Whole30 September 1 2013

[raptah]

I feel for you wag, I mean awg (alex reference)!  I think the starting over thing has a lot to do with intent, unless you eat something that's quite significant, that could interfere with the magic.  Since you didn't intend to go off template, if it were me, I'd still call it a W30.  You suffered enough!  Especially after that comment from your husband...

 

Angela How was the coconut popcorn chicken or whatever that yumminess was?  It looked like a bit of work, but probably worth every bit.  It's really cool to hear about how much things have changed for you. 

 

So Alex I think you passed the paleo final exam (or something like that).  I feel like once you've made your own bone broth, you've crossed over.  I'm impressed.  Did you know there are whole websites dedicated to bone broth? 

[alexasaurusrex]

@cclarkthirty - I think I passed over into whole 30 life when I memorized every handle on here and was able to recognize each of you buy your pictures rather than your usernames! Bone broth is amazing. It's so delicious and warms you up from your innards out. It's also really good for your intestines. I just learned that actually. I read an article that was running around the internet the other day about bone broth leading to lead poisoning. That brought me down another rabbit hole and basically it does have lead in it from the marrow but it's less lead than what is found in a glass of tap water (which I drink religiously) and the vitamins and minerals in the broth actually protect you from the lead. I need to find those websites! I like the chicken broth but I need to find beef bones because I think that would be even better! It's not hard. Seriously it's probably the easiest thing ever. Put bones in pot, cover with water. Voila! Some people add vinegar to bring out the goodness even more but I didn't have any. Croc pot or oven pot it for at least 12 hours. It's one of those things that after 1.5 hours is ready but gets soooo much better with time. 

 

I did just breakdown and buy mucinex in pill form so it's compliant. Breathing a whole lot better. 

[Marjan]

I had the weirdest food dream ever. That was my first one. I was in a restaurant and was eating sugar bread. I realised I had done it and went to the look to puke it out (yes gross I know), then I was back at the table and licking the sugar off the plate and I knew I could not puke that out so that I had to bail and start over again. It felt so real, I was sure it was true.

Isn't a dream like that a bit late in the whole process? Might explaing why I have no tiger blood yet though. My sugar addiction (which I did not think I had) might sit deeper than I thought. Anyway in real life I am still going strong, do not feel like eating off the plan anyway.

[helen]

Feeling good today physically.  Had crazy dreams about school shootings and woke up very anxious in the middle of the night and still  trying to shake that off. 

 

Also, last night I did want to binge on junk food.  We had gone to the zoo and I had not eaten enough to sustain me for that long day.  I think I'm hitting this sort of mourning period.  I did my first Whole30 in Jan and kept pretty healthy through the May and then had a kind of binge of a summer.  I don't want to do that again but I don't know if I know how to do this without being totally strict.  My husband has gone off the Whole30 (his heart wasn't really into it but doing it more to support me/competition too) but he is still making meals with me.  I just want to feel more confident is the point.  

 

I think jpketz nails a lot of my issues.  It is hard to have this constant stress and pull of consumption and fear that we live with (I do a media fast whenever there is a shooting but somehow these most recent ones slipped into my sleep).  So food comforts.  And then I get mad and think that I deserve to be comforted by food. But then I gain the weight which is a burden and the energy levels crash and rise and I just don't feel steady so I realize that I have to really change.  Really change for the long run.  Which is kind of scary this morning to me.

[alexasaurusrex]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I walk down the candy aisle at the grocery store and try and think about the tastes to see how my mind reacts. Part of me wants it but part of me doesn't. And another part of me knows I won't really know how it makes me feel until I try it and if I try it will I completely fall off the bandwagon? I also don't want to be completely nutty about food and only eat whole 30 style for the rest of my life and make myself insane. I love eating this way and I am definitely going to continue with paleo but I want to make certain "desserts." Like whole 30 80/20. I just have anxiety about the food I used to eat and I hope that that goes away with time. I keep reading more and more about how a paleo diet/lifestyle can really help with body dysmorphia. I hope that's the case because I really need that. I think we all do. 

 

Food has always been a comfort and burden for me. Whenever I choose to not use food as a crutch I have crazy food dreams and I also slip into a depression because I really don't know how to deal with my issues without food. Since doing this I haven't had food dreams and I haven't felt much like turning to food for help. Maybe three times in 24 days as opposed to every day. 

