Whole30 September 1 2013

[alexasaurusrex]

Oh gosh @awg sounds like you had a rough day, but I'm glad you stuck it out! The tiger blood will come I promise! Just hang in there. 

 

@sdoucette I didn't know I had it till I tried, but I also don't have the night time baby struggles you have. Every time I think okay I'm ready to have kids, I end up doing an overnight babysitting gig and getting woken up multiple times a night or wicked early in the morning and I remember how much I like sleep. Moms are amazing!

[Marjan]

Oh gosh @awg sounds like you had a rough day, but I'm glad you stuck it out! The tiger blood will come I promise! Just hang in there. 

 

@sdoucette I didn't know I had it till I tried, but I also don't have the night time baby struggles you have. Every time I think okay I'm ready to have kids, I end up doing an overnight babysitting gig and getting woken up multiple times a night or wicked early in the morning and I remember how much I like sleep. Moms are amazing!

@alexasaurusrex when you have your own kids, it is so much easier. I love my sleep but cannot remember the last time I had a proper night sleep dictated by my own needs All good, wouldn't trade it for the world. They will all sleep through the night eventually!

[helen]

Feeling encouraged by all this tiger blood talk!  I came so close to quitting yesterday...I think I caught a case of the "Eff it all" that was going around the board a few days ago.  I was so over all the food prep and resulting clean-up and just generally overwhelmed with life. After taking both kids to the grocery (at the busiest time of the day) and dealing with tons of whining about who gets to drive the car cart, an emergency trip to the bathroom and then a full on meltdown by both as I waited in line behind a woman who was trying to pay with a gift card AND A CHECK!!!  (Not sure why that necessitated all caps but it just did - it was kind of my breaking point).  I then proceeded to buy a dinner of fast food for them and then refuse to go outside and play (because it's almost October and is still near triple digits and the mosquitoes love me like I love French fries) and then yelled at my 4 year old.  Mom of the Year! 

 

Anyway, I made it through - mostly because I didn't want to have to tell all of you that I didn't make it! 

 

@sdoucette - a day of movie watching solo sounds fabulous!  What would you watch?  On the very rare moments when I find I have an evening to myself (kids in bed - husband away), I get overwhelmed by the options on Netflix on Demand and usually spend the whole time scrolling through the different categories.  I, embarrassingly, inevitably end up going back to my old stand-by, Grey's Anatomy.  I'm trying to catch up from when I left off watching TV with any regularity (circa 2009 - coincidentally (?) when my son was born).  I think I'm 1/2 way through the 2011 season now.

 

Happy Thursday everyone!

Grocery shopping with little kids is the worst!  This is a good reminder for me to do it on the way home from work tonight even though I'm tired and late.  Good for hanging in there.  I had an experience like that once at Target where we had to get the stuff for girl scouts, the kids were over it and the woman in front of me was using coupons through her phone and kept losing her wifi or whatever connection and then proceeded to shut down her phone and restart it.  Wow.  I was counting numbers in my head to keep my zen by then.   And great for hanging in there.  It is coming.  Hang on.  

 

My TV suggestions:  HBO's 'Girls' and Netflix 'Orange is the New Black.'  I'm wanting something new.  The only shows I watch (I'm more of a podcast nerd) are Girls and Parenthood.  I need something new for the Fall.

[helen]

@alexasaurusrex when you have your own kids, it is so much easier. I love my sleep but cannot remember the last time I had a proper night sleep dictated by my own needs All good, wouldn't trade it for the world. They will all sleep through the night eventually!

My girls are 18 mos apart.  I tandem nursed (nursed both at same time) and we co-slept.  It wasn't until about a year ago that I finally really started sleeping decent and by then my hormones and nerves were shot.  But it was all worth it~~all so very worth it.    I feel like I'm still in sleep deprivation recovery though.  If I could change anything about those years it would have been to figure out how to sleep more.  I'm reading The Hormone Cure by Sara Gottfried and I definitely have hormonal issues (from the quizzes high cortisol).  And Gary Taubes also writes about fat being a hormone imbalance issue. 

