Starting at the beginning.

[Lilybet]

Quick dinner update.... Just had a look at the menu online and I don't think there is actually one thing on it that I can eat that would be whole30 compliant. help. Starting to panic. Maybe the lettuce wraps if it means the meat is wrapped in lettuce, but it comes with a dressing that I know will have sugar in it.

I genuinely don't know what to do.

[Cheryl J.]

Hi, Lilybet,

Good for you to be on Day 22 -- you're over 2/3rds of the way done! I'm on Day 13 -- almost halfway through.

I realize now that I need to eat more -- I haven't gotten above 2,000 calories per day since I started the W30, except for one day. To that end, I bought more beef, a slew of chicken breasts, and a slew of yams and sweet potatoes, which I've been eating every day now. Yesterday, I also switched to a different marathon training program -- one that mixes short walking intervals with longer running ones, such as "walk 1 min., then jog for 30, and repeat three times" -- and I feel much more comfortable with this program. Last night's run felt great, in fact! The previous program involved only running, and I was beginning to freak out because the last couple of runs on this program were difficult and I didn't feel energized at all -- probably because my body was (and maybe still is) adapting to the new eating regimen. With this new program, though, I feel very motivated and confident.

I read the post on your brother's blog, and I guess -- at least at this point -- I'm a fool for running: when it sucks, it sucks; when it's fun, it's an absolute joy. I've been trying to rediscover joy in my running for several months now, and I think I finally have. I've heard many times about the downsides of "chronic cardio" (as Mark Sisson calls it) compared to the comparatively rapid and drastic beneficial changes that occur through weightlifting and other anaerobic work, like sprinting, and I respect that argument, but -- at least for the next few months, and because I've already laid down my $95 for the marathon -- that "chronic cardio" is going to make up the bulk of my exercise regimen.

Sounds like you're staying very active during your W30: boot-camp (yikes!), hockey, swimming, running. A little sugar in your dressing for dinner sounds piddling in comparison! Keep me posted!

Bests,

Cheryl

[Lilybet]

I'm really sorry that you read it that way, the chronic cardio angle was not what I was going for at all. You were sounding down about the running and I was actually trying to encourage not completely demotivate! I read my brother's blog as being about the importance of having a goal in your training, some kind of target, and then creating the right plan to suit you and your goal. About how running, just for the sake of running isn't good, but running with a purpose, and having an overall plan to achieve that purpose, is key. Straight running for 50 minutes in the first weeks of a 4/5 month training plan just seemed like something written by a sadist, so I'm really happy that you've found something that you're comfortable with and are enjoying it. That was my original intention, but sorry if you felt like I was dissuading you from your goal.

And $95?! crikey.

So I wimped out of the dinner. I haven't told anyone I'm doing a whole30 because I don't want people to think I'm on a diet, want it to be more natural lifestyle than that. And I would have either had to pick through things or leave half of what was on my plate, and I don't like to waste food and I wasn't in the mood to explain myself. So I made excuses. Next time we arrange a dinner, I'll suggest somewhere with more options!

Day 23, still going. My skin is still terrible, which I can only put down to the amount of fruit and/or sweet starchy veg. Don't think I'm lacking fats. So will try for the next 2 weeks, once all my blueberries are gone, to go without fruit and sweet potatoes and see what happens.

The good news. I feel full. I don't get the nibbles at all. I eat until I'm full and then I stop, and then I'm full until the next meal time. It's a good feeling.

Distinct lack of exercise this week, lots of late after work meetings and things to go to. Have started my early morning bootcamps again though, twice a week, so should still get some. Have a netball tournament on saturday as well which will help.

I'm headed back to the UK in a couple of weeks, so the idea is to keep up my whole 30 until then. Then I will stick to paleo but the 80/20 so I don't beat myself up about the odd slip. As long as it stays a slip and doesn't become habit.

[Cheryl J.]

