyone has any recommendations. I've got an extremely sensitive stomach and I've been treating it like (literal) garbage over the past few years, junkfood and eating so, so unhealthy. Because my stomach is so touchy, I'm really concerned that I'll have terrible gas/diarreah during the whole30 (Started today)... Any advice? Any over-the-counter pills that anyone has found helpful? Any input is greatly appreciated!

Hey there! I'm starting Whole30 tomorrow, and I really want to start running/working out as well... Just wondering if anyone had any general advice/encouragement for getting fit while on the Whole30. Any input helps! Thanks so much

New here. Hi, my name is Mrs. Awesome and I have an unhealthy relationship with food. And y'all say... Hi Mrs. Awesome. Checking out this whole 30 thing. Instead of my food being my security blanket, my best friend, my entertainment, it needs to nourish my body and keep it going. But damn, y'all, I love sugar! I am going to need to buddies to keep me going. Teach me how to Dougie... I mean whole 30. And survive. And not picture Mr. Awesome's face as a scrumptious pizza. My thought is to start Nov. 7. I have school conferences and a mini vacation with the hubs this coming weekend. No time to prep. Man, I feel like I am walking off the plank. All I hear is the death march in my head as I type this. Breathe.

Hello Everyone! I am a 25 yr old female who attempted my first whole30 in January of this year, but only wound up making it to day 19 because of some mistakes I made following the guidelines. I chose to do the whole 30 because I suspected some food allergies and intolerances. In 19 days I saw so many improvements in areas I had no clue I could ever see a change in! I was in complete disbelief! Severe sciatica, swelling, joint pain and immobility had vanished! My swollen face was returning to how I used to look years ago! And my massively bloated pregnant looking stomach had miraculously slimmed down and flattened out more than it ever had! I am a total believer in this program and can't wait to do it again! I just need a little advice with some issues I had the first time around. I also did paleo for 2 months after my whole 30 and it helped immensely. I plan to complete a whole 30 and then continue with a paleo diet afterward. Here are the issues I had: Extreme fatigue if I missed a meal - I believe I just need to eat larger meals that fully follow the meal template (protein, veggies & fat). Last time around I didn't always follow the template and some of my meals were way too small, so I'm chalking it up to that. Any other suggestions? Diahreah for the entire 19 days - I've always had pretty bad constipation issues my whole life, so this was surprising. I am normally pretty on top of eating enough fiber so I don't think it was my body adjusting to a fiber increase. I believe I may have celiac or some sort of wheat/dairy intolerance, so this could've just been my body adjusting and starting to heal. Anyone else experience this? I seem to have issues with consuming too many eggs, and eliminating them for a few days helped a bit. Food boredom - I know the food boredom can be a common side effect towards second half of w30, what did you do to overcome this? I get almost nauseated by certain foods at this point, it drives me nuts! My game plan for next time is to write a list with a ton of compliant recipes I want to try, as well as having some of my favorites premade and frozen. Food logging- I like to keep a food log. Not so much for calories or following specific macros, but to have a reference I can use to compare my symptoms with. It helps me to gauge what works/ what doesn't. I'm a certified holistic nutritionist and I am totally guilty of being obsessed with the cause and effect side of things. I know food logging goes against the spirit of whole 30, and it's also a pain in the rear in many ways, but I really want to be able to look back at what I ate on specific days and see how certain foods effected my medical symptoms. Has anyone logged during whole30? Or decided to forgo logging and loved the freedom from it? I want to skip it entirely as I did during my first attempt but I almost wished I had logged to try and pinpoint what could've caused my digestive issues. And finally - stress and timing. My first attempt was during a stressful time right before a big move, and sandwiched between lots of social obligations that involved food. I have an upcoming 6 week window without any birthdays, weddings, parties or etc, but I am still in a very hectic spot in life right now with a lot of stressors. I know that it will be an additional challenge to complete a w30 during this level of stress, but I feel like I need to do this for my health and I really want to make it work. Has anyone else complete a w30 during a stressful period of life? What tips do you have for managing stress while w30ing? thank you all in advance and sorry my post got so long!

