Bethany Gingerich Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Hi, Day 17! So I was pretty wrecked last night. Ended up sleeping 11 hrs. Woke up at 6:15 this morning and again at a little after 7, still so tired, and went back to sleep and got up at 9:15. I know I was exhausted, but sleeping that long makes me so groggy when I finally do get up. Coffee & good food have me going now though. Hoping my energy's better today, I think it will be. Considering making this my off day from CF and just doing yoga, depending what the workout is, I haven't checked yet. So the fact that Day 20 is close blows me away! I remember last time, feeling so amazed when I got to Day 20. You're in such a groove by then, I feel like the last 10 days take less focus and work than the first 4 or 5 days do. My bf & my anniversary is Saturday. He tried halfheartedly to get me to "take a day off" so we can go out to eat and not worry about anything, but I told him I really want to finish. I was on my second W30 over Valentine's Day and it was the best day...we just got all kinds of yummy stuff from Whole Foods and ate on the beach for sunset, with "wine" (kombucha) and I loved it! So I told him I'd prefer to do that again and then when my 30 is over we can do the dinner out that he wanted. Incidentally, Saturday is Day 20! Happy Anniversary to me! Ha! OK, must work! Hope everyone's having a lovely day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Glad to hear you are in the groove, sorry you were so exhausted though. I think I'll keep colonics off my wish list.... LOL Roll on day 20! Day 10 for me, was just thinking these last days have gone quite smoothly for me, here's hoping the next ten do too. I find weekends harder since I am near the kitchen and pantry more often and tend to cook more too. My secret for the last few days has been having three big meals and being busy at work! Soon I might need to add in pre and post WO meals as I get fit enough to ramp up the intensity but am managing fine at the moment. Happy day 18 Bethany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Don't let this scare you off colonics, they are awesome (although not everyone's idea of a good time)! I've never even felt weak or tired after one before. I think this was a combo of all the different things I've been doing coming together to knock me out! Plus the fact that I didn't eat much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Annie B Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Lots of dreams over here... every night something interesting, or strange, or cool. One dream I had a cupcake and I was like oh sh*t I have to start over now!! and last night there was booze in my dream, but I don't think I had any... other than that they are just funny scenarios from my subconscious mind. Yeah, I think you little body was probably like wtf with all that exercise after a colonic! I hope you can get enough rest with those fitness goals!!! Love your posts, you are hilarious. ~ A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 Thanks Annie! Day 18! What do you know, I'm eating kale for breakfast! Actually, a weird and awesome thing happened this morning: my stomach growled before 8 AM! This is not the usual for me. I've struggled with eating breakfast on all three Whole30s because I'm so not a morning person and the last thing I want to do when I get up is figure out food. Especially when I don't ever even feel like I want to eat anything! I usually wait awhile to eat so I come out of my morning fog a little, but today, I was hungry right away! Hope that continues, it will make continuing eating a balanced breakfast after this is over SO much easier. I know it's important, I feel so much better when I do it. So, two very specific postives this round so far: loving kale, and wanting to eat breakfast, which usually includes kale. All comes back to kale apparently! Congrats to everyone starting their Whole30 today! I'm sure there's a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 Day 19! Wow! So the last couple of weeks have been so wickedly stressful because of work issues. I've posted nothing about it here and I still won't get specific since I do this under my real name, but it's been just ridiculous. And I have to say, as much as I wished a thousand times that I wasn't on W30 while all this stuff was happening, I'm now actually glad it worked out that way. I think my stress levels stayed somewhat under control, my mood more even-keeled. I'm just less all over the place when I'm feeding my body well. And all the yoga has clearly been a lifesaver! I've walked into that yoga room ready to snap at least twice, and as much as I didn't feel like being on a mat in a hot room doing what feels at the time like a pointless routine, it has helped me incredibly. I feel better after 100% of the time. Same way with CroffFit. I'm grateful for that. That's it. Nothing food-related yet, I'm going to the early yoga class so haven't had anything but coffee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariegray Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 You are about the bubbliest happiest cutest thing i've ever seen..LOL Thanks for being such a motivation!!! I only made it to day 23 on my first W30, a year or more ago. Today is my day 2, I hope I handle it as well as you. Could you tell me how you prepare your kale? I want to love it, but I don't, I have to choke it down. I'd appreciate it! Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 I like it sauteed with oil (I use macademia), lemon or lime juice, and garlic. Or I eat it in salad instead of lettuce, with oil and vinegar. The sauteed style is my favorite so far! I crave it pretty much every day now! Congrats on starting! Wow, you made it 23 days last time? That's such a solid amount of time, I'm sure you can do the full 30 this time around. Thanks for posting! I'll look for your updates too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 Day 20! Damn! Had the best marinated grilled chicken for dinner last night and another big, elaborate salad. Another thing I'm psychotically addicted to lately: VINEGAR! On everything! And all different kinds! My chicken was marinated in cider vinegar and I had two or three kinds on my salad. Love it! That's another thing I've gotten from doing W30 (not this time, the previous times) is a love of oil and vinegar on salads. Amazing how flavorful it still is. I used to think the joy of salads would be gone without "real" dressing. Now it almost drowns it out for me. I prefer the lightness of oil & vin. Macademia nut oil is AMAZING! I just ran out, but luckily I've got a Whole Foods run happening later, so I'll restock! The herb infused one is just ridiculously yummy! Today is me & bf's anniversary! We're doing our beach dinner thing like we did for V-day, it was perfect and I'm totally down to do it again. I should probably try to not be doing an eating challenge on our next romantic holiday though, ha! I just have to rave for a minute on how stoked I'm feeling bodywise...I have major fat genes and I've always struggled with figuring out how to eat and work out to feel and look the way I want. Which, by the way, in the past the way I wanted to look was thin. Period. A lot of that started to change for me a few years ago. I began to notice women who had nice muscle shape and who were maybe older than me but looked incredible. There were women in my yoga class who were in their 60s and had these beautiful bodies. I began to look at things in a different way. But all I knew how to do was try to control my diet (low carb, just eating less, whatever) and run or do other cardio, with maybe a halfass round of the gym doing the weight machines once in a blue moon. I though buring calories was the way to be the way I wanted to be, and cardio and running burned more faster, so it was a no-brainer I thought. Until I began to realize I was in the worst shape of my life. Nothing about me was functional, nothing was paying off, and my "runner's high" was a thing of the long-forgotten past. I'd been running off and on since I was 15. I was beginning to pay the price in my knees. I kept reading about how long cardio wasn't considered to be the answer anymore, and how women as they get into their 30s and beyond will not continue to see weight loss or even weight maintenance from it. I would have laughed at this if it weren't already true for me, at 32. I told my bf I wanted to start lifting weights. He was an athlete in high school and after, and had a decent bit of weight-room knowledge. I told him I wanted to give weights a real try. He put together some routines for us, and we did them together. Along with my usual cardio of course! After a couple months of this, it got really stale and boring. We were so busy with work that the last thing we wanted to do was sit around in our downtime putting together workouts. Plus we aren't trainers. We just have the normal experience to go off of. We don't understand how one muscle grouping affects the next, or anything. I'd been hearing a lot about CrossFit for about the last year before this. One of our good friends, who taught a bootcamp that I sometimes did (and then felt like a martyr after so I'd take a few days off from working out ) was going to it regularly. He was a personal trainer in a regular gym but he enjoyed CF so he went there for his own workouts. I was intrigued, but scared. One day, my boyfriend and I were lying on our bed and I said "Let's do CrossFit." He said, "Ok, babe. It does sound cool. But I don't want to do it right now. I'm not in shape for it yet. Let me get in better shape and then we'll go." This was BS. Just a big pile of BS. Because, for one thing, we'd been going to the gym for months regularly and had been doing our weight routine for a couple months too. Nothing was going to change in 2 more months of that. Not a darn thing. It was a stalling tactic and I knew it. So I gave the situation my best lawyering: "But babe, you know how to lift weights. And we're stalling out in our own routine. I'm bored and tired of our gym and doing the same thing all the time. But I want to work out with you. And you and I aren't experts. We've worn out all the routines you came up with. We need something new. Please, please, please just go with me and do the baseline and if you hate it so much you can't stand it, we'll wait and do it later." Somehow, against all odds, he agreed to go, and I don't know what impression he'd had of it before, but when he saw what it was, he LOVED IT! That was July 13, 2012. A little over a year ago. Since then, he's lost 30 lbs on the scale, but during that time he's also put on a bunch of muscle, so with all that factored in, his body has changed a ton. I don't weigh myself because I never like the number and it discourages me, but my body has also completely changed. Right after starting CF, I started eating "loosely" paleo. Then bf and I did a paleo challenge. Then we did our Whole25 in November. Then a Whole30 in Feb. (bf didn't do it this time but ate almost exactly the same as me, he just wanted the freedom to drink on the golf course, grab food on the road sometimes, etc.) And now this Whole30 for me. (bf has been doing a carb cycling thing with his friend, so he's not W30-ing with me this time) When I think how much I've changed my lifestyle and perspective in a year, I'm shocked. And so happy! As far as specific body changes, I see something new almost every day, no joke. I'm not the leanest I've ever been (yet), but I'm by far the leanest I've been with this amount of muscle. My shoulders and back are more defined every day, my abs are starting to act like they might exist under there, my butt's higher and smoother. So happy to be heading this way in my 30s instead of just continuing doing the same old crap and hoping it changes. I'm not advocating for CrossFit by the way. Or against running as the only source of exercise. I'm simply saying, figure out what actually works for you, because working out is effing