[Angela Poliquin]

@marjan - thanks again for starting this board, and happy birthday!  I'm totally down with keeping this thread going after the 30.  I'd like to see how people are doing with their reintroductions (or continuing Whole).

 

I keep writing sentences and then deleting them. 

 

I just wanted to check in with everybody and join in the joy of tigah blood, and encourage those who haven't gotten high yet. (!!)  This is so totally better than a sleep debt buzz. 

 

I feel such affection for you guys!  

[sdoucette]

oh TV suggestions: Dexter...on the final season. Weeds. Both were on showtime. Kind of genre specific. Not sure if they are up your alley or not. Both have great casts and an awesome story line. And if you're into zombies there is always Walking Dead....

 

To all the mama's about sleep: I thought about some gentle form of sleep training and then I found a couple of sites (nurishable...I think...and evolutionary parenting). I read great articles about how natural cosleeping/bedsharing is and how common night waking is as well. So I've come to a place of acceptance. Most nights are okay with only 2 or 3 wakings, unless she is sick or cutting teeth then it can be an all nighter. Those are rough. Especially on work nights. Sadly I am not able to exclusively breastfeed (could only ever pump 10ml, both breast at a time on a good day...but that part is another story all together) So I'm up making small bottles 2-3 times a night as well. As soon as I try to wean one of the bubs, she gets sick and we start all over again.  Why am I saying all this...I don't know. To relate, I guess? This is where I struggle the most. I easily slept 8 straight hours before getting pregnant and wouldn't wake even to use the bathroom. So this is a huge shift for me. I finally think I'm getting used to it though and eating this way is certainly helping any fatigue I would have during the day.

 

@angela     

[raptah]

I have such respect for all of you who are trying to do this while parenting very young kids or infants.  It feels like yesterday for me but mine are 14 and 11 now, so I'm here to tell you, they DO eventually sleep through the night.  And half of the next day in my son's case!  But seriously, I remember those years, trying to juggle everything and fit in exercise and I was off and on so overwhelmed.  I wish I had known about clean eating/ paleo/ whole 30 back then.  You are giving yourselves (and indirectly your kids) such a gift by taking care of yourselves. 

 

Doing the W30 (both times) really cuts into my TV watching time because I'm tired and want to go to bed by 9:30 or 10:00 now.  I used to stay up until 11:30 or 12, watching shows, munching mindlessly and sipping wine, trying to unwind from the day.  Now I don't really need to unwind from the day.  I just feel good and tired and like I'm ready to go to bed so I can wake up and work out.

BUT, my husband and I do love a few drama series (read: night time soap operas) such as, Breaking Bad, Dexter, and Homeland.  And I've been known to binge-watch Madmen on Netflix.  Love Don Draper. Hate Don Draper. 

 

Ana  I would definitely pack some food no matter what but you could also call ahead to find out how/if they can accommodate you.

 

Tonight I made the stuffed peppers from Practical Paleo.  Excellent.  Next time I would double the recipe and keep them in the freezer to thaw for a quick meal.  I've made three recipes from that cookbook in the last week and they really are good, easy and well...practical. 

I'm a fan.

 

Night all.

[Mary Carmosino Beougher]

Well, I'm out. We got pizza tonight, but, being honest, I don' feel bad or disappointed or anything. We sat down and made a conscious decision and I'm good with that. 18 and a half days was longer than we made it last time and we're already planning another in January. Who knows? We may make it 30 days next time.

I also know that this decision is not going to derail me from changing to s healthier eating style. It's back to Whole30 eating tomorrow, even if I'm not on one. The breakfast I made myself this morning was so yummy I can't wait to eat it again.