I am a 20-something T1D who is starting my first W30 tomorrow. I am a fairly healthy/active individual, but I'm hoping to gain more control over my blood sugar numbers. Any advice on what kinds of foods to pack for lunches? Or snacks? Or just advice in general?

Hello whole30 friends, I need some advice in a few different areas... As I write, I am just about to complete day 10. When I started the whole30, I assumed that by now I would be beginning to feel an abundance of energy, my cravings would be gone, and I would start seeing some changes. The truth is- I just haven't. If anything my cravings have gotten worse (bread is and has always been my kryptonite). I don't feel that boost of energy that I dream of. Am I doing something wrong? I was thinking that maybe introducing a workout routine would help? I'm a baker (yes, I work in a bakery. Literally the worst occupation for someone trying to remove bread from their diet for a little while, I know- but I love it!), so my day is filled with lifting bags of flour, running around a kitchen, and (at this time of year at least) sweating my ass off in front of a blazing oven. Needless to say, when I get home I just want to relax. Does anyone have some simple or fun work out routines that don't require going to the gym? I really want to see results. I'm really excited to be doing this- but I just feel a little down in the dumps about it today. Any advice on ways to boost my mood/results/everything would be greatly appreciated. Best, CaIt

Brand spanking new to Whole30 and couldn't be more excited to start this new adventure! However, I have a wee snag and could use all the advice I can get my eyes on! I work out of town and reside in a camp when I'm on shift. Before I fly up, I pack as many Paleo/Whole30 approved snacks and a couple of frozen homemade meals. However, while I'm in camp, my meals are prepared daily, I'm not allowed to leave the camp during my shift (so no grocery shopping), nor can I take leftovers for lunch the next day. The bright side is the camp does provide fresh raw veggies and fruit. My main concern is the protein. Because I have zero control of my meals, the quality of the ingredients, or their preparation, I fear I will not be successful on this adventure. Is anyone else in a similar position and have been successful on the program? Does anyone have suggestions on what I can do regarding my protein intake?

The Instagram community is who introduced me to Whole30. I decided I will start tomorrow, June 1st. I have done my research, but I still don't know what the heck I am getting myself into, still exciting to me though. I will be buying the things needed for the next thirty days. Anyone else new to this or starting tomorrow as well? tips?

Hello all! I am starting the Whole 30, Monday May 16th for the first time. I eat generally well already BUT I do have issues when it comes to sugar. I have developed a bad habit as to always searching for a sweet treat after lunch or dinner, even if its just a wee handful of chocolate chips. I love sweet treats and I am hoping the Whole 30 will help me break that habit. All in all, I am just extremely curious how this will effect by body! Anywho, my parents own a small grocery store and we are well known for our homemade yeast raised Donuts every Saturday morning! Business is always booming so I go in and assist them every Saturday for about 4 hours. My job is to glaze the donuts that come fresh out of the fryer. The problem is, I have to be there by 6am and I generally have little time to grab breakfast before I go. I plan to prepare some meals before I go so I can grab them and maybe take them with me. But there I am smelling the sweetness of donuts, glaze, etc for 4 hours. The temptation is so strong! I rarely go an entire donut day without consuming at least 1 donut hole! I know this will be a true test of will power but does anyone have any tips and tricks to avoid this temptation for an extended period of time like this? I usually would gravitate toward chewing gum or something to keep eating a donut out of my head. But gum is not allowed I honestly feel like this part of my Whole 30 will be the toughest challenge for me THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HELP! :-D

Hi everyone! Today is day one for me! I am excited and nervous. I just ate breakfast- 2 red apples with almond butter and coffee black with cinnamon. I noticed that many of the recipes are not exactly vegetarian friendly. I was wondering if my fellow veggies out there could give me some tips of what their favorite recipes were throughout the Whole30 or maybe some resources to find recipes? Also, I am so excited we are allowed to have potatoes and nut butter (besides peanut). What is a go to vegetarian breakfast for you guys? What about lunch and dinner? How much water are you drinking? Thanks so much and I am so excited to start this journey. I should also mention that I am an avid runner in my mid twenties so this will be interesting performance wise but I am willing to sacrifice my athletic performance for a brief period if it means being healthier in the long run. Thanks guys! Looking forward to some feedback!

