Reintros and Support

[Jomyke]

Several of us from the August group are wanting to have a group where we can continue to check in daily and talk about reintroducing other foods and also talk about weight loss....so here we go! Everyone is welcome to join in!

I have at least 45 more pounds to lose. I peeked at the scale this morning and I'm down 6 pounds. Just a few more days to go on my first whole30 and I am pleased with that. I know the number on the scale isn't that important compared to health. But for me I would just love to be able to shop at normal stores and look good in clothes again! I know from my past that I start to feel more confident when I can fit into a size 12. Right now I'm in 16s. Highest was 20 and I never want to get that big ever again. Of course I'd love to get below 12, but I don't want to set goals that are unrealistic.

[jmh]

I have done one whole 30 on June 22nd. I started a second one on Aug 1st but was only able to get up to 11 days before deciding to add in greek yogurt (long story on why). Since June 22nd I have lost 28lbs. I have a lot more to go. Would like to lose about 60 more. I eat clean pretty much most of the time. The only thing I added to my diet is greek yogurt and I do make some paleo bread kind of things once in a while but without any sweeteners. My goal is to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle. I have 3 kids 8, 3 and 18 months and have devoted all my time to them (and still do  ) but I am doing this for me because it is not only something I want, it is something I need. I want to be able to pull out my old clothes and put them on again! Shop for new ones too of course:)

 

Thanks for starting this!!

[sheba-kitty]

I am planning to continue paleo after this whole 30 and hope to improve my cholesterol and lose 40+ pounds. A size 12 sounds wonderful! I haven't worn that size in ages... Although I do still have a few of them gathering dust in my wardrobe. My whole30 ends sept 10.

[Eponina]

I started my Whole30 with 141,7kg. We will see Saturday how much I lost. I am going to continue eating paleo, but looking forward to butter, some sweet stuff (sometimes I like my coffee sweet), paleo bread and other treats once in a while (not every day!!!). I really hope I can improve my hormonal situation in a way, that I will be able to loose weight and maybe even get pregnant...

I have a long way to go. First goal would be less than 100kg, next around 75kg, then we will see. I have a long history of illnesses, including Hodgkin disease with chemo and radio therapy, including steroids, yay. On top, I have a condition called lipoedema, and I have psoriasis. Oh, and my thyroid is gone. So, there is a lot of work to do. Lets do it!

I'm happy we are in this together! Love that kind of support! Oh, and please ignore all my mistakes that I may make. I'm not a native speaker, I'm from Germany.

[Bojibelle]

Is there anyone out there as old as me?  I am 59, in menopause, very active, eat clean and have a dickens of a time losing weight.  I finish my Whole30 on August 30 plus a few days.  I didn't go off track but had to eat out and didn't feel very good after that so a few extra days were recommended. I haven't stepped on the scale yet but was able to buy a size 12 dress last weekend that I needed for a party.  I keep thinking it was mis-sized because every other dress I tried on was 14 or 16.  But my pants fit better too. We will see this weekend.

[SherryS75]

I started my whole30 on Aug 1 at 215.2lbs and size 16 pants. I haven't weighed myself yet but i should be down based on how my clothes are fitting. I'm definitely a person who's outlook is very influenced by the number on the scale so I'm going to weigh at the end of this for the stats but I'm going to work to focus more on my measurements than my weight. I started a couch to 5k program and joined a gym and I don't want to be discouraged if the scale doesn't move as much while I'm building muscle.

I'm considering extending my whole30 to 45 or 60. When I think of reintroduction there really isn't anything that I'm anxious to have. It would be nice to have bacon (I found nitrate free bacon but it had some sugar) and a smoothie (with whole30 compliant ingredients) but that's about it. If I don't extend it I'm definitely going to follow a paleo. Anyone else thinking of extending their whole30?

[KatieGirl]

I am In as well. I started my whole30 on Aug. 5th so I am done Sept. 3rd. I know I am down in weight but my clothes don't fit all too different. I can tell in my face and ankles! I am going to do the reintroduction phase to find out what really bothers me. I would like to keep a pretty clean lifestyle after this and would like to keep up with people too!