Hi, Lilybet,

Oh no, I wasn't discouraged at all by your message or your brother's blog post -- it makes total sense to have goals in exercise endeavors, or anything else in life. Reading the post, I got the sense that, considering his background, he seemed to be speaking from a strength training perspective rather than an endurance one. Right now, my goal is to comfortably finish training for the marathon and then to go out and have fun on November 10th. Last night, I covered 8 miles of a 10-mile loop (farther than I have ever run before) by alternately jogging for 5 min. and walking for 1, with no catastrophes along the way -- so far, so good.

As for eating out during the W30 (which I haven't done yet), I'm a little nervous, too, about having to explain myself to my friends, but a couple of friends whom I'm likely to eat out with are vegetarians, so it won't look so odd if I order a salad, perhaps with some meat on it. If I have to, though, I'll gladly explain the program to them and how it makes me feel.

I don't feel hungry, either, and have to make an effort to eat more than 2,000 calories a day, but eating a lot of chicken takes care of that pretty well.

I'm on Day 14, almost on the downhill side of the program, and it has helped with my insomnia and grogginess upon waking, and I think it has helped with my gingivitis, bad breath, and perhaps even an allergic reaction to the contact lens in my right eye. I'm not sure what level of paleo I'm going to "fall back to" once the 30 days are over, but I feel certain it won't be as "loose" a level as it was before the program.

Cheers!

[Lilybet]

I'm disgusted with myself. I have just snaffled the most enormous pile of dates. I didn't even really want them! I wanted a couple, but not the whole pile. Somethings never change!

Yesterday was a long and tiring day, but managed to stay compliant. Got home after a four hour committee meeting absolutely famished, had enough time to force an omelette and a raw carrot down me before crashing out. Breakfast was mackerel fillets. They really are yummy and feeling very smug because not only are they a bargain but they are from a sustainable source. Yay! Fish that I don't have terminal guilt about eating! (Has anyone else seen the documentary "end of the line"??) Lunch was homemade soup, which actually would have been enough, but I went and bought these dates. They were meant to be for later but now they're all gone. Oink oink.

I have another marathon (hopefully not) meeting tonight, so will probably be another omelet. Need to whip up a stir fry or something when I get home as well, so have some lunch for tomorrow.

[Cheryl J.]

I'd been craving fruit for a few days, so last night I bought a package of strawberries and blueberries each and ate 3 servings of about 1/2 cup of strawberries and 1/4 cup of blueberries with an indiscriminate amount of coconut milk. All that sugar might have contributed to a faint headache and a crappy training run.

[Lilybet]

yep, far too much sugar, headache that lasted until sunday morning... friday was ok for food apart from the binge. Exercise? well, I tried for 10km but managed about 6km before it absolutely poured down. So, home I went and had an early night. Saturday was a morning at netball. Managed to damage a finger during an intercept, which is still swollen and bruised this morning. Made bootcamp and circuits over the weekend a bit tricky, but still managed some. Saturday was a lazy day for food but compliant. Went to the movies saturday night and managed to avoid the incredibly delicious smelling sweet popcorn, just had some water and was happy. Sunday I had a good breakfast of leftover meet and veg and two fried eggs, felt like junk food but was tasty and set me up for the day. Finished off my blueberries with coconut milk around lunchtime, and for dinner I made oven roasted chicken and veg with balsamic vinegar. Have just polished off leftovers of that for breakfast. Salad for lunch. Not sure what will happen for dinner, going to watch Snow Patrol! yay!

Day 29... it feels pretty good.

[Cheryl J.]

Snow Patrol in concert? I'm jealous!

It's the end of Day 19 for me, and I guess I did O.K.: I ate way too many Larabars, though (I won't say how many here -- I'm too embarrassed), but I didn't feel crappy after all that sugar, so maybe fruit is O.K. for me. The only exercise I did -- and have been doing, apart from marathon training -- is casual bike riding around town. I still generally feel pretty good: my clothes are certainly fitting more loosely, and I would really like to step on the bathroom scale or take some measurements, but will abstain until the 30 days are up.