Hi all, I completed my first round of whole 30 over the summer. I was so proud of myself and almost slightly prideful and self righteous during it. I couldnt believe that I actually made the commitment to the strict 30 days and held myself to it. It was tough. 4th of July, girls wine nights, etc. I was sure at the end of the 30 days I would "see" significant physical changes. Well I did not and the scale said I gained a pound. I was livid and bitter to say the least. But I remember how much better I felt from doing the Whole 30, no bloating, I was regular, I had more energy and definitly slept better. I also did not follow the reintroduction protocol because i was so angry that I had gained weight. So now Im here 7 months later and my body is screaming at me. I am constantly bloated and full feeling and my sugar dragon is worse than ever. I know I need to do another round for strictly the purpose of feeling better but in the back of my mind I want to lose some weight. I am not over weight and have been the same weight for a while now. I am sick of feeling "gross". I am an athlete and i should feel good inside my body and right now I do not. Anyways I am resisting doing a round 2. I know how hard it was on the first round at times. I also was off during the summer and could focus on me 100% and now I am back at work ( Kindergarten teacher) and my days are crazy. I find myself reaching for anything sugary at school. I know these are fear in the form of excuses. So I would love and welcome any loving constructive suggestions to help me take the dive into choosing whats right. I know that it truly is one day at a time. Sarah

Hi, my name is Stephanie and I'm a sugar addict. No seriously... I don't remember an entire day that I have gone without chocolate EVER. Until yesterday, which was my very first day on the Whole 30. This is my first Whole 30 and I have been doing research and reading "It Starts With Food" and the "Whole 30" book for over a month before I decided I would start Jan. 2, 2016. My first day went surprisingly well. Despite my constant cravings and my sugar dragon ROARING all day, I did it and I felt AWESOME doing it! I was, however, a terrible planner. I went to Whole Foods that morning to buy ingredients for Day 1 recipes... which cost $70... 3 meals... $70. So for all you veterans and Whole 30 pros out there.. Where do you grocery shop and how to make it more affordable? sheesh. So day 1 went well, and then I "woke" up. I put "woke" in quotes because I hardly slept last night. I was tossing and turning all night with a slight headache. IS THIS NORMAL? So for anyone who has done this before or experienced some of the things I have, I'm asking for advice! I'm also looking for support because I have two roommates; and one is a functioning alcoholic who eats dominos every day, and the other is a firm believer in sugary carbs for breakfast lunch and dinner followed by more sugar for dessert. So if anyone else is on this journey with me, I'd love to connect! Newbie, veteran, anyone! I just woke up to day 2 and I'm ready to start my day! YEAH!

Hi, I'm on day 7 of my whole30 and feel progressively worse everyday. I started for 2 reasons - 1. I have ulcerative colitus, and am looking for a way to control it though diet and 2. though years of flares, I've become overly reliant on carbs and sugar for energy - time I've spent feeling so unwell that the only thing that appeals is jelly on toast, and I think that's had a psychological effect on my 'need' for carbs and sugar. (Worth noting, though, that I was no flaring when I started). But I just feel awful and so frustrated. I'm training for a marathon, and I suck at running since I started. I feel constantly light headed and sick, and because nothing else appeals I'm eating too many nuts and dried fruit (I know, I know - tell me how to stop). My stomach feels almost as bad as when I'm having a UC flare, and I look about 5 months pregnant. Plus, I live in Greece i.e. carb and legume heaven. It is *so* hard to find complient food here - and I cannot get my hands on a sweet potato no matter how hard I look. (On the plus side, incredible olive oil!!) I'm searching for some tips, some encouragement, reasssurance that I'll feel better soon, because I am so close to just throwing in the towel, eating some jam and bread and actually being able to enjoy my long run today... Thanks all.