[Jomyke]

I'm considering extending my whole30 to 45 or 60. When I think of reintroduction there really isn't anything that I'm anxious to have. It would be nice to have bacon (I found nitrate free bacon but it had some sugar) and a smoothie (with whole30 compliant ingredients) but that's about it. If I don't extend it I'm definitely going to follow a paleo. Anyone else thinking of extending their whole30?

I'm thinking the same thing. For now I'd like to just add in bacon...organic and nitrate free. But otherwise I think I'll keep going as is for a while longer. I have saved a few recipes that have a little honey in them that I may have as a treat at some point, but I don't want to end up relying on that or having it hold me back from my goals.

I'm glad to see so many people here! I can relate to every comment so far!

[sueskarma]

I'm in on the reintroduction phase too!  If I fall out after all this I will be so mad at myself!  I want to lose another 10 pounds.  But it's more about being healthy right now.  I feel like the weight will just come off while I'm focusing on my health and whats good for my body!

 

I have lost a lot more than I thought I would, but it's been a while since I stepped on the scale.  I lost 18 pounds the first 3 weeks.  I don't think I have lost any more, but I'll check Saturday morning!

 

I feel so much better.  I like the food I'm eating.  Sometimes I get tired of being so strict but I know we can add a few more things in to make it a more livable everyday way to eat.  I'm looking forward to it, but just like when I started the whole30, I'm a bit scared I won't stick with it. 

 

Having a place to come and support each other will be a HUGE help

[Miriam]

I wanted to stop in and claim my seat in the group!  I'm almost to 30 days and I'm feeling the pressure to be perfect and not blow it, which are deadly to me.  Such a perfectionist, and its a disease!  I'm committed to being done with my Whole 30 this week no matter what.

 

I'm in my 50s and I have a lot of weight to lose; back on July 1st I was 250 at the doctors office.  I have lost about 15 pounds since then.  In July I just cut out wheat and sugar; started by whole 30 on August 1st.  I'm 5'3" tall, and the jury is out on how much I should really weigh.  The last time I was within my weight range for height was about 20 odd years ago and everyone thought I had lost too much weight. I'm looking for health improvements and I figure the weight loss will come along with  I have food and chemical sensitivities and asthma, and I'm sure I have leaky gut and all that.  

 

For me, making paleo part of my life but not trying to be perfect will be key to getting to where I want to be.  I need to find a way to do that without using it an excuse to off road; I don't know how this is going to work yet, but I am game to try.   In fact, I think its the only game in town.

 

I'm so glad that people want to stay in touch after the 30 days, I'm so enjoying reading all the different ways we are all doing the same thing! 

[SanguineAspect]

Hello! Thanks so much to Jomyke for creating this thread for us. 

 

Now, for the introduction: "Hi, my name is Kim and I'm a yo-yo dieter."

 

After the age of about 9, I was always a fat kid. In school, and especially in my mind. I'm 5'7" and was about 185 pounds through most of high school and college, though my weight fluctuated from 165 to 210 pretty regularly during that time. You see, I've been yo-yo dieting since age 14. Losing and re-gaining the same 30 pounds over and over and over again. 

A couple of years ago, I thought I'd finally gotten a handle on myself after two years of weekly therapy and a new-found appreciation for exercise. I think in spite of being mentally and physically more healthy, I really never repaired my relationship with food. So when, after 5 years in a mediocre relationship, I was single and on my own, I went CRAZY. I was out every night having drinks and dinner with various friends, exercise started to flag, and slowly I went from the lowest weight of my life (150 lbs) to where I was when I started my Whole 30 on August 1st: 223 pounds. That's more than I've ever weighed in my life. 

 

I was 223 pounds, my ulcerative colitis was flaring badly, my face was riddled with cystic acne, and I got periodic bouts of both iritis and eczema. I was a walking inflammatory disaster area. I had friends who had done Whole 30s before, and one who was in the midst of it when I decided I wanted to give it a try. If I could get my bodily inflammation down AND lose some weight, why not? My Whole 30 ended up doing so much more than that (and it did reduce the severity of ALL of those inflammatory issues): it repaired my relationship with FOOD. So, now that Day 30 is looming before me, I'm feeling ready for reintro. But more importantly, I'm prepared to live paleo for the rest of my life. I feel too damned good not to.