[alexasaurusrex]

@helen, marjan, and sdoucette I am so excited to be a mom someday. I love little kids. Like actually enjoy them. I started babysitting at 13 and haven't stopped for 16 years. The boys I nanny now are like my little brothers and the kids I watch on the side are all really special to me. I think they are the coolest individuals on the planet. I swear I could watch that documentary Babies a few times a week and learn something new each time. I think I probably need a husband or boy first though haha and I'm going to law school next year (fingers crossed) so we'll see when all that begins. 

 

@angela we definitely need to keep this thread going. I write almost the same stuff on my blog but having a group to chat with is so much nicer! And you guys have been awesome!  

 

@mary don't worry! As long as you're okay with eating the pizza then I think the point of Whole 30 was achieved. 

 

Has anyone noticed their finger nails growing? I swear I've grown almost an inch of hair in the last three weeks and my nails are super long and strong. My hair usually grows fast but this is like double time. The boys' had their open houses at school so I took them to dinner while their parents went. We went to Chilis and I made my own meal. I had a burger, bacon, and guacamole with a side of sweet potato fries (cooked in veg oil but this was only the second time I went out to eat this whole time). It was awesome. Although I did get some funny stares from a few couples sitting beside us who had ordered salad smothered in cheese and dressing and thought they were having the healthier meal. Inside I was like "hahahaha little do you know eating fat is melting my fat!" 

[Mary Carmosino Beougher]

Alexa - being a mom is great. I'm constantly amazed at the stuff that comes out of my three year old's mouth. She even uses swear words in context! :/ Wouldn't trade her for the world.

I've noticed the hair thing too. I wear my hair up most of the time and I took it down the other day and was like, whoa-where did that come from? I work too much with my hands to notice my nails. They constantly break off while I'm doing my crafts and long nails get in the way of my crocheting anyway.

[alexasaurusrex]

@Mary I know it's naughty but little kids that swear has gotta be the funniest thing ever. When one of the boys was three we were in Target and I asked if he wanted a juice box and he responded "f***ing right I do!" Don't know where he heard that phrase from but I almost died. This eighty year old woman next to me started cracking up. 

 

This is the first time I've grown my fingernails out all summer. I go through three week cycles where I grow them and bite them off. They are usually so brittle and gross but now they are pretty strong and long and I have no desire to bite them. Actually, I'm keeping my fingers out of my mouth a lot more. 

[Angela Poliquin]

@alex - where are you going to law school?  This lifestyle makes one so sharp... you'll nail it.  If I had only known back in the day...

 

I am a total dork and still typing and erasing sentences.  

 

I've got a four year old with Down syndrome, and a senior in high school who is super busy and smart (one more out of the house is a Navy Corpsman), and I'm a busy appellate lawyer. Since the tiger blood kicked in, I actually feel like I'm able to fully function in my life!  

 

1.  Pain-gone.

2. Energy-high

3. Attention and memory better

4.  Mood - generally good.

 

When I was younger, I kicked my own ass a lot and always did more than was good for me.  In the past almost-two years, since my life was spared in a horrible car accident, I've been working hard at taking it easy.  So my life isn't that hard.  I don't have unrealistic expectations of myself on a daily basis.  Except I do.  But only in the sense that my best (post-accident) could only sometimes be as good as a-day-in-the-life used to be.  I've had to accept things like: my brain is only good for thinking hard four hours max.  Physical pain is the new normal.  I've (mostly) adapted to my limitations.

 

Here's the revelation:

 

Since Whole30, it appears that the limitations have lifted.  I can think hard all day and am not a blubbering idiot at the end of the day.  I am not distracted by constant pain.  I'm able to move and exercise.  I feel optimistic about my career again for the first time since I got squashed.  Seriously!

 

I was so desperate that I would have tried anything if it could ease my pain.  I did not expect to feel well, better was totally good enough.  I, for the past few days (knock on wood a hundred times), do not feel like I am pushing the goddamn boulder up hill all day every day as I keep up with my kids and try to take care of myself and salvage my career.  I am sitting at my desk at almost 7 pm, feeling as sharp as when I pulled up my chair this morning.

 

Now, I am going to get up from this chair, and go sit in a chair in a poker room!

