Whole30 September 1 2013

[alexasaurusrex]

On the embarrassing story train I think I broke my ring (?) toe today...I walked into the base of a lawn mower. I didn't realize it was so hurt for a few hours. I looked down and it's blue. Lovely. Let's add another thing to hurdle over. I had plantains today! Does that count as a magical starch? I went to trader joes to get food for the week. I got everything I needed for less than $60 but that didn't include meat as I have enough for the week. I also looked for coconut milk. At the regular grocery store it's $3.50 a can, at TJs it's only $1.50. They didn't have it! I was so pissed. I picked up three cans of coconut cream but when I got home I looked it up and saw that there were all these additives in it. I found a strand on the forum that said that one of the additives is used in laundry detergent and toothpaste. Disgusting. So I'm going to be returning those and forking over the $7 for 2 cans of coconut milk from the grocery store then I'll order some online from now on. I'm glad I'm getting used to reading the labels so I can keep an eye out for these things. 

[misshannah]

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. 

 

Nah, just using the coconut flakes that come in a bag. Here's a link to the kind I buy, but I get them at whole foods. http://www.iherb.com/Edward-Sons-Organic-Coconut-Flakes-Unsweetened-7-oz-200-g/32715

 

You just spread them out an toast them til they're light brown and then put some salt. But watch out...if you're like me and salty/crunchy = food without brakes, then don't even start down the path!

[helen]

Yea, probably would be food without brakes for me too.  I like the coconut flakes plain so better not to make me like them more.  LOL.

 

So my week:  husband out of town, stolen wallet, sinus infection (prednisone + antibiotics), two long lab days, and now maybe...the kids might have LICE.  Waiting for husband to come home and help me confirm (or not confirm).   Surprisingly calm about all this.  Normally I would be really anxious or freaking out but I seem to be very steady emotionally.  I credit hte Whole30 with making my sugar steady (and probably my cortisol).  I do think I'll eat red meat tonight though.

 

[blu1230]

Hello everyone...although I started on the 2nd...not the first, I am more than halfway done and I was doing great with sugar cravings and had a lot of energy, even in the beginning. But for some reason I am craving all the CRAP that I know that am not going to eat, but the cravings are ridiculous!  I know that everyone is different, but I thought that it would get easier...I think a lot of the cravings stem from the fact that I am not seeing any results, except a reduction in inflammation, but my clothes are fitting tighter, I no longer have the energy I did, I can't seem to stay asleep at night, and I am having horrible GI Issues.  I just feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and wanted to know if this is normal????

[sdoucette]

Oh Helen....Lice sucks. I remember having it as a kid (several times) and my mother had a whole weekend of bagging and cleaning everything in the house. Hoping it isn't for your sake... Craptastic week too, and you are handling it beautifully.

 

@alexasaurus: I broke my pinky toe by punting a shopping cart wheel in flip flops,so I feel you.

 

Got home and had an incredible urge to binge eat. I'm tired and don't feel like cooking and really wanted to just order take out, but I reheated some compliant food and I told myself that I could have whatever I want as long as its compliant. Finished three mini turkey patties, some cauliflower mash, and some butternut squash and I think the feeling has subsided. I started getting really anxious though. I still am, but I'm full for the most part. I thought I was over this part. Once an addict, always an addict? Struggling tonight, but I'm on day 20, no reason to give up now.

[helen]

sdoucette~~I seem to remember from my last Whole 30 daily emails that around day 21 that cravings can resurrect themselves (more psychological than physical) so I think what you are going through is really normal.  Power through as I think it is a short backslide!

 

blus1230~~Sounds like you are having similar issues with the cravings?  I put pants on yesterday and was kind of disappointed, they had felt looser last week.  But my weight fluctuates throughout the month normally and I have to expect some days will just feel 'lighter' than others.  Sorry about the low energy.  That is what is helping me with both cravings, boredom and less than stellar fitting pants is that my energy is high.  Are you eating enough?  Especially fat (this is my go to thing when things are not going well for me, not including the enough fat with each meal). 

 

My happy dance is with my belly less 'bloated' I was able to get all my binds in yoga today.  I haven't been able to do Bird of Paradise in a month or so since I put on my summer 12 pounds.  (Looks like this~~well somewhat as I'm still working on getting my leg so straight once up)  http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/2776

[alexasaurusrex]

@sdoucette breaking toes is ridiculous. They hurt but you can't do anything about it.  