 

So THAT said, back on August 1st, I did measurements and weighed myself. I'll update in here as we go along (can't wait for the FINAL Whole 30 results on Friday. ):

 

August 1st - 

Weight: 223 pounds

 

Measurements:
Neck: 14.25"
Bicep: 14"

Forearm: 10.50"

Chest: 49"

Waist: 41"

Hips: 51"

Thigh: 29"

Calf: 16"

 

Pants Size - 16 

 

Whew. Alright! I'm so happy to be here with you folks, and look forward to commiserating with you as we go. I've got about 70-75 pounds I want to lose (from my August 1st weight), so I'm here for the long-haul! 

[Renee Lee]

Hey everybody,

 

Really happy to have you guys here and focused on improving your health, but I'd like to just remind folks that we really don't like using the scale to measure our progress. Here's a good article that talks about why:

 

http://whole9life.com/2012/03/5-reasons-to-break-up-with-your-scale/

 

We'd really like you all to focus on different measures of success rather than what the scale says.  Taking measurements are great! Just don't get sucked into pinning your self-worth on the number that evil box reported to you in the AM.

[Bojibelle]

I'm thinking the same thing. For now I'd like to just add in bacon...organic and nitrate free. But otherwise I think I'll keep going as is for a while longer. I have saved a few recipes that have a little honey in them that I may have as a treat at some point, but I don't want to end up relying on that or having it hold me back from my goals.

I'm glad to see so many people here! I can relate to every comment so far!

Good luck with the bacon.  I learned through the Whole30 that bacon is my crack. I could eat a whole pound in 2 days.  I will have to very careful with bacon or I will go back to that bad behavior.  I have learned that it is a condiment not a protein in a meal.  What I want is more fruit.  And possibley some rice for Asian food.

[Bojibelle]

Hey everybody,

 

Really happy to have you guys here and focused on improving your health, but I'd like to just remind folks that we really don't like using the scale to measure our progress. Here's a good article that talks about why:

 

http://whole9life.com/2012/03/5-reasons-to-break-up-with-your-scale/

 

We'd really like you all to focus on different measures of success rather than what the scale says.  Taking measurements are great! Just don't get sucked into pinning your self-worth on the number that evil box reported to you in the AM.

I am just so excited that I am not hungry between meals.  I can't remember when that was last a true fact in my life. Woo Hoo!

[Bojibelle]

I wanted to stop in and claim my seat in the group!  I'm almost to 30 days and I'm feeling the pressure to be perfect and not blow it, which are deadly to me.  Such a perfectionist, and its a disease!  I'm committed to being done with my Whole 30 this week no matter what.

 

I'm in my 50s and I have a lot of weight to lose; back on July 1st I was 250 at the doctors office.  I have lost about 15 pounds since then.  In July I just cut out wheat and sugar; started by whole 30 on August 1st.  I'm 5'3" tall, and the jury is out on how much I should really weigh.  The last time I was within my weight range for height was about 20 odd years ago and everyone thought I had lost too much weight. I'm looking for health improvements and I figure the weight loss will come along with  I have food and chemical sensitivities and asthma, and I'm sure I have leaky gut and all that.  

 

For me, making paleo part of my life but not trying to be perfect will be key to getting to where I want to be.  I need to find a way to do that without using it an excuse to off road; I don't know how this is going to work yet, but I am game to try.   In fact, I think its the only game in town.

 

I'm so glad that people want to stay in touch after the 30 days, I'm so enjoying reading all the different ways we are all doing the same thing! 

I am glad to see someone else in their 50's.  I think there are different challenges than for those who are not there yet.

[SanguineAspect]

Hey everybody,

 

Really happy to have you guys here and focused on improving your health, but I'd like to just remind folks that we really don't like using the scale to measure our progress. Here's a good article that talks about why:

 

http://whole9life.com/2012/03/5-reasons-to-break-up-with-your-scale/

 

We'd really like you all to focus on different measures of success rather than what the scale says.  Taking measurements are great! Just don't get sucked into pinning your self-worth on the number that evil box reported to you in the AM.

 

So true; self worth should not = whether the number blinking up at you from your scale isn't what you were expecting. 

 

Though whether we call the thread weight loss, fat loss, I think it's the same sentiment. Semantics aside, I think we've all got the message that the scale isn't the best--or only--measure of health. If it would be less antithetical to call the thread "Reintros and Fat Loss" or "Reintros and Health Gain" or something, I think no one here would be opposed.