I'm also now able to do full- or near full-depth squats -- it depends on how far apart my feet are, but if I push them out a little wider than shoulder-width, I can get quite deep. This is revelatory, because when I was doing CrossFit before, I always had to hang on to a racked bar to help me get to full depth.

I tried the squats today because I have been toying with the idea of doing the "Lifeline" fitness program Robb Wolf recommends in The Paleo Solution as cross-/strength training for the marathon. I tried it a few months before, but couldn't manage with the activities I'd chosen -- stationary biking (I hated that) and rowing on a C2 (I like it, but I can't yet manage intervals with it). This time I'll try different ones. It would go something like this:

Day 1: Circuits

- Walk 200-400 meters (1-2 min. out and back each)

- Rest 1 min.

- 5-10 air squats

- Rest 1 min.

- 5-10 pushups against an object

- Rest 1 min.

- 5-10 body rows with gymnastic rings, TRX, etc.

- Rest 1 min.

- Walk 200-400 meters

Day 2: Intervals: do cardio (for me, biking) for 10-30 min.

- Warm up for 5 min. at an easy pace

- Go hard for 10-30 seconds

- Ease back for 30 sec. - 2 min.

- Go hard, etc. ...

Day 3: Recovery: yoga/stretching/light activity

Day 4: same as day 1, but rest for only 50 seconds between exercises, then 40 the next time, then at 30 add a second round, then at 15 add a third round. After 3 consecutive rounds, make the exercises more difficult: deeper squats, lower pushups, steeper body rows

Day 5: cardio: cover more distance in 30 min., including 5 min. at warm-up pace, or increase to 45-60 min. of continuous activity

Day 6: recovery: yoga/stretching/light activity

Before moving on to the next level, which he calls "Healthy Beginner," you can increase the reps of the exercises in each round, increase the intensity (eliminate rest between exercises), arrange them in ladders, or try new things, like running with a weight vest or pushing a wheelbarrow with more and more weight.

The "Healthy Beginner" program consists of increasing the difficulty of the original program while also adding in new movements, first to practice their form, then to add them in to the regular workout with sets and reps: squats and lunges with dumbbells, dumbbell deadlifts, dumbbell/kettle-bell swings, dumbbell push presses, ball slams.

Doing the program as he prescribes it for a total beginner will probably be a bit too easy for me, so I'll ease the reps and/or intensity up a few notches.

[Lilybet]

Cheryl that sounds like a great program. Ideal for you with your crossfit background to be able to combine the two and end up with a better running result. Let me know how you like it. I'm terrible at motivating myself to do my own exercise, so for now the bootcamps are working their magic on me. felt very smug at the early one this morning, stair runs were no problem, busting out the reps, it felt comfortable and I felt strong. and given that I am doing probably less, or the same, exercise as I was before whole 30, I can only put the changes down to my food. So at day 30 I am doubly grateful.

Results from the 30. My clothes fit me properly again! yay! I didn't weigh myself before, because weight wasn't an issue, but fit of things and comfort in my skin was important and I feel much better.

My endurance and my recovery are great, feel very happy about it.

I have discovered that I potentially have a hormone imbalance. This may change how I eat in the future, will have an experiement and see how my body reacts, but good to know.

And I'm back cooking and eating proper food again, without even thinking about bingeing tomorrow on things I haven't been able to eat. All in all, 30 days well spent.

Cheryl and Derval thank you so much for your support through mine, it has been amazing to have people to touch base with and bounce ideas and thoughts off, really appreciate it. Looking forward to reading how you both get on.

Good luck to everyone else through theirs. It's so very worth it, keep it up!

[Derval]

30 days well spent indeed well done you.

[Cheryl J.]

Awesome! Are you going to do a second W30 to check on the hormonal imbalance? I think I'll do a second one, too. Rock on!

[Lilybet]

Hey! Yeah, I think I will. I need to work out a plan on how to check out the imbalance thing, a bit of scientific trial and error needed, but otherwise I'm definitely in.