 

Last night was rough. I bought mucinex and took it at 8. I found out after I took it that it wasn't the 12 hour one, it was the 4. So I woke up at 345 hacking my brains out and not able to breathe. I didn't want to take any more because I wanted to lay down and I don't like to after taking meds. I pummeled through the night and came to work. My chest is pretty tight and I can't inhale too deeply. I've been steaming every hour. I go up to the bathroom with a book or my phone and turn the shower on scalding hot and sit there for 20 minutes. It makes me feel so much better. I had portioned out half my bone broth and put it in the freezer but I already finished the other half so I think I'm going to need to drink more in the next few days and if I finish it I'll make more this weekend. I need it. I'm a bone broth junky. 

[Marjan]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I walk down the candy aisle at the grocery store and try and think about the tastes to see how my mind reacts. Part of me wants it but part of me doesn't. And another part of me knows I won't really know how it makes me feel until I try it and if I try it will I completely fall off the bandwagon? I also don't want to be completely nutty about food and only eat whole 30 style for the rest of my life and make myself insane. I love eating this way and I am definitely going to continue with paleo but I want to make certain "desserts." Like whole 30 80/20. I just have anxiety about the food I used to eat and I hope that that goes away with time. I keep reading more and more about how a paleo diet/lifestyle can really help with body dysmorphia. I hope that's the case because I really need that. I think we all do. 

 

Food has always been a comfort and burden for me. Whenever I choose to not use food as a crutch I have crazy food dreams and I also slip into a depression because I really don't know how to deal with my issues without food. Since doing this I haven't had food dreams and I haven't felt much like turning to food for help. Maybe three times in 24 days as opposed to every day. 

 

Last night was rough. I bought mucinex and took it at 8. I found out after I took it that it wasn't the 12 hour one, it was the 4. So I woke up at 345 hacking my brains out and not able to breathe. I didn't want to take any more because I wanted to lay down and I don't like to after taking meds. I pummeled through the night and came to work. My chest is pretty tight and I can't inhale too deeply. I've been steaming every hour. I go up to the bathroom with a book or my phone and turn the shower on scalding hot and sit there for 20 minutes. It makes me feel so much better. I had portioned out half my bone broth and put it in the freezer but I already finished the other half so I think I'm going to need to drink more in the next few days and if I finish it I'll make more this weekend. I need it. I'm a bone broth junky. 

Sounds like you are having a pretty hard time  Hang in there! I am worried too about my food behaviour 'after'. I have been concentrating so much on MY food that I have ignored my family a bit. I want to take them along with me, but cannot have my kids eat Paleo all the time. So I am collecting awesome paleo recipes on pinterest so that I can make Paleo biscuits and things like that for them.

[TDC]

***WARNING: super long post below***

 

I haven't been contributing to this thread at all, so I feel like a bit of an imposter, joining in at 3 weeks in but I've read some of the thread and it's been really inspiring to hear what other people are going through. I feel a bit left out as I'm the only person I know doing this (although my boyfriend is being super supportive and plans to do one in Jan) and I'm finding it a bit embarrassing to talk about it with the sceptics. Anyway, this is probably going to be a bit random but I just thought I'd give back a little and tell everyone how my Whole 30 is going (who am I kidding, getting it on here is much more for me than anyone else!)

 

A bit of background: I have been flirting with the Paleo style of eating since 2011. However, I never really kept to it that strictly; at most I'd do 3 or 4 days fairly strictly, before the weekend coming along and evenings out would destroy my good intentions and break through my very weak will power. It was frustrating because I felt I ate slightly better than my boyfriend, who swore he lost weight eating this way. I did a stint of Atkins for two weeks this year and although I did lose a couple of kilograms, I wasn't particularly happy as I didn't feel I was eating food I wanted to eat (this was the height of summer and thus strawberry and cherry season, which I was supposed to deny myself!!) and I didn't really enjoy all the cream and eggs. Over the past six months, though, I've become more determined to eat meat from a good source, and vegetables that have been allowed to live naturally (if a snail is happy to eat my salad then so am I!)

 

This is my first ever Whole 30. The first time I read about the Whole 30 (about a year ago) I thought 'oh that seems so difficult, all that reading of labels'! I revisited it in August and it still seemed like an effort. However, this time I kept thinking about it and after a couple of days I took the plunge, decided September would be my Whole30 month. 

 

I knew there were a number of things that would trip me up:

My sister's 30th birthday on 2 Sept (which I was cooking dinner for; plus there'd be cake!)