 

For me, using the scale in conjunction with measurements, how my clothes fit, and how I look, will help me figure out when I'm at a healthy place. I like having the variety to help me measure my progress, and feel like the scale matters way less to me when I'm closer to a size I'm happy with.

[Mj Slazak Courchesne]

Hi, all! I love the idea of having another forum to check in on post-Whole 30. I am currently at day 29, and intend to keep fairly strict Paleo after this Whole 30 (my exceptions will likely be the occasional glass of red wine and perhaps some cheese now and then, but I will be testing the latter this time as I didn't really do a solid reintro the first time I went through). I have really zero desire to bring wheat/gluten/grains back into my diet. In fact, I noticed yesterday when going to a Mexican restaurant for lunch with a neighbor that I didn't even WANT the tortilla chips set in front of us. I only wanted the salsa fresca... and dumped that on my not-on-the-menu taco salad (just the beef carnitas, lettuce, tomatoes, and Mexican style cole slaw, yum!). 

 

Like a bunch of you, I'd love to see the scale go down, but am most interested in the measurements I took a while back. I already know that my clothes fit WAY better, my moods are stable and I'm generally happy, and I am VERY curious about where my body fat % is now. After 40 years on the SAD diet, it's very difficult to remove my focus from what the scale says, but I'm working on it. I'll definitely post and let you know what my measurements say!!

 

I'm also intent on keeping as clean as possible because I will be going to an Endocrinologist in a few weeks. I have always suspected that I suffer at least in part from hypothyroidism (several relatives and friends I grew up with have had the same condition, so I come from a "pod" of this condition if you will), and as my last blood tests show me in the higher range for some of those levels, I think this way of eating will help my body re-balance. From everything I read, I know I may need to make even a few more tweaks, but I will wait to see what the good doctor tells me.

 

In reply to a few of you: 

@Eponina: Your English is very good, and I'm excited for you to find out how eating cleanly can help the multiple issues you are dealing with! Here's to good health!

 

@Jomyke & @ Bojibelle: Have you tried US Wellness Meats' bacon? It's Whole 30 approved and AWESOME! The only downside is the need to order 7# of whatever (not just bacon, unless you want that much!!) to get the shipping free, but there's no going back for my family. Grassfed, sugar free and nitrite/nitrate free = yummy!

[Eponina]

Hey everybody,

 

Really happy to have you guys here and focused on improving your health, but I'd like to just remind folks that we really don't like using the scale to measure our progress. Here's a good article that talks about why:

 

http://whole9life.com/2012/03/5-reasons-to-break-up-with-your-scale/

 

We'd really like you all to focus on different measures of success rather than what the scale says.  Taking measurements are great! Just don't get sucked into pinning your self-worth on the number that evil box reported to you in the AM.

I understand what you want to say. Thanks for the hint.

For me the thing is that

A) I do understand there are some things that can influence my weight except my diet. Usually I can see and feel it in my legs ( oedema getting worse), or I know my period is due, for example.

my weight and my health are very much connected. I am in an area weight-wise, where you cannot be healthy without loosing weight.

On the other hand I wasn't able to loose weight for a long time, because I wasn't healthy enough.

Believe me, my self-worth is not connected to a number. But I do need those numbers to see if I'm going the right direction. Because in my weight-heights I cannot really tell by looking in the mirror... I do take measurements, but I also step on the scale.

Maybe we can change this threat into "reintro and smaller numbers in measurements"

Anyway, my first goal is improving my health in order to loose weight. And then to loose more weight in order to improve my health even more.

[lexes42]

I would go further and say keep all numbers out of it - weight, measurements - dress sizes.  That's not to say you can't say 'woo-hoo!' on the forum once in a while when you zip up a dress, get a nice compliment from someone you haven't seen in years or get weighed at the doctor office.

 

But here's why I don't think numbers mean much in this forum (no pun intended)

 

• If you don't reach some numerical goal, you have not let me (your fellow poster) down... nor will I lose sleep if you disappear from the forum altogether. I will 'hope' you didn't get trapped in the sugar dragon's lair... but that's the extent of it.  The forums are good for support and questions.. you and your doctor can track your numbers.  If I say I'm freaked out about my cholesteroal a story about how yours came down from x to y might be helpful however!