I'm travelling next week, big family events, lots of hanging around planes and airports, buffet dinners, that kind of thing, so staying strict will be tricky, but lots of time to come up with a plan! One of my brothers is in the middle of a W30 at the moment so staying with him for a couple of days will help. Start of September I'll do another one to see what goes on, in the meantime will be watching what I eat and staying primal for the majority.

You must be near the end of yours, how do you feel? Noticed some big differences?

[Cheryl J.]

Hi, Lilybet,

It's cool that you're going to go on with this way of eating and try some more self-experimentation in the bargain!

I'm at the end of Day 26 myself, and the biggest change I've noticed so far is how much cleaner I feel inside and how much lighter in general (body-wise and mood-wise). I can't wait until the beginning of Day 31, not because I want to "fall face-first into a box of doughnuts," as the Hartwigs say of people who go off the plan with a vengeance, but because I can't wait to step on the scale and/or make some body measurements to confirm my progress in physical transformation. And I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep eating this way for a long time to come, except for maybe one "cheat" meal a week. Another idea that occurred to me is to make compliant treats and share them with colleagues -- leave them in the department fridge or main office with an "Eat me!" note. It seems to be a nice way to share the multi-leveled goodness (health and happiness).

After Day 30, I'm going to stop meal-logging and calorie-counting, but I'll still check in on this forum every now and then to offer advice/encouragement to others.

By the way, is your brother going to join the forum, or has he? Given my experience -- and I'm sure you can attest, as well -- it is definitely a great source of advice and support.

Talk to you later!

[Lilybet]

My brother is an old hand at this. He eats primal anyway but does a super strict whole 30 every now and again to keep himself honest! He's followed the paleo world for quite a while. He went through a phase of quite serious depression a few years ago, which he only just admits to now, but started to look at everything in his life he could change and food was one of them. He says that this lifestyle saved him. And he credits it as the main reason that him and his wife got pregnant so soon after deciding to try. So he doesn't need the support but I might get him to join anyway and see if he can't share some insight and pearls of wisdom!

I have a confession, since day 33, I haven't been eating clean. I made some cupcakes for my friend at work and kept some back for my flat mate. Realised after I'd had 3 for breakfast that I really do have a problem and need to get back to it sharp ish otherwise I'm on the slope again! Looking online it looks like the fruit and sweet potatoes I had during my whole30 didn't help my imbalance, and it was more than I had in my diet when I was eating primal before so probably explains the differences I felt. So now I'm heading to a no fruit, super low carb whole 39 when I get back, and as clean as I can now.

Your treat meal sounds like a good idea, and compliant treats for colleagues as well! My self discipline is obviously atrocious so not sure I can do a treat without it becoming norm, so compliant treats sound like the way forward!

How's the training? Still finding the joy?

[Cheryl J.]

Hello,

I really like your brother's approach -- being strict every now and then to keep himself honest. Is this the same brother who does the health & fitness blog?

Actually, I almost slipped today, too -- a friend offered me beer or wine, and I was very tempted to indulge. I mentioned the W30 and promised to make good on the temptation sometime in the near future (but without giving up on this new way of eating).

I got plenty of exercise today helping this friend move, but have only done one session of marathon training this week, so I really need to get back on it. But so far it has been very good -- not always joyous, but I usually manage to get into a sort of cradling rhythm with the help of music, and it makes me feel very calm. It would be great if I could preserve that sense of calm on marathon day.

I'll keep journalling about food and mood a bit longer to record how I feel during the 10-day re-introduction period, and then check back in every now and then to offer advice or encouragement to others. After that period, I'm thinking of eating strict paleo for six days out of the week, with one "cheat meal" on Saturday. I'm going to make rules for myself about alcohol consumption that will be a little more flexible. But seriously, doing this program has given me more confidence that I can exert self-discipline in this area. And so one good change leads to another. Onwards and upwards!