Starting September 9th looking for support

[Revived]

I'm planning to continue on although I haven't exactly fleshed out my plan yet.  From experience, my advice would be if you are going to do re-intro after 30 days, actually follow the re-intro plan.  I crashed and burned and just ate everything in sight and I felt TERRIBLE for days afterward.  I've never felt that bad from something food related before.

 

I know that 30 days is not long enough to get me where I want to be.  I've actually been checking out other paleo resources like Jason Seib from Everyday Paleo and he's got a lot of information about weight loss that has really resonated with me.  I think I posted one article on this thread - maybe it was another thread.  I cant remember.

 

So I'm investigating what he has to say and what Rob Wolff has to say and then I'll develop some kind of game plan.  Right now my thinking is to tighten up even more by eliminating starches and getting into a strength training routine.  But I've also got to work within the perimeters of my life - which is busy and stressful - so its going to be a balancing act for sure.  But whatever I do will be within the paleo realm. 

 

I can tell I'm losing at least somewhat because my rings are back to almost slipping off, whereas before I started they were tight.  I'm still battling fatigue.

 

I would say my biggest struggle is still getting 8 hours of sleep, and really i think I'm a person who functions best on 9 or 10 hours but I honestly don't understand how that's possible for someone who works full time and has small children.  I feel like I can have proper sleep or a proper marriage - not both.  Or at least i haven't figured out the way to have both yet.

[SharynF]

Oh my, my Whole30 food pics have generatedquite a conversation amongst my friends this evening. I have a couple of them interested in having a go

[cortner1195]

Just curious, has anyone started Day 31 planning yet?

When I decided to do Whole 30 I figured I would just take it a day at a time and if I hated it I would just give it up.  My son's birthday is on Day 28 so I figured I would actually be doing 28 days but even as early as 1 week in I realized 28 days would make me unhappy, I want 30.

 

So now, with less than 2 weeks to go, I sort of don't know where to go when 30 is over. 

Have you thought about what you are going to reintroduce first? 

Are you going to extend past 30 days?

Are you worried about any side effects from reintroduction?

 

I kind of want to extend to 45 because I have a duathlon on the 20th and I have done the hardest parts of my training during Whole 30 and I don't want to go through any drastic dietary changes in the last 2 weeks (this was also the reason I almost decided against Whole30). 

I'm glad you went for it!  My birthday is going to fall on Monday.  I don't really celebrate it, but I would have been nice to have a glass of wine.  Add to that a three day, two night, trip to Vegas this weekend.  Tough time on the whole30.  I plan to go on, with a few small exceptions on limited occasions.  I also have to figure out how to make weight loss happen on it.  

 

I had planned to extend to 60 days but realized that my birthday is on Day 32 and there is no way in....yeah I'm not going to Whole30 on my birthday!!

 

So I'm going to take a week off and try to use some caution but eat what I want, especially on the couple days surrounding my birthday (Friends are taking me to a resturant here in Portland I've been wanting to try - should be quite Paelo actually!).

 

So I intend to start a 2nd Whole30 on 10/14!

Can you choose a small amount of a couple special treats, and maintain your new food plan through your birthday?  That is my plan.  If I get invited somewhere.  

 

I am headed to bed.  I have to get up early and pack.  Too tired to do it tonight.  Day 19 complete for me!

[SharynF]

Day 19 is underway for me and it's Holiday Prep Day. I am slow cooking a chicken and boiling a gammon joint to take with me. That will provide loads of cold meat to keep me going for a few days. I have shopped and bought lamb chops and rib eye steaks to take for meals later in the week and will take some frozen salmon steaks and cod fillets out of the freezer - hopefully they will stay frozen, well packed in the cold box. And some fresh farm eggs that we will pick up from our friend's farm on the way out tomorrow morning. 