 

• No question that some of us must lose weight or we will die younger then necessary and uncomfortably. Some people may have to lose weight to be able to have life changing surgery.... but to track those numbers here is a little bit too weight watchers ish for me.  

 

• Pain is relative.  Someone who is trying to get from a size 6 to a size 2 will stress me out.  Even if they are tiny.  Equally someone who must lose 25 pounds to get out of the 300's probably doesn't have much time for my complaining about my tight size 12s either... especially if the doctor says transplant surgery can't happen until they lose weight.

 

Support in terms of the reintroductions and staying on the paleo path is great.  It's a brand new world for me and I need suggestions, recommendatoins, cautions and 'oh yeah, that happenned to me too'... but how bout we keep to a whole 9 checklist instead:

 

Posting feelings / teaching moments  based on how your body is responding to the questions below would be helpful to me....

 

Eat / Sleep / Play

 

1.  Eat:  Did I eat to the template today and stay hydrated?

2.  Eat:  Did I learn anything from intentionally off roading or reintro-ing a food or is there a new, weird thing happening.

3.  Sleep:  Did I sleep a minimum of 8 hours last night?

4.  Play: Did I try a new stress relieving technique (or employ one that didn't include food / alcohol)

5.  Play: Did I take every opportunity to be naturally active - walking and playing and / or did I meet other activity exercise goals?  How is my body responding to that?

 

I think these are the things to focus on in long term support.

[SheilaK]

@lexes42

 

I like your use of the word "off roading".  That is how I have felt the past few days.  I was going so strong for 24 days.  The best I have felt in ages and thought I had all demons and dragons pretty tamed.  Then that time of the month hit.  At first I didn't know what hit me.  I woke up feeling weak and mentally un-alert.  All tasks, even food, seemed so overwhelming.  The old tapes of "I'm never going to do this" or "what's the use of even trying" were back.  What the heck??  And then my period started.   Ah ha!  Hormones!  I am starting to see how my hormones trip me up and keep me feeling down.  Once I eat something "bad" I feel awful and give up.  Each "bad" day just feeds into another and even when the hormone surge is gone, I still make poor choices, becuase I've failed (or so my brain tells me). 

 

But what if this time I stop the pattern.  So what if I have a not so clean day or two? What if I say, "okay, darn you hormones, you might trip me up a day or two, but no more than that!  I can continue to rule the other 28 days!"  

 

Well, it has been an eye opener, and I'm so glad I'm seeing the triggers.  So even if I wasn't 'perfect' for a few days, I feel so empowered with my new knowlegde and I'm gonna keep rockin' this paleo thing!  I'm not going back to my old ways!

 

Have a great day all!

[Eponina]

I agree this should not be a "weight watchers" weekly weigh in. I would also prefer to tell about my improvements in health, and my struggles in eating right every day. Maybe I couldn't make myself clear....

But whenever I am crossing some "big" line, I certainly will blurt it out here.m;)

[Bojibelle]

I would go further and say keep all numbers out of it - weight, measurements - dress sizes.  That's not to say you can't say 'woo-hoo!' on the forum once in a while when you zip up a dress, get a nice compliment from someone you haven't seen in years or get weighed at the doctor office.

 

But here's why I don't think numbers mean much in this forum (no pun intended)

 

• If you don't reach some numerical goal, you have not let me (your fellow poster) down... nor will I lose sleep if you disappear from the forum altogether. I will 'hope' you didn't get trapped in the sugar dragon's lair... but that's the extent of it.  The forums are good for support and questions.. you and your doctor can track your numbers.  If I say I'm freaked out about my cholesteroal a story about how yours came down from x to y might be helpful however!

 

• No question that some of us must lose weight or we will die younger then necessary and uncomfortably. Some people may have to lose weight to be able to have life changing surgery.... but to track those numbers here is a little bit too weight watchers ish for me.  

 

• Pain is relative.  Someone who is trying to get from a size 6 to a size 2 will stress me out.  Even if they are tiny.  Equally someone who must lose 25 pounds to get out of the 300's probably doesn't have much time for my complaining about my tight size 12s either... especially if the doctor says transplant surgery can't happen until they lose weight.