 

I have a cold. Or really bad allergies. Or something. I feel so yucky. Still have energy so that's good. I made spaghetti squash today! I've never made it before and it was so good. I found a jar of spaghetti sauce that I read the ingredients of super fast and then dumped on the spaghetti squash only to then reread it and see it has pinot noir in it. I scooped off as much as I could and scooped out some squash but I didn't want to waste it all. I probably ingested less than a teaspoon of the sauce. I don't feel like I ruined my Whole 30 with this one lick. I won't be using it till after day 35 anyway, if I do again. 

[Marjan]

I feel like I am at the beginning again...feeling yuk, hungry and fatter  Still waiting for the magic to kick in. Or maybe I expected too much.Anyway, still going with compliant food...

[sdoucette]

Marjan, I feel you. This is the third night in a row I've had crazy food dreams. Last night was so realistic that I was crying over the fact that I was going to have to admit to all of you that I ate two peices of cheese pizza along with a bowl of chocolate mini cookies eaten like cereal with milk poured over them. The guilt wad overwhelming. I don't even eat cereal in my waking life.

[helen]

I receive the Whole30 dailies and seriously there is a whole section on this in the morning email .  That it is very common for our brains to rebel at this point in changing our habits.  They also link to this blog post on their site with ideas on how to power through:

 

http://whole9life.com/2012/04/change-your-habits-part-2-willpower/

[raptah]

Alex  you definitely don't have to start over for that accidental teaspoon!  I ate a TUMS without thinking on my first W30 and considered restarting, and then was talked out of it because it wasn't at all like falling face first into a box of doughnuts. 

 

Marjan sorry you're feeling yuck.  I bet the "fat" feeling is your mind playing tricks on you.  I'm amazed at how changeable my body image is, depending on my mood, my clothes, what I've eaten, where I am, who I'm with.  This is something that has changed slowly over the years but it's still a challenge.  I've heard so many people say that the Whole 30 (and strict paleo too) helps with our relationship not only to food but to our body.  I find this to be true and it's one of the major reasons I want to continue.  Anyway, hang in there because this too shall pass.  You are treating your body the way it deserves to be treated and it will show it! 

 

Sdoucette  it's funny, in all my food dreams, I eat something sort of by accident (usually because one of my children gives it to me), but then I DONT feel guilty (in the dream).  What does THAT mean?  If it were real life I'd feel terribly guilty

 

Yesterday I made the Balsamic Braised Short Ribs and the Broc-cauli Chowder from Practical Paleo.  Both quite good, especially the ribs.  The husband loved those. 

[alexasaurusrex]

@Cclarkthirty you know, I almost took a tums one night but decided to ride it out and the upset stomach went away. Only after did I realize it probably had sugar in it. I've taken 3 advil sinus and allergy or whatever it's called, throughout this challenge and I just saw it has corn starch in it. Not enough to bother me so I'm not counting it as a fail. Just opens your eyes to how much crap is in crap. 

 

I have a wicked head cold. Worst I've had in a long time. Usually I get sick with a cold every month but after doing half marathon training I haven't had any. Now, boom! I think it has something to do with this challenge. Like my body is fighting against the healthy food. It's using whatever tactic it can to get me to eat saltines...or it could be that the boys have been sick for ages and I finally caught it. Either way I'm not stressing my body out anymore by giving it crap to eat on top of the cold or flu or whatever. I plugged my nose up with tissues and washed my hands three times and then roasted a whole organic chicken for an hour. After I ripped it apart - which as a former vegan was something that should have affected me but didn't - and am making bone broth. I let it simmer for 90 minutes and then poured myself a mug. I immediately burned my mouth because I thought it was okay to pour boiling broth into a mug and drink it without adding a few ice cubes or waiting. Now the broth is sitting in a croc pot bubbling away for the rest for the rest of the night. Looking forward to consuming a good amount of it tomorrow. 

 

I need this cold to go away. I hate being sick. I have so much stuff to do and can't function. @Marjan! I read your comment earlier and immediately felt the same way. I think depending on the day we all have ideas in our heads like that. Hopefully successfully completing the whole 30 will allow us to have a better relationship with our bodies. 