 

A huge bag of fresh veggies and fruit is also ready for the off. Rooibos and peppermint tea bags to drink. I think that will do

 

I doubt we will have an internet signal where we are going so I won't be posting much, if at all until 5th or 6th of October (Days 27 and 28).  We are taking bikes and kayaks and have rented a cottage on the bank of Lake Coniston. That is where Donald Campbell repeatedly set the water speed record in the 1950s and 1960s and where he was killed when Bluebird flipped and broke up in 1967. Only wind powered craft are allowed on the lake now. 

 

Stay strong and play nicely while I'm away

[daveloper80]

I think my plan for day 31 is to mostly continue on but add back limited dairy first.  I intend on following reintroduction properly (from what I gather, it seems to be 3 days for each - sugar, dairy, legumes, grains and I have no problem with that).  The reason I would like to do dairy first is I really do prefer some milk in my coffee.  There is always organic milk in the house for the kids and I don't use all that much.  The other reason is that post-workout meals have been the hardest part of whole30 for me.  A plain greek yogurt, even mixed with sweet potato or squash puree sounds FAR more appealing to me than a piece of chicken or the applegate farms roast beef.

 

I workout at night after dinner almost all the time, they have just been hard for me to stomach.  Greek yogurt seems like it would be a solid source of protein and I could still use the carb rich vegetables.

 

I don't miss cheese pretty much at all.  I thought I would but I actually just don't care, I have replaced guacamole pretty much anywhere I would normally use cheese and haven't missed it even a little.  I don't even miss it on burgers and I before this I would have said a burger without cheese is not worth having.

[carrot_flowers]

Day 19.

 

This is as far as I made it on my last go around, so making it through this weekend is extremely important to me.

 

Not too many challenges this weekend, as I have my daughter and we are doing lots of kid-related activities.

 

Running a 5K tomorrow and super anxious for it! I ran the same event last year and took it easy; this year I plan to kick butt. I'm really very excited.

 

As far as Day 31, I'm ready to be more lenient. I don't plan on reintroducing gluten, but I will likely reintroduce some cheeses (blue, feta) for salads, wine and spirits, and the occasional legume (but not peanut butter under any circumstances because that stuff is like crack to me).

 

When I first started Paleo, I lost almost 20 pounds in 2 months, and was drinking wine 2-3 times/week in moderation. I'm guessing that after my whole 30, I will still be 5-10 pounds above that weight, but striving to get back to it! I think that my first go at Paleo I was eating smaller portions, and I think I really need to focus on that IF I want to be a smaller size. That's a whole other story.

[carrot_flowers]

I'm with you on the guacamole, Dave! Greek yogurt was a main staple of my old diet, but unfortunately, I always mixed my yogurt with fruit and nuts for breakfast or lunch, which meant I wasn't getting enough veggies at those meals. Sounds great as a post WO snack, though. With some pumpkin puree and cinnamon! Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

Have you every had coconut milk yogurt? I haven't, but I'd love to try it.

[GFChris]

I think my plan for day 31 is to mostly continue on but add back limited dairy first.  I intend on following reintroduction properly (from what I gather, it seems to be 3 days for each - sugar, dairy, legumes, grains and I have no problem with that). 

 

Just to clarify on reintro: it's not 3 days consuming each eliminated food. For example,  on day 1 you have dairy at every meal.  Then for the next two days, you remove dairy again and go back to 100% Whole30 compliance, to see if you have any delayed reactions. On day 4 you have gluten at every meal, then the next two days, remove gluten again with 100% Whole30 compliance and so on. You don't bring back any reintroduced items again until you're done with the reintroduction process.  You can reintroduce whatever you choose, with the idea that you reintro foods you're either curious about or would like to eat again at some point in the future.

Per Melissa, sugar doesn't require its own reintroduction. Details here: http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/11298-day-31-re-intro-email-sugar-not-listed/#entry115489

 

[carrot_flowers]

@GFChris Thanks for posting. It's been almost two months since I read "It Starts with Food" and I definitely had forgotten the reinto process. It seems like journaling during the reintroduction is more important than any other time.