hard! It's hard to motivate yourself, it's hard to make time, it can be expensive, and it's hard while you're doing it. It's just hard all around. So make sure it actually does what you want it to do. Running did for awhile for me, and then it didn't. I still have these moments where my crazy brain goes "Just start running distance again, it burns so many calories, plus you feel so accomplished after, plus you'll have more endorphins......" I know it's not true. It just isn't. And not only does it not work for me, but it would take my time and energy away from this other awesome stuff that's making my life so incredible! But it's a weird comfort zone I have to fight going back to. So that's my last year, I know you really wanted to read a novella today! Ha! Happy day all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 What a great story, with a happy ending too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 Day 21! So last night was the lovely anniversary and it was perfection! I do have to admit I had a couple of things that I should probably fess up to...bf got some chocolate mousse that was all vegan, made from this little healthy deli here, and I checked the ingredients and it was all good, but thinking back surely it had agave in it, plus it's a dessert so not on the plan anyway. I had a few bites of that. And we had taro chips that we put avocado and roasted red peppers on. I've eaten taro chips on W30s before when I needed a crunchy salty fix, and although the chips themselves should be ok, I didn't check what the oils are that they're made with. So probably a fail on those too. That said, I regret not a thing! My wine was kombucha, we had yummy tuna and salmon sashimi dipped in aminos, delicious olives, spicy salmon jerky, and it was all so yummy delicious! Went to a movie later and had no room left to crave popcorn! Off to yoga soon! Happy Sunday! (Monday to Juzbo!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Yes, off to work again already Glad you had a nice time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Annie B Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I've been using kombucha the same way! Its a great substitute. Happy day 22!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Day 22! I'm officially ready to be done. The social stuff is getting to me. As much as we say you can do anything while on W30, there are some things that just aren't the same. We got invited to a Mexican restaurant with friends last night but trying to navigate the menu would have been a total pain, plus everyone would have been drinking and I didn't feel like sitting there explaining my "temporary diet" to people because that's what it ends up sounding like. We just didn't go. I've had it with those kinds of things. Especially because this is my third run, I feel like I've learned the lessons and created the new habits, and what difference would it make if I went for a beer and a taco now or in a week and a half? Just having a moment don't worry, I'll finish, I'm not bailing now of all things. But I will be happy to hit day 30. Made a most excellent dinner last night though! This: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/sesame-shrimp-and-asparagus-stir-fry.html I added sugar snap peas and broccoli and a little bit of salmon. So good! Subbed coconut aminos for the soy sauce. That's it, just gearing back up for my week of crazy workouts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 See, you still get extinction bursts right on schedule even when on your third!!! Hope it subsides quick. My previous two were dooseys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Hear that Juzbo! HA! Day 23! Hadn't thought of the number until now, just that it's a week until the bitter end! Good day so far....I was planning on today being my day off from CFit just because I had my second "cleanse" this morning and last time I was a wreck after, but this time I had plenty of time for a big healthy lunch and so far I feel fine, so I'm checking the workout and I might go after all. Just can't miss yoga again, since I have to make up a class already this week! My latest fave salad: Mixed greens, avocado, strawberries, and sliced almonds. Dressing of macademia nut oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. YUM!!!!!!! Add some grilled chicken and bam! Adios till tomorrow! See ya tomorrow for my Day 24! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I thought of you on Monday when I did yoga, so many people in the room that it was quite hot! Happy last week. I am just into my third week now. Haven't had cravings for ages... Hope that lasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 Day 24! Last week in progress! Got to finally have some cherry tomatoes from the garden mixed in with my kale for breakfast! So yummy! I hear ya Juzbo, I've been in some unintentional hot yoga classes myself before! Weird dreams again last night. Guess that stage doesn't pass! Delicious crablegs for dinner last night. STILL haven't made my chocolate chili! Must get on that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Home stretch! I spoke too soon, haven't had cravings right but been slammed all of a sudden with tiredness? What gives? My cycle is late too... Obviously some internal resetting still going on. Am upping my fat and fruit a bit today, hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Annie B Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Hope you are doing well Bethany! I can relate on the social front... I think that would be hardest for me too, if I had a social life!!! LOL. Fortunately for me with this little project, I am able to hunker down and focus on 'me', since I haven't really met anyone yet in Greenwood (we hardly leave the farm!). But that will change when I start school in a few weeks (massage program at Piedmont Tech, woohoo!). I have been thinking, if you ever come back to SC... I would love to meet you in person! Its just too random that you are from Abbeville. Have a great day 25! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 Nice! My mom got her nursing degree there. I will definitely be back in SC....I would be there as we speak if I weren't spending all my travel $$ on a trip to Australia next month! I normally always take a trip home in the summer. Definitely down to meet in person. Maybe by the time I come again you'll be selling me some awesome stuff you grew on your farm! I plan to tell my mom about your place too so she can come check it out when you get stuff ready. She knows a billion people too and will spread the word when it gets to that time! (I'm assuming you'll be selling stuff yourself, maybe that's not the case.) I'll have to add you on FB at some point so you can keep me updated! So yeah...Day 25! I'm super blurry eyed, up early for me, but as I was making coffee, it hit me what day it is. Ha, I just reminded myself of that camel in the commercial.....GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS! Wow, I can't believe I'm this far. Weird to think there's only 5 days left after today. Feeling a little worried for the first time. As much as I sometimes get bummed out on the guidelines, they are a comfort in a lot of ways. I think I'm staying with my current workout/yoga plan for now. I like it and feel good, and it will give me extra reasons to keep what I've gotten from this Whole30. Not a lot of room for feeling less than great when you're doing all the stuff I'm doing! I leave Sept 4 for a looooong trip and I want to leave for it feeling just like I do now! At this point, I know how things affect my body. I can't deny it. I know what I need to do to feel my strongest and best. Today I'm doing 2 yoga classes to make up for that day I missed. Hence the reason I'm going in the morning, which I rarely do! This has definitely made me a little more of a morning person, but let's not get crazy! Ha! Happy Day 25 Annie! Hope your third week is going well Juzbo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 All good Bethany. I hope you are going to a warm place in Australia, the weather isn't very nice at the south end right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 Day 26!!!! Got a fridge full of kale, strawberries, and other deliciousness, and I'm ready to tackle these next 5 days! This weekend is going to be so busy and fun, and Tuesday is day 30! Unreal to me! Tonight we're having friends over and I'm making my awesome grilled chicken that bf and I have had twice in the last week. And tomorrow we're going over to another friend's house for her birthday. Sunday, probably beach in the afternoon, and I have to squeeze in some work around all this fun! Today I have yoga, DMV (joy), Costco (bigger joy), cleaning the house (OMG this day sounds better by the minute!), shopping for some stuff for our guest bathroom, CrossFit, and then getting ready for tonight. I joke, but I actually like a day where I can just knock out a bunch of crap I've been meaning to do. I took the day off from working so I can get all this stuff done. The DMV is actually #1 in importance, since I need my new ID for our our overseas journey that's fast approaching! K, off to do Day 26! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 I have no idea what a DMV is but the rest sounds good, enjoy your day! We only have one Costco in Melbourne, too far away from me but a new one is being about 20-25 mins away, looking forward to it opening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethany Gingerich Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 Day 27! Juzbo, the DMV is where you go to get your driver's license renewed or any other paperwork relating to driving a vehicle. It's notorious for being the crappiest errand ever, and you never know if you'll be there for 10 min. or 3 hrs.! Ha! It was fine though. I was only there for half an hr. and got my duplicate driver's license which is what I needed The clear sealing had peeled off my old one which makes it invalid, so I needed to get a new one for my trip to your part of the world! Got all my other stuff done too, house cleaned, Costco shopped, yoga and CrossFit done. And last night was great, had a bunch of friends over and everyone had a great time! Dang, this thing is almost over! I'm glad. Really glad. I want to keep up with how I'm eating at home, since bf and I both agree we just can't have crap food in our house anymore. I'm not saying we'll 100% follow the Whole30 plan, but primal/paleo makes too much sense to me at this point to really go in any other direction. HOWEVER. The social stuff is just completely kicking my butt. As one tiny example of dozens of moments I've had in the last year, last night, some sweet person handed me a "ball" they'd made themselves and brought over to my house, and I could tell by looking at it that it had oatmeal, probably peanut butter, and other things that would make it a dealbreaker. They were like "healthy homemade cookies" basically. I seriously didn't have the strength to launch into what would be a full conversation about my "diet thingy." I also didn't want to say no thank you. I took one, and tossed it when no one saw, but it felt crummy. Because I didn't want to turn it down, it looked good, it was tiny, it wasn't something I would crave 10 more of, there was no reason not to eat it except that I'm on W30. Not that that's not a spectacular reason, it is, but this close to the end of #3, I'm just over that type of stuff I think. I don't want to be the person who's "always on some diet thing." Both because it sucks socially, and because I don't want it for myself either. That's just where I'm at this fine Saturday morning! All good things, I think. Off to yoga soon, then a little work, then this afternoon we're going to some friends' house for someone's birthday. This weekend is just fantastic, I couldn't ask for more fun things to do! Hope everyone's having a terrific day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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