[blu1230]

Well yesterday was another crazy day for me...only 10 more days to go and really excited!  Although it didn't feel like my relationship with food has changed and I plan to adopt the "paleo" lifestyle (90% of the time-leaving room for family celebrations) because in some cases I do feel better, although I also feel like I've been stressing so much about the food that I have been eating and making sure that everything is whole30 compliant, that it has become counterproductive in a sense.  Yesterday, I made sure everything was whole30 compliant, but I just couldn't get "full".  I was so ravenous, I even went for a couple walks, read a book, and tried just about everything to get my mind off food...but it didn't work. grrrrr

[Marjan]

Well yesterday was another crazy day for me...only 10 more days to go and really excited!  Although it didn't feel like my relationship with food has changed and I plan to adopt the "paleo" lifestyle (90% of the time-leaving room for family celebrations) because in some cases I do feel better, although I also feel like I've been stressing so much about the food that I have been eating and making sure that everything is whole30 compliant, that it has become counterproductive in a sense.  Yesterday, I made sure everything was whole30 compliant, but I just couldn't get "full".  I was so ravenous, I even went for a couple walks, read a book, and tried just about everything to get my mind off food...but it didn't work. grrrrr

I hear ya! Last night we had a neighbourhood potluck. I stuffed myself with compliant food and did not miss all the other food on display. I just did not feel full at all. This is my third day without coffee but I do not feel like my sleep improving.....

[helen]

I bet the "fat" feeling is your mind playing tricks on you.  I'm amazed at how changeable my body image is, depending on my mood, my clothes, what I've eaten, where I am, who I'm with.  This is something that has changed slowly over the years but it's still a challenge.  I've heard so many people say that the Whole 30 (and strict paleo too) helps with our relationship not only to food but to our body.  I find this to be true and it's one of the major reasons I want to continue.  Anyway, hang in there because this too shall pass.  You are treating your body the way it deserves to be treated and it will show it! 

 

 

Love this and so true!

[helen]

Alex~~I rarely got sick but the sinus infection I just got over was my second in 3 months!  I am glad I went and got the sinus package (prednisone + antibiotics) though.  We have this new 'salt therapy' room at a local acupuncture clinic for respiratory support that I'm thinking of trying out (it is really expensive but my daughter and I could go together).  My town has the second worst air quality right now in the US.  Damn ragweed is killing me.

 

I am feeling really good.  Caught up on some sleep.  My goal is to try and have some fun today! 

[alexasaurusrex]

@helen the ragweed allergy is the worst. All of August I felt like my lungs were going to collapse. I woke up today feeling a little better but it's moved into my chest. I'm going to steam all day and drink a lot. Hopefully I'll get it all up and be even better tomorrow. Usually if I leave it I get a chest infection. But this time the cold is moving along quickly.

Today is going to be spent sipping warm beverages, inhaling steam, and watching Fringe on Netflix.

[sdoucette]

I feel like us ladies have hijacked the thread, no? Haven't seen a male response in a while...

 

Hope you feel better soon Alex. Oh Fringe. Loved that show. Walter is my favorite, especially in the earlier seasons. You know when you see a character like that and think "I wish he was my uncle, or close neighbor..." Or maybe that's creepy and weird and just me?

 

Day 22... Almost surreal that I'm actually still doing this. I need to grocery shop this afternoon and haven't planned one meal for the week yet. I'm getting more and more relaxed about it. Like how I use to grocery shop. Just see things I like, buy them, then make something on the fly. It is no longer the work it was on week one.

 

Cheers to us all for committing to ourselves and making it this far. You all rock

[alexasaurusrex]

@sdoucette thank you! I feel the same about Walter. He makes me chuckle.

[alexasaurusrex]

@sdoucette - I posted on my phone before and meant to also write - congrats on getting this far and feeling more comfortable with it!

[Angela Poliquin]

Hi All!

 

I'm feeling you with the head cold.  Last winter, my face hurt for 4 months.  (God knows what it was doing to everyone else. Yuk Yuk)  Also with the cravings!

 

Last couple of days, I've been wanting a "treat."  I definitely feel my mind resisting the habit changes.  A skill that I learned a while back was thinking it all the way through.  As in, what happens after I have the treat?  Are those consequences worth it?  It makes those thoughts/cravings more fleeting, because it doesn't take long for me to say to myself, "No, I'd rather not feel bad about myself, or feel bad physically.  We braved the movies yesterday evening for the first time ( ), and the popcorn smell both tempted and revulsed me. I almost caved, but thought it all the way through - I'd probably get a stomachache, AND I'd be disappointed in myself.  I was really happy leaving the movie that I was not leaving with a tummyache.