[GFChris]

@GFChris Thanks for posting. It's been almost two months since I read "It Starts with Food" and I definitely had forgotten the reinto process. It seems like journaling during the reintroduction is more important than any other time.

 

You're welcome, Christie.

Yes, for the foods you're curious about or would like to eat again, I agree that it's important to do a controlled reintro, so it's crystal clear and unambiguous how certain foods impact you. 

[daveloper80]

ah! I understand, thank you for the clarification! I really appreciate it.

 

@carrot_flowers - tried to make a curry sauce with coconut milk yesterday... it was a disaster.  I made a mistake, I think I was supposed to use curry powder but I bought a curry blend.  I added salt as per the recipe and I added the curry blend that also had sauce.  it was inedible!!!

[Barb E]

cortner1195v - If they weren't taking me to this resturant I'd stay completely Whole30 but I've been dieing to try this place

http://thecountrycat.net/menus/#menu

 

I think I'm going to have the "Whole Hog"

The Country Cat's Whole Hog
with Brined & Grilled Loin, Roasted Belly & Braised Shoulder

 

Which I saw on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and looked so good!!

 

I'm not going to go too far off track and it may be just that one evening - I've not heard from anyone else about any plans

 

Although this looks might good....

Barbeque Duck Leg 
on a Smoky Bacon, Wild Mushroom, Sweet Corn, & Blackberry Succotash

 

 

I need to stop

 

 

I had a kick butt morning at the CrossFit Box - I'm feeling a bit like a Gorilla this morning! 

 

Happy Day 19 or what ever day you all happen to be on!!

[Barb E]

Very interesting - I wonder if some of this has to do with the fact you work out in the evening.

I work out really early in the morning and before I strated the Whole30 and really paying attention to when I had some Post WO food I would be ravenous about an hour-an hour and a half after my work out and all I wanted was protein and a lot of it - and I wanted that protein to be meat!!

 

I don't remember what type of work outs you do, I do CrossFit so I also wonder if lifting has something to do with that protein in the form of meat craving

  A plain greek yogurt, even mixed with sweet potato or squash puree sounds FAR more appealing to me than a piece of chicken or the applegate farms roast beef.

[MELYMOM]

I need some encouragement right now

 

I have been 100% compliant, day 17 for me.  I sliced my thumb and had to get stitches, and of course they weighed me.  It showed increase in weight.  When I got home I reweighed, yup, shows a 1 pound increase.  Should I cut back on the fats, should I not eat sweet potatoes?  This may be silly but it almost brings tears.  Any advice would be appreciated

 

yesterday meals

2 eggs  and broccoli,cooked with coconut butter

coffee with 2 T coconut milk

 

Egg salad,made with homemade paleo mayo, pepper, onions, paleo pickle celery, handful almonds

 

adelle chicken sausage lots of green beans

[Barb E]

Melymom - My suggestion, for what it is worth, is try to accept what the scale said and keep on as you're doing. 

 

I think for many of us (and I'm at the head of that line) we need to think of this as a change to our health and not a way to change what the numbers on the scale say.

 

Eat Whole

Move

Sleep Well

Reduce Stress

 

Weight loss is the icing on the cake - Oooh bad choice of words!!

 

I am going to go see if I can find my journal entry where I talked about changing my life this year - I'll post it when I find it.  Perhaps you'll find it helpful.

[SharynF]

I agree with ignoring what the scales say. Why did they weigh you to stitch your thumb? Sounds bizarre from a UK standpoint! I do hope it's not too painful. I hate the throbbing you get with a injury like that. 

 

Stay strong

[daveloper80]

Very interesting - I wonder if some of this has to do with the fact you work out in the evening.

 

I think it has EVERYTHING to do with working out in the evening

I am squeezing in dinner, workout, po-wo meal in the span of....3 hours?

 

In a perfect world, I would have a smaller dinner but I have breakfast at 830, lunch at 1 (and I try to eat REALLY slow to stretch it out until 2) and then have dinner pretty close to 7.. so I'm pretty hungry by the time dinner rolls around.