 

Support in terms of the reintroductions and staying on the paleo path is great.  It's a brand new world for me and I need suggestions, recommendatoins, cautions and 'oh yeah, that happenned to me too'... but how bout we keep to a whole 9 checklist instead:

 

Posting feelings / teaching moments  based on how your body is responding to the questions below would be helpful to me....

 

Eat / Sleep / Play

 

1.  Eat:  Did I eat to the template today and stay hydrated?

2.  Eat:  Did I learn anything from intentionally off roading or reintro-ing a food or is there a new, weird thing happening.

3.  Sleep:  Did I sleep a minimum of 8 hours last night?

4.  Play: Did I try a new stress relieving technique (or employ one that didn't include food / alcohol)

5.  Play: Did I take every opportunity to be naturally active - walking and playing and / or did I meet other activity exercise goals?  How is my body responding to that?

 

I think these are the things to focus on in long term support.

 

Lexes42 - I like your thoughts about weight loss.  In the long run it is really about our health isn't it?  I know that I have other areas that I struggle with related to the Whole9 and now that I have worked on the sugar demon (that fight will never end I fear), I will focus on the others.  My biggest challenge is getting 7 let alone 8 hours of sleep.  I have sleep apnea and am being treated for it but it is a tough process. I know that if I can figure that one out, I will have much better health, less stress and probably less weight too!

[Bojibelle]

So yesterday - Day 28 - I am still going strong. Our Make-a-Wish Kickball Team is having a bake sale for a fundraiser and they asked me to bring my world famous Molasses Crinkles cookies. I agreed knowing that I would not indulge. I didn't indulge at all. When I made the dough, I didn't taste test. When I made the cookies, I didn't taste test. In fact I asked someone to taste them for me and they said they were just fine. The wierd thing is that to make the cookies you have to roll the dough in a ball and roll them in sugar before you put them on the cookie sheet. I swear that my joints ached last night and I had the worst night of sleep in a long time. Is it possible that the sugar made it's way into my body through my hands? Has anyone else experienced anythng like this? I am just a bit whacked thinking this could have happened? Have I messed with my successful completion of Whole30 at day 28? I am feeling better this morning but I can guarantee you that the last thing I add in will be sugar if ever.

[GFChris]

So yesterday - Day 28 - I am still going strong. Our Make-a-Wish Kickball Team is having a bake sale for a fundraiser and they asked me to bring my world famous Molasses Crinkles cookies. I agreed knowing that I would not indulge. I didn't indulge at all. When I made the dough, I didn't taste test. When I made the cookies, I didn't taste test. In fact I asked someone to taste them for me and they said they were just fine. The wierd thing is that to make the cookies you have to roll the dough in a ball and roll them in sugar before you put them on the cookie sheet. I swear that my joints ached last night and I had the worst night of sleep in a long time. Is it possible that the sugar made it's way into my body through my hands? Has anyone else experienced anythng like this? I am just a bit whacked thinking this could have happened? Have I messed with my successful completion of Whole30 at day 28? I am feeling better this morning but I can guarantee you that the last thing I add in will be sugar if ever.

As long as you didn't put any sugar in your mouth, you're fine from a Whole30 perspective.

[amberino21]

So yesterday - Day 28 - I am still going strong. Our Make-a-Wish Kickball Team is having a bake sale for a fundraiser and they asked me to bring my world famous Molasses Crinkles cookies. I agreed knowing that I would not indulge. I didn't indulge at all. When I made the dough, I didn't taste test. When I made the cookies, I didn't taste test. In fact I asked someone to taste them for me and they said they were just fine. The wierd thing is that to make the cookies you have to roll the dough in a ball and roll them in sugar before you put them on the cookie sheet. I swear that my joints ached last night and I had the worst night of sleep in a long time. Is it possible that the sugar made it's way into my body through my hands? Has anyone else experienced anythng like this? I am just a bit whacked thinking this could have happened? Have I messed with my successful completion of Whole30 at day 28? I am feeling better this morning but I can guarantee you that the last thing I add in will be sugar if ever.

I had to make a lot of sugar filled cupcakes and cake on a couple of occasions last year after not really eating that stuff for ages. The smell of the sugar in the cake and the icing made me feel ill - I got the worst headache and was kind of spaced out! I don't know if it effected sleep or joints like you mentioned but being surrounded by that much sugar made me feel terrible!