[Angela Poliquin]

@Mary I know it's naughty but little kids that swear has gotta be the funniest thing ever. When one of the boys was three we were in Target and I asked if he wanted a juice box and he responded "f***ing right I do!" Don't know where he heard that phrase from but I almost died. This eighty year old woman next to me started cracking up. 

 

This is the first time I've grown my fingernails out all summer. I go through three week cycles where I grow them and bite them off. They are usually so brittle and gross but now they are pretty strong and long and I have no desire to bite them. Actually, I'm keeping my fingers out of my mouth a lot more. 

Alex: In school I was always saying that I pulled something out of my a$$ when I pulled off something at the last minute (you know how it goes).  When my daughter was 3, I asked her how she managed to do something, I can't remember what, and she responded with.. you know what.  

[awg828]

@alexasaurusrex when you have your own kids, it is so much easier. I love my sleep but cannot remember the last time I had a proper night sleep dictated by my own needs All good, wouldn't trade it for the world. They will all sleep through the night eventually!

Wait. Did Marjan just say when you have your kids, it is so much easier?  Yikes.  I'm not sure that is quite my experience.  Love my littles like crazy but sleep deprivation is sleep deprivation.

 

@Helen - tandem nursing and co-sleeping - you are hard core!  Impressive.

 

@sdoucette - I hope you get some rest.  It is so hard in those early months - whatever you're doing, you'd rather be sleeping.  With the sleep training, everyone has to decide what is best for their family.  I wouldn't throw out the idea completely - or feel guilty.  Exclusively BFing and co-sleeping work for some people, but not all people. If your exhaustion is having a negative impact on other aspects of your life (ie work, husband relationship, general well-being) maybe there is something that can be done that would help.  Babies need healthy, happy, rested mamas.  A lot of people I know have enjoyed Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth.  And, I know he has a bad reputation in attachment parenting circles, but Feber's book - Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems has some good info on sleep.  With both of mine, we did a very gradual cry it out method - maybe 2 - 3 minutes at a time - then going in and giving reassurance but not picking up.  It's pretty hard (and loud) but eventually, they learn to sleep without you having to intervene - and you get to sleep too

 

Today was rather blah - just feeling like I want to get through this and get back to my real life!  I know that's not the best attitude but it's what I'm feeling right now.  Tired of chopping, cooking, cleaning.  Tired of getting anxious when invited to go to a restaurant. 

 

The heat and cramps after eating were not nearly as bad today.  I may have some weird hormonal things going on.  I haven't had a normal cycle in over 2 years (pregnant, then miscarriage, then pregnant again soon after, then nursing - still nursing) so I may be a little out of whack.  Hopefully all improves and I reach the coveted tiger blood stage soon!

[helen]

 

 

@Helen - tandem nursing and co-sleeping - you are hard core!  Impressive.

 

The heat and cramps after eating were not nearly as bad today.  I may have some weird hormonal things going on.  I haven't had a normal cycle in over 2 years (pregnant, then miscarriage, then pregnant again soon after, then nursing - still nursing) so I may be a little out of whack.  Hopefully all improves and I reach the coveted tiger blood stage soon!

 

It wasn't really planned.  I got pregnant and my first daughter had a lot of ear infections and would only nurse a lot of the time so it just kind of evolved.  My husband got meningitis when my 2nd was only 10 days old and he had a stroke from it (long story, he is recovered, it was a long year) so the co-sleeping was more of me passing out from exhaustion in bed with the girls (he had to sleep every night 12 hours so he slept in another room in the house).  But I survived and my girls have been independent sleepers (well still crawl in at times) for the past 2 years, the oldest much longer (knock on wood).   You do what you have to do right?  Everyone you meet has their story and I suppose that is mine. 

 

But I really posted to say I'm really enjoying the Sara Gottfried hormone regulation book (she is on a lot of the Paleo podcasts).  Either way she is reinforcing a lot of what I know and have understood doing this a second time around.