 

AND OMG, it was the BEST movie I've seen in a LONG TIME!  Prisoners.  That's all I will say about it because whenever a movie is hyped up and I go see it, I'm invariably disappointed.  I don't want to do that to someone else!

 

I'm also sick of mayo.  Like sick of mayo.  Literally.  Or eggs.  Maybe both.  Yesterday I made and ate some egg salad for lunch and got a tummyache, and got sicker... and sicker... until - both ends.  Then I felt all better!  All over the course of a half hour.  When I was a kid, my sister offered me some doritos while I was sick.  The smell of doritos has made me sick ever since.  That's how I feel about egg salad today.  And eggs.  And mayo.

 

A friend of mine came over yesterday and said that Thursday night's poker performance convinced her that she wants what I've got!  We've known each other about a year and she said that it is like night and day the difference in my attitude, energy, and appearance.  She said she likes me much better healthy!  Me, too.  I like me much better healthy.  I've felt like I have this bottled energy, like I could spring into a sprint or something.  Really, like a tiger! But no, I haven't done it because actually I'm in really terrible shape.  It won't be long, though.  I can feel my strength and endurance increasing already in my workouts.

 

I moved from Arizona to Montana a year ago August.  Last winter was really hard. It was dark and cold and boring.  And I was still feeling at a loss with my intellectual identity (from the accident). I binged on beer (after 8 years of sobriety) and bad food and gained 30lb.  In April, I called it quits with the beer.  In July, I called it quits with crap food.  In September, I really committed. (Whole30 with you all!), and, for the first time since spring, I'm not afraid of winter coming.  I'm excited!  

 

No longer the Starks are warning me in my head, "Winter is coming."  I'm ready for war!  Or skiing.

 

I'm making these today.  I'll tell you how it goes. 

[jpketz]

I feel like us ladies have hijacked the thread, no? Haven't seen a male response in a while...

 

 

 

Aha...that's just the excuse I needed! I've been posting to my W30 Log every day but have been feeling like keeping some recent negative energy to myself, so laying low over there. Anyway, I've been keeping up with all youz guys and hey...a big group congrats to all of you (us) for making it to Day 22!

 

So by way of a way-too-lengthy update...I almost went off the rails this week over some stressful situations compounded by sleep deprivation. Long story short....noise. I'm finding that the older I get the less of it I can tolerate. And excess noise, especially at night, means I don't sleep which means I get even more sensitive, which means more stress...etc. all of which makes it a lot more tempting to just say "screw this" and grab the salted caramels instead of the spaghetti squash. 

 

Long story short-ish, I needed to have an uncomfortable conversation with the "source" of the noise, which I was dreading, but I did and it went surprisingly well. We both "used our words" and solved the problem like adults. Hey Congress...

 

So that happened. And now I need to accept the fact that I live in a noisy world in which not everyone will behave according to MY my boundaries (sigh) and I can either choose to constantly rant about the callousness and shallowness of my fellow humans and how they've lost respect for the idea of quiet as a boundary issue...and the garbage trucks and leaf blowers and barking dogs and train horns at 2 a.m. and subwoofers and un-mufflered motorcycles and the people who walk down my street talking on their phones at 6 a.m. oblivious to the world around them...and no wonder everyone is sleep deprived and eating their feelings and sucking down Zoloft and buying guns and would rather text than talk and eats crap to comfort themselves...and you kids get off my lawn!! 

 

--OR--

 

Realize that expectations lead to suffering. I make myself crazy because to the extent that I "expect" the reality to be different, I'm disappointed when it isn't. Not that I can't hope that my world becomes a little quieter, and that I shouldn't try to set limits when appropriate, but I didn't exactly choose to live in rural Wyoming either, or downtown Manhattan. So what do I really expect? Noise happens. 

 

Anyway. it's a work in progress...Zen teaching moment over. 

 

New recipe discoveries....Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette. Had some strawberries on their last legs so I tossed them in a blender and added 1/4 c. no sugar Balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, and drizzle 1 c. of light olive oil while running to male a get a more emulsified result. Wow. Almost TOO sweet. But great on a Cobb salad or on chicken or pork. Sub out aging blueberries, raspberries for the strawberries. Also speaking of the last of summer fruits, Blueberry-Ginger Kombucha. Just added a handful of slightly squished blueberries and a few slices of fresh ginger after bottling and waited a few days. The fruit gives it extra fizz and the ginger calms the stomach. For those new to Kombucha, there's lots of good info here on the forum but feel free to ask. What can I say...it's Hippie Miracle Juice, and totally W30!!

