Day 1, August 26

[mscarla]

This is the first time I have ever done anything like join a forum, but this is all about doing what i'm told to do, since my way has never worked for long. So hello!! I've been eating in the Primal style for about 3 years, since I joined a Crossfit style exercise group at work. I can never make it past a month or two, and that's if it's a challenge, without going off. I am a sugar addict, as well as other carbs, but if I want to avoid diabetes, I need to commit and be a person who eats in a primal way, not a dabbler. My challenge is eating enough veggies, and today my dinner plate was half veggies, not bad! In 30 days I will turn 65, and I want the last chapter of my life to be the best... and long!!!

 

[sallyarchi]

yea you!!!  i am also "older" than most here and loved your post that you wanted the last chapter of your life to be the best.  i started the whole30 with a friend/coworker (33 yrs) on august 20th.  our challenge was/is giving up our wine.  we are on day 8.  i used to be a sugar addict and decided to apply the same determination to my wine that i did to giving up sugar.  you can do this!!!  not easy but so worth it. i am sleeping better and see an improvement in my skin and have lost the five pounds i have wanted to lose for a year.  get creative in cooking those veggies.  it is a life saver.  follow all the great blogs and websites for cooking paleo.  you can do this!

[mscarla]

Hi Sally, thanks for responding to my post and for the encouragement. I had to laugh at you using the same determination to get off wine as you did with sugar. I have the opposite situation. I got off wine 30 years ago, but sugar... much harder for me. I haven't had the time to read thru many of the forum posts, but I know most are younger. I got into a lot of blogs and podcasts this summer, specifically Abel James and a Dave at paleohacks. I love the interviews, and learn interesting things, and these guys and gals are all babies! I've been dealing with weight issues most of my life, as did my mother who died at 59 from diabetes. I've been following Mark Sisson for a couple of years, and have millions of good looking recipes, but I do tend to make the same easy things over and over. Creativity with vegetables is up next. Good for you, today must be day 9 for you. Have you ever done this before? 

[sallyarchi]

mscarla, No, I have not done a Whole30 before.  My son in law competes for Crossfit and lost about 60 pounds doing the Whole30 and adopting this life style.  He is my inspiration.  I am a strength trainer and we do 20 minute high intensity protocol.  I have been basically paleo for a few years in a 80/20% mode having given up sugar and carbs about three years ago.  My coworker and I help people with nutrition as part of our workout, but I believe that the Whole30 could be the answer for many who just cannot get a grip on eating right and keeping it off.  So we are walking the walk and doing the Whole30.  Neither one of us really struggle with the weight but know that our wine is other's sugar so we want to live this.  Each night I want a glass, but am so glad in the morning that I did not cave.  We both are lacking in energy but I have come to realize I need to eat more low glycemic carbs.  Eat sweet potatoes!  When I have helped people in the past lose weight, I have come to realize the key is learning to cook veggies in fun and different ways.  What day did you start?

Yes, I am on day 9.  Whewww!

[mscarla]

I started on Monday the 26th so I am finishing day 3. Today I was super tired, not so much from the food, although I shouldn't pooh pooh that, but because yesterday I re-joined my crossfit group after a month off. We have this small group at work that has been working out together for 3 1/2 years. Our leader is a level one crossfit trainer, but since we work out in the parking garage of our building, we don't have all the equipment that a regular group does. We have kettle bells, battling rope, other stuff, but we mostly do body weight workouts. It sounds like what you do is similar, HIIT. Getting it done at lunch at work makes it so easy to keep at it, it's harder to make excuses.But it's a County Office of Education, so I just had a month of summer vacation, and got offtrack. I am SORE today, I am walking like Frankenstein, and tomorrow will be worse! But I love it!

It is so cool that you are doing this both for your own reasons and as walking the walk for your clients. Your son in law is very inspirational! Does your daughter also do crossfit? I'd be curious what part of the country you live in. I am in Santa Cruz where Crossfit was born, and I remember what a big controversy it was for years. That Greg Glassman sure has the last laugh!

Keep up the good work Sally! Giving up a glass of wine is quite an accomplishment.  I'm onto day 4 tomorrow, yeah!

[sallyarchi]

Hey,

I am in Denver and my SIL is in St. Louis.  They go to TNT Crossfit and yes, my daughter is trying to get there once a week now as she is 7 months prego.  A little tough in SL as the gym has no air conditioning.  I will send you my SIL's bio sometime.  Let's exchange emails.  I would be curious to hear more about YOUR wine journey if you were willing to share.  Honestly, the food part is pretty easy as I have been basically paleo for a while.  In regards to tired.....I was so tired day 3-4 until yesterday.  If you read the blogs, they talk about "Tiger Blood" beginning the third week. One remedy to being tired is make sure you are getting your low glycemic carbs (Sweet potatoes, squash, etc) and good fats...ie avocado at every meal.  Yesterday was the first day I felt my energy return. although not "Tiger Blood" yet. For a week, I was EXHAUSTED.  I did not really get why as my diet was so close to the Whole30, but I guess that 20% cheat made a difference.   Today I feel GREAT and am now on Day 11.  my email is [email protected].  Let's flip over to email if that works for you.  You go!!!! 

We will do this!

Sally