 

One thing is I've really done this for weight loss and balancing my energy levels.  But this time I realize that I have to stick with this lifestyle because it is balancing my hormone and moods.  I mean my wallet got stolen and I barely freaked out (mostly just felt stupid for leaving it in the car to get stolen).  But I calmly just went through the process of canceling things and reordering things and let it roll of my back.  This is good.  And winter is so hard for me I need to keep my hormones/energy/sugar stable.

[helen]

@alex - where are you going to law school?  This lifestyle makes one so sharp... you'll nail it.  If I had only known back in the day...

 

I am a total dork and still typing and erasing sentences.  

 

I've got a four year old with Down syndrome, and a senior in high school who is super busy and smart (one more out of the house is a Navy Corpsman), and I'm a busy appellate lawyer. Since the tiger blood kicked in, I actually feel like I'm able to fully function in my life!  

 

1.  Pain-gone.

2. Energy-high

3. Attention and memory better

4.  Mood - generally good.

 

When I was younger, I kicked my own ass a lot and always did more than was good for me.  In the past almost-two years, since my life was spared in a horrible car accident, I've been working hard at taking it easy.  So my life isn't that hard.  I don't have unrealistic expectations of myself on a daily basis.  Except I do.  But only in the sense that my best (post-accident) could only sometimes be as good as a-day-in-the-life used to be.  I've had to accept things like: my brain is only good for thinking hard four hours max.  Physical pain is the new normal.  I've (mostly) adapted to my limitations.

 

Here's the revelation:

 

Since Whole30, it appears that the limitations have lifted.  I can think hard all day and am not a blubbering idiot at the end of the day.  I am not distracted by constant pain.  I'm able to move and exercise.  I feel optimistic about my career again for the first time since I got squashed.  Seriously!

 

I was so desperate that I would have tried anything if it could ease my pain.  I did not expect to feel well, better was totally good enough.  I, for the past few days (knock on wood a hundred times), do not feel like I am pushing the goddamn boulder up hill all day every day as I keep up with my kids and try to take care of myself and salvage my career.  I am sitting at my desk at almost 7 pm, feeling as sharp as when I pulled up my chair this morning.

 

Now, I am going to get up from this chair, and go sit in a chair in a poker room!

I don't just like this I LOVE everything about it!  Yay for you!  And ROCK ON! 

[Marjan]

Haha no I said it is easier when it's your own children rather than sitting somebody else's. ..context ladies, context

 

I am still going strong, but seem to have the flu symptoms today  .

But 'Tiger Blood' I am coming for ya, no matter when!!

 

I am not drinking coffee today to see if this helps my sleeping tonight. I might just not drink coffee for the rest of this Whole30. I need to know, don't I? Cannot quit this Whole30 without Tiger Blood surely...although the visions of Charlie Sheen are not good.....

[raptah]

Angela thanks for sharing that--i'm very impressed and happy for you.  I am not surprised though, as I experience a similar sort of fog-lifting myself and in July, during my first W30, I was so blown away by the physical and mental differences, I WAS practically shouting it from the rooftops.  I felt almost manic (there's the tiger blood) but only in the good way! 

 

I continue to feel good mentally but have had a dull headache for the last day or so.  And I've been kind of hungry.  This morning I thought "Duh, maybe I'm not eating enough?" I've never ever had this problem, but maybe in the last couple of days my body has just needed more for some reason?  I'm going to try to address it today by increasing my protein and fat at meals 1 and 2 and see if I can get the headache to go away.  Logical, right?  When did food/eating become a logical thing?

[alexasaurusrex]

@Angela that's awesome! I have no idea. I'm studying for the LSAT now to take in December. I definitely noticed I have less ADD (I don't actually have ADD I just get lazy - my siblings do though and it's awful). I can sit and study and not worry that I should be snacking or whatever. I also have less fear about sitting for the LSAT because I know that I won't be hungry. That was a huge anxiety of mine in undergrad and high school. I had a lot of tummy trouble in high school because I ate high fat/high sugar and got migraines or cramps and in college I ate similar but was always afraid my stomach would rumble in class. That to me was the biggest social anxiety. I actually took a social psychology course and never went save for test dates and had to sit down with the teacher and explain I generalized anxiety disorder. Not any more though, thank god. 