 

On the weekend when I do my run/bike/run I usually have breakfast and go and by the time I get back I am plenty hungry for some protein.

[Barb E]

Ok, I found the entry.

A few things have changed as to what type of exercise I am actually doing - but I stick by the core message to myself that morning.

Values driven

 

2013
Tuesday, February 5
7:54 AM

I'm 30-50 pounds overweight (Depending on who you ask) and I'm taking a whole new approach to all of this.

I found a couple of my values - and it's simple - I value health and energy and I value caring for my body

Now it was hard to drill down to that and wipe out the "slush" in the way:
Be Skinny
Be RA Pain Free
Be Fit
Etc

But when I really think about it, I simply want to live a healthier life and care for my body.

So my journey now isn't about losing weight, it's about those two values.

When I'm faced with the desire for a Egg McMuffin/Etc I try to remember to ask myself if eating a EM would be in service to my values and make the decision from there. Am I always successful?
Nope - sometimes the space between stimulus and response is too small for me to get my toe in
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. "
~Viktor E Frankl

And I then have the job of trying not to beat myself up about that EM (Man I miss EMs) and moving on to the next committed action that moves me in the direction of my values.

"Committed Action without values is meaningless
and
Values without committed action are empty"
~Doc

I can't tell you how often I have said to people over the last couple of weeks, "it's not about my weight, it's about my health and getting moving again" it seems a lot of people want to make it about my weight, but I know from my past, making it about my weight is setting me up to fail. The scale doesn't move in the direction I want or fast enough? Make myself feel better with a butt load of chocolate. I don't get into those other jeans quickly enough? Make myself feel better with an EM. You get the picture.

Now I'm a smart woman and I know that as I change the way I eat and move more, I'm liable to lose weight - but that's the bonus.

The Value - Health and Energy
The Committed Actions - Move away from junk and processed foods and towards Primal/Paleo, C25k and Strength exercise (amongst others)
The Goal - a 5k
The Bonus - Perhaps I'll lose a pound or two

I know, believe me I know, that all the outside pressures and stress only make this so much harder for us!

A very wise man once told me: "Barb, what you have going on is hard, really hard. Instead of looking at others and beating yourself up about whining when you have it easy in comparison, tell yourself that you're glad you're not them, but yeah, your stuff is really hard"
~Doc

 

**End Journal**

 

Wow - I havne't reread that since probably March - it was helpful especially this quote:

"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. "
~Viktor E Frankl

[cortner1195]

Day21 is looking beautiful in Las Vegas. The weather is looking perfect for the 10k this afternoon. And, I have the whole day to myself here. I hit Whole Foods yesterday and will have to go back this afternoon to get workout food, dinner, and lunch for tomorrow.

Was pretty tempted by alcohol. Everywhere you turn in Vegas. They opened three bottles of wine in ohr hotel room for dinner last night. But I got through it with good strength. Should probably stay away from the M&M store though. If you have never been to vegas that is a three story candy and gift store all about m&m's. Cool store to buy for the grandkids.

B Bacon from whole foods one egg, sweet potato hash browns, and salad with 1/2 avocadoand 2 strawberries.

L roast beef, salad, nuts

Pre workout 1/2 avocado, a meat

Post workout roast sweet potato and carrots, meat?

D may not be necessary as the race is at 6:30

[MELYMOM]

BARB E - Thansk for sharing, I love it, I really like the quotes you posted.

 

Sharyn F - I suppose they need your weight for medication calculations.  Thanks, I will appreciate the use of my thumb from now on

 

Myy reaction, dissapointment, thoughts of wanting to quit, the negative talk in my head made reevaluate and realize how much value on place on the scale.  This is a learning process.  I did some reading  of other posts, and that helped, including the one on Ride your own bike.  When you have placed value on something like that number all your life it will take time to change.  I have some tweaking I can do.  I have only exercised 4 days of this week, my job is sedentary.  I am going to up  my exercise a bit, cut out nuts, and add more veggies.  I do feel better doing the Whole 30, I am not craving sugar or carbs. There were a couple days this week where I was hungry in the afternoon,so willl add in a little more protein. I have abused  this body for 50 years, two weeks is not  going  to  make  a huge difference.  We are all different.  The fact that I am hypothyroid adds to that as well. And a lot can happen in the 12 days left!!!

