Anita Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I did my first and only Whole 30 in May. I ended right after Memorial Day weekend. It was a trip. I lost weight. I felt better. I was gung-ho. Then I found myself straying here and there. Weekends out of town, not enough prep time, buying lunches out around where I work, too many Paleo treats that then lead to non-Paleo treats, deciding I "deserved" a glass of wine because work got so stressful I nearly walked out -- all added up to the predictable return of symptoms. Otherwise known as I feel pretty bad and my pants are so tight I feel a bit like a failure. I just wanted to be "normal" (ha!) for a little while. But I realize a lot of the people that think they are "normal" are sick/fat/headed toward major illness. Anyway, I hadn't read It Starts With Food when I did the first Whole30. I'm taking Labor Day week off work, not telling many people in my life that I am, and spending that time finishing projects, doing paperwork, organizing my living quarters, and planning. Planning my Whole60. I intend to start the Whole60 the Monday when I go back to work after staycation. I realize I need to do it right. Do it by the book. Take longer to allow my gut to heal. Introduce foods slowly and really keep track of what I eat, how I feel, what symptoms return. I've also just started a 90 day "return to physical activity" plan. I really need some kind of movement every day. For several years it's been only 2 or 3 workouts a week and I'm just not in the shape I'd like to be in. I'm starting slow and charting it. I need visual cues (other than my muffin top) to remind me to exercise daily, so I made 3 legal-size page charts and taped them to the inside of my front door. I'm starting out with a 30 day challenge to foam roll to help with tightness in my IT band. I'm also committing to adding one day of working out each month and trying one new fitness class a month in my area. I've really latched on to the 30 day challenge idea and think it can create amazing change in our lives. Things need to become habitual for me to have them feel easy. Anyway, I just thought I'd share here to set my intention for this journey. "It Starts With Food" should arrive at my door Tuesday, so that gives me plenty of time to read before I begin. Thanks for your being here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Welcome back Anita. I love your methodical approach and how you've planned it all out. I truly believe reading the book is the best thing you could do (well other than actually doing what it says ) It was what made all the difference to me. Good luck, you know you can do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bet Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I think everyone should read the book. Because it tells you why you are not eating things that you normally want to eat. Once you recognize what these foods are doing to you, you are better able to think about why you eat them (when you are off roading). When I ended my W30, my husband desperately wanted to go to Steak and Shake. I though I could resist the urge to have a shake, but they had SALTED CARAMEL shakes. So I had one. I enjoyed it. It didn't really have any negative effects (except a little sugar rush). But I won't be doing that again for a long time. I wanted it, I felt it was worth it (even though I figured it would have me in the bathroom for the rest of the day), and it was great. However, I did not eat the bun for my burger or the fries. Those definitely are not worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted August 17, 2013 Moderators Share Posted August 17, 2013 Maybe the secret to post-Whole30 success is limited reintroductions. As in, reintroduce very little that is off-plan. Knowing how good I feel when I eat on-plan foods, I rarely eat off-plan foods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 Thanks, everyone. I agree, Tom. I don't do well with complete denial, but it's very easy for me, particularly with sugars, to overindulge repeatedly. I think if I can really keep the focus on symptoms and how I feel, I can stick with it better post-Whole60. I also really do think with my history of candida that I probably need more time to fully clear my body out and heal. Thanks for the support. I can't wait to get the book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trineoty Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I agree with Tom as to limiting the reintroduction of foods that are off plan. I know for myself, I am a sugar addict. I have to stay away from any and all sugar. Any trigger food that is a no brake food needs to come out of my repertoire. It is not worth feeling awful. We also have to recognize that most people who eat conventionally do not realize they feel awful. They are so use to feeling bad, that they adapt to feeling poorly. For example, as a nurse, I worked night shift for 11 years, when my kids were babies. I made more money, and felt it was worth the sacrifice. I stayed home for three years, and experienced life as a normal person with regular wake-sleep cycles. When I returned to nursing, I had to work a year of nights, before a day shift position came opened to me. Talk about eye opening. I felt so sick, had major mood swings, craved sugar. I finally went to my Nurse Manager telling her if I did not get a dayshift position, I would have to quit. I thought I would have a nervous breakdown that year. That is an example of how people can get so acclimated to feeling awful, they don't even know they feel awful. Once you experience feeling well, and that becomes your normal state of being, you will never want to go back to feeling poorly again. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 I should proofread better. I stated something wrong in my plan. I'm currently working out 3 days a week. Here are my goals: The first month of my fitness plan I'm moving up to 4 days a week. Second month 5 days a week. Third month 6 days a week. I'm allowing that it doesn't have to be full-on "workouts" but could be walking, stretching, doing more PT types of exercises on my foam roller, etc. The hardest part about creating habits is creating habits. I thought this was an interesting article regarding habits. http://zenhabits.net/habitses/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 I still work a bit late, but for years worked until midnight or 1 a.m. Not an overnight shift, but I felt the ill effects. I gained so much weight working late hours. I wanted to wake up and get stuff done and see my live-in boyfriend of that era, so I would sleep maybe 4 hours at night and hope I'd get a nap in before work. Just awful. The sun goes down for a reason, folks! Thanks for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trineoty Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 There is also an excellent book called Strong Curves by Bret Contreras He discusses ways to build a better female body. As one who has worked out for years, I have hyper focused on the cardio aspect. I have always believed more is better.....well because that is what conventional wisdom teaches. I've had to relearn how to workout in such a way that it is strengthening my body as opposed to breaking it down. Don't get so hyper focused on the # of days you workout, as opposed to the quality of said workouts. Move frequently, lift heavy, and occasionally sprint......all outlined in Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 Oh, thank you. I'll look into it. I guess what I meant about daily exercise is "move frequently." The daily movement is not so much for shaping my body, but for managing stress. I need to keep energy circulating through my body and focus on breathing to clear my mind. I also meditate for about 30-45 minutes every morning. That said, of course I want to look good. Who doesn't? As someone who got WAY into free weights in the late 80s (between weights and cardio worked out 2-3 hours a day, every day, some days doing double-days) I'm really not much into lifting weights. I burned myself out so badly (but it was pretty badass that I could incline leg press 485 lbs). I long ago stopped being fanatical about workouts and went to the quality approach. I shake my head at the people that I cycle with that do 2-3 classes in a row. I know they are putting their bodies into a stress response mode. I have gotten lax with my discipline. I used to walk a lot, which I think is excellent, safe exercise. About 3 years ago I moved into an apartment that has a great view. I wanted to be up high instead of on the ground, but the result of looking at a mountain, tree tops and rooftops and not being able to see the ground is that it doesn't occur to me to go out on a walk. I know lifting weights and doing quick-burst exercises (like sprinting) is is the wisdom at this point (obviously lots of Paleo people are cross-fitters). I'm just not sure it's for me. Currently I'm doing 2 days a week of sweat cycle (indoor cycling in a heated room) and 1 day of private pilates. I'm a certified pilates instructor myself, I just don't teach. And my self-practice also fell away when I moved into this apartment. I have a Gratz reformer at home and some other smaller equipment, and want to start getting back to self-workouts. It's a shame that I let a $4,600 piece of equipment sit and collect dust. ha! Pilates using apparatus (rather than on the mat) is great resistance exercise. So hopefully I can get there doing this. I'd also like to do more yoga and qi gong. But I have considered getting kettle bells just because I think they are cool! I'll look into the book though. I'm open to change and perhaps if I read more about that type of workout, I'll want to do it. Even if I just incorporate a day or two into what I'm already doing. I really appreciate your input. I swear, this community is amazing. I think if I'd stayed on the forums more after my Whole30 that I could have stayed on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 Yay, I just got an email from Amazon that "It Starts With Food" just shipped! I should have it by Tuesday! And Trineoty, if that is your dog, I'm in love! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trineoty Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Yes, that is my dog, Lucy Border Collies are the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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