 

Helen. Don't get me started on GOT. Just saw an interview with the writers. Can't wait for the next season. 

 

Here's a thing I did at the height of some recent food cravings...maybe some of you can relate? 

 

[raptah]

I was wondering where the guys (all 2 of them??) were too... Liked your post jpketz and your drawing.  Glad you dealt with your noise "source" (way to hit him/her where it hurts) without falling face first into some cheese crunchies.

 

I took my kids out for ice cream today because I am a masochist. No actually, it's because it was a beautiful fall day here, and we were picking out pumpkins at the farm stand and the kids wanted ice cream, and of course, why not?  BECAUSE I LOVE SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM, LIKE ITS MY JOB, LIKE I COULD EAT IT AND ONLY IT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, THAT'S WHY NOT!  And my kids know this so they ooh-ed and ah-ed over theirs a little bit more than usual.  But I did great.  I wasn't really worried that I would bail on the W30, but I did really suffer. I'm better now.  Drinking some coffee with coconut milk and cinnamon.  Yeah, that's almost as good.

 

Oh well, I'm laughing about it now.  I'm sorry some of you are sick.  Both my kids are sick and I haven't gotten it yet.  I'd like to think it's my diet but I think it's luck and probably I just haven't come down with it yet.  Hope you are feeling better soon.

[awg828]

Hi all!  Summer may have finally given up its fight here which makes life seem a bit more manageable in general.  Sadly, Day 18 and no tiger blood.  Yesterday was pretty tough - the highlight was when my husband said, "You know what would be funny?  If not only do you not lose weight on this diet but you actually gain weight!"  Needless to say, I didn't really find the humor in that and communicated thus.  We then went to a seafood restaurant where I got grilled shrimp, green beans and broccoli.  Today I feel dreadful.  I neglected to ask what everything was cooked in but I'm suspecting generous amounts of butter. I immediately felt a weird film on the inside of my mouth.  It remains today along with tummy bloating and cramping.  I look like I'm about 6 months pregnant (I am not).  Not sure what the story is - the beans? the butter? the shrimp? 

 

@angela - those coconut shrimp look awesome!  too bad I threw all my chicken in the crockpot on Friday and smothered it with salsa so I could have shredded emergency protein on hand.

 

As though my jaunt into butter wasn't bad enough, I just noticed on the can of cashews that I've been enjoying a little too much that they are cooked in peanut oil.  Bother!  So, I guess I'm a poser here and should probably start back at Day 1 but I'm really in no place mentally to do that.  Hope you guys don't blackball me!

[alexasaurusrex]

Oh awg! (which my computer just autocorrected three times to wag lol) You are not a poser! Just don't eat them from now on. Your tummy issues could be coming from that!

 

@cclarkthirty you are mean to yourself girl! Although, I watched my guys eat ice cream twice (I could live on it). Just remember that you are allowed indulgences after whole 30. It's all about making the choice and not feeling guilty afterwards. 

 

I have been guzzling bone broth all day. I had it sizzling all night. 23 hours - lunch time came and I couldn't make it to 24. It was awesome. Cheapest and yummiest thing I've made so far. I have had a mug at each meal and am starting to feel a lot better. I still have a cough and some stuffiness but this cold is progressing very quickly. Also, my broken toe isn't broken! Just blue. Well, it was. Friday and yesterday it turned very blue purple but today I woke up and the bruise is almost gone. I was talking to my dad about W30 and the foods I was eating and then mentioned my toe. He really wasn't listening but when I got to the toe he goes "OMG YOU'RE WOLVERINE!" I almost fell off my stool haha. 

 

I went to Walmart today to get a hand blender as my nutribullet blade won't come off the cup. I might bring it to the gym tomorrow night and see if someone can twist it off for me. Either that or I'll have to bring it back to Bed Bath and Beyond with the almond meal still inside. That'll be a fun exchange. After shopping I got back in the car and opened a bottle of seltzer - which then exploded on me and most of my center console and dashboard. All I could think was "At least it's not soda!"

 

I have an instagram where I take lots of stupid pictures of my food. I started following a woman who makes paleo recipes. She had a recipe for "Broccoli and Cheese soup." I made it tonight. So good. And so easy. It's basically Well Fed's mashed cauli recipe but with more coconut milk and then you rough chop broccoli and add it in. Awesome. I put bison and prosciutto over it. It was like shepherds pie, mashed cauliflower, and stew all in one. I was a very happy camper!