 

Yesterdays meals

B  2 eggs, spinach peppers

L  tomatoes, paleo mayo, adelle sausage

D compliant chicken/steak fajita salad,with avocado and paleo mayo

 

Have a great day everyone!!

[MELYMOM]

Cortner, way to go passing up alcohol.  Good luck in your race, which one are you doing?  Have fun,

[drtracyb]

Just finishing Day 17.  I've done great so far and haven't had any cravings.  I find myself today for the first time wanting to "cheat".  It must be some sort of stress response because I'm working the graveyard shift, and I had a big container of chicken and sausage stew that I just finished the last bite of.  The second I finished the final bite, I had a sudden urge to go to the staff lounge where I know there are some chocolates.  It must be old habits, as I used to graze my way through my graveyard shifts.

 

No cheating for me!  I'm too close to the end.  I broke into the 150's today.  (Yes, I am allowing myself to get on the scale.  For me, luckily, it is a joyful occurrence, as I have been dropping weight steadily.)

[amberino21]

Just finishing Day 17. I've done great so far and haven't had any cravings. I find myself today for the first time wanting to "cheat". It must be some sort of stress response because I'm working the graveyard shift, and I had a big container of chicken and sausage stew that I just finished the last bite of. The second I finished the final bite, I had a sudden urge to go to the staff lounge where I know there are some chocolates. It must be old habits, as I used to graze my way through my graveyard shifts.

No cheating for me! I'm too close to the end. I broke into the 150's today. (Yes, I am allowing myself to get on the scale. For me, luckily, it is a joyful occurrence, as I have been dropping weight steadily.)

Well done resisting the urge to eat non-compliant food....if you can resist that temptation, is there a reason you can't resist the urge to get on the scale? Whether it's going down or not doesn't matter - what does that number really mean? The whole 30 isn't just about eating compliant food, it's about changing your association with food, and about your association with a number on the scale controlling how you feel.

What if the number wasn't moving....what if it was going up? That would change your whole mindset and approach to what you're doing.

You don't want to "cheat" yourself, so get off the scale for the last 13 days!!

[carrot_flowers]

I have to agree with everyone who is encouraging everyone else to step off the scale.

We place too much value on a number when what we should be looking at is the whole picture. I FEEL better when I'm eating clean, but an increase on the scale, for me, no matter how small, is enough to seriously discourage me to the point of giving up.

I'm boxing my scale up and I'm seriously doubtful that I'll even weigh myself on Day 31. I did measurements and took before photos, which are a much better indicator of progress anyway. I was just telling my dad yesterday that, several years ago, I stopped working out ... And lost five pounds that month. Obviously, I was losing muscle mass and gaining fat, but messed-up brain was celebratory.

We all should be celebrating the fact that we are rocking this thing, no matter numbers we see. We're nurturing ourselves to the utmost, in terms of diet.

So proud of all of us. Day 21!!!!

[MrsRobinson]

"An inanimate object that spends it's life lying on the floor next to your toilet should not be given the power to break your heart."

Best quote from the book I'm reading this week, called "the Paleo Coach". He talks a lot about how peak performance, not aesthetics, should be our focus. You may have seen those side by side photos on Facebook or elsewhere of the lady who is the same weight in both pictures but her body composition is completely different? This is the guy who took those photos. I'm thinking a lot about what he's saying. The idea of putting my scale away indefinitely scares me at this point because I'm still working on the first 100 pounds and even though I'm almost there I guess I still don't entirely trust myself or the process. The second hundred... I may put it away for a few months.