 

I think the tiger blood is being able to be awake all day. At least for me, it seems that I am able to wake up early, workout, go to work and study and be really present all day. I don't rely on coffee. I don't feel like I'm falling asleep or am yawning so much. And even until 830 I am awake. Then I start to get tired. 

 

Embarrassing story time. So last night I was looking for things to prep for my protein after the gym and I decided to hard boil some eggs. I put for eggs in a pot on low at 840. I sat on the couch and forgot about them. At 910 I was in bed falling asleep and starting to pack my day in my head and was like "I'll have eggs after the gym...OMG!!!!" and jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen. They were still on. Thank gd on low so they are still good. I did that in college once only with a waffle. I put them in the toaster in the morning and on the way home from school I was like ah I can't believe I survived class with just an apple and waffle in me and OMG I LEFT THE WAFFLES IN THE TOASTER! And I had put it on continual toast hahaha so when I got home they were charcoal. I touched them gently and they turned to ash. I kept imagining coming home to a burned down apartment.

[raptah]

Maybe you've discovered a new way to hardboil eggs?  Just leave them on low for 30 minutes!

[Marjan]

You were lucky there! Many years ago my mum had them explode....

[Angela Poliquin]

Angela thanks for sharing that--i'm very impressed and happy for you.  I am not surprised though, as I experience a similar sort of fog-lifting myself and in July, during my first W30, I was so blown away by the physical and mental differences, I WAS practically shouting it from the rooftops.  I felt almost manic (there's the tiger blood) but only in the good way! 

 

I continue to feel good mentally but have had a dull headache for the last day or so.  And I've been kind of hungry.  This morning I thought "Duh, maybe I'm not eating enough?" I've never ever had this problem, but maybe in the last couple of days my body has just needed more for some reason?  I'm going to try to address it today by increasing my protein and fat at meals 1 and 2 and see if I can get the headache to go away.  Logical, right?  When did food/eating become a logical thing?

Cclarkthirty - What a concept, right?! Eat more?!  That whole being able to trust what your healthy body is telling you.  Amazing!

 

So.... if I don't change anything, do I get to feel euphoric indefinitely?  Because talk about a pleasure reinforcement loop - this is a high worth chasing!  

 

 

Hey guys, I killed it at the poker table last night, too.  That's my true litmus test.  Before the accident, I was a respectable player.  Nine months after the accident, I'd look at my hole cards and then immediately forget what they were.  Couldn't pay attention for the course of a single hand.  It was devastating.  

 

Last night I noticed that I was noticing things without effort.  It might sound weird, but it feels like I can see and hear better.  I've constantly been asking people to repeat themselves... I hear the sound but can't process the words, is the best I can describe it.  I feel like Charlie in Flowers for Algernon! Suddenly, I'm immediately comprehending what I hear and see.

 

Grinding it out in poker for long hours takes untold mental endurance.  Those guys will go 10-12, even 24 hours at a time. I'm usually tired after a couple of hours.  Not yesterday.   I told DH, take me to Vegas with this Tiger Blood!  

 

This didn't happen until I added some sweet potato at every meal.  Is it magical?

[raptah]

I'll have what she's having! Gonna go make me a sweet potato.

[misshannah]

I feel like I just discovered a dangerous fact. My toaster oven at work makes PERFECT toasted coconut in like 2 or 3 min. It works way better than my oven at home! 

[helen]

I feel like I just discovered a dangerous fact. My toaster oven at work makes PERFECT toasted coconut in like 2 or 3 min. It works way better than my oven at home! 

 

Are you just cutting up coconuts?  Toasted coconut sounds great.   I had a sweet potato today.  I am so happy about that.  Happy Friday y'all !  I only slept 6.5 hours last night (I need 8) but energy good.