Annual work summer party on 10 Sept (all food and copious amounts of wine paid for)

Weekend trip to Geneva 20-22 Sept

Boss's birthday party 28 Sept

Me cooking for my colleagues 29 Sept

 

There have also been an abnormal number of birthdays in the office so there have been lots of homemade birthday cakes brought in, including one I made for my colleague, in which I didn't even lick the bowl (although I did make my boyfriend taste the off-cuts in case I had done something stupid like put salt instead of sugar. I did put a dash of coconut milk in because I didn't want to go out and buy a pint of milk just to use a dash in the cake!). In fact, at one point I accidentally poked the tip of my finger in the whipped cream and mindlessly licked it off and I almost gagged - it was so rich and greasy, the sensation stayed in my mouth for ages!

 

It's a stupid month to do it in, but I was going on Melissa and Dallas's mantra: DO IT NOW. 

 

Everything went OK for my sister's birthday dinner; mostly I could eat everything (I did cook it after all!) although there was fish in soy sauce so I did my best to just take the fish meat and leave off the skin and soy gravy. I was lucky for the work summer party as the restaurant chosen had Moroccan/Andalusian inspired food, so lots of really high quality meat with plenty of veg -- I had a side of chard instead of the potato chips with my beautiful pork. The weekend in Geneva was the hardest of all, partly because I wasn't prepared enough on the first day to get a meal together and the food there has (unsurprisingly) an emphasis on dairy. However, I managed well enough, and the few meals I did have were delicious. There was one that was fresh perch caught from Lake Geneva that was (almost literally) swimming in pool of butter on my plate. I should have seen this coming! Luckily our table was on a slope so the butter sort of ran to one side of my plate and I did my best to eat as little butter as possible. Not ideal, but the best I could do in the situation. I just don't have the French to explain the Whole30 to dairy-dependent Swiss people! For most of the day I was snacking as well as I could on nuts, olives, apples, and some smoked dried beef we found in one of the shops. Again, snacking all day is less than ideal on this programme, but it helped a lot to not be too hungry while the others were tucking into cheese fondue and all I had was a green salad for lunch (they'd stopped serving food by the time we got there and this was the best they could rustle up for me!).

 

I've learnt a lot in the past 3 weeks:

- I haven't always been prepared enough to get a decent breakfast in me in the mornings. I usually run out of time, and although I more often than not manage to get something together, it's often quite rushed, or eaten at my desk, which I don't like.

- Snacks on holiday are a necessity to ensure you don't get hungry and give in to temptation or give up on your principles because it's so difficult.

- I don't think I've always had enough fat in my diet on a daily basis, although once I discovered homemade coconut butter this was somewhat less of an issue...

- Homemade beef broth is the best, most comforting, delicious mid morning/mid afternoon pick me up. 

- Sweet potatoes really ARE sweet.

- To answer the question 'What DO you eat' I usually show pictures of my favourite meals from this month: 

1. Whole roasted mackeral, roasted tomatoes, beetroot, kohlrabi and orange salad, steamed green beans

2. Shredded kalua pork (from nomnompaleo), mixed cherry tomato salad, roasted sprouting broccolli, guacamole, 1/2 gem squash

3. Bun xao with beef meatballs and spaghetti squash instead of noodles.

These are the most colourful, full and exciting plates of food I've ever prepared for myself!

- Drinking weak tea without milk and coffee with coconut milk is delicious. Actually, better than delicious, I far prefer these versions to the ones with milk.

- Soda water and a squeeze of lemon is a perfectly classy drink to have at a pub while everyone else is drinking alcohol.

 

It's hard to say what benefits I've felt. I'm not sure I feel them that strongly and whether I'm finding particular benefits because that's what everyone else says, that's what is expected. I didn't really have any particular complaints before (don't have a problem sleeping, don't really have strong sugar/chocolate cravings, no medical issues) apart from wanting to lose some weight. My focus has changed though, from wanting to lose weight to wanting to just eat generally more healthily, i.e. higher quality meat and veg and avoiding poisonous things like bad oil, soy, etc., which I think is a good thing as even if I step on the scales I won't, hopefully be disappointed (and in fact I don't mind too much if I haven't lost much weight as I have recently starting Crossfit proper, int he WOD class rather than Elements, so the intensity of my exercise has increased, meaning I'm probably gaining muscle).

 

Having said that I'm not sure of the benefits, I have noticed that I wake up quite alert, however little sleep I get, and I remain quite cheerful throughout the day (whereas I usually start getting sleepy and grumpy if I don't think I've had enough sleep). I think my skin is smoother. I have no idea whether I've lost weight because the scales are hiding under the bed (actually that's another positive, it's been really refreshing not to weigh myself every day. I think this has helped shift the focus from losing weight [how do I know whether this is happening if I can't weight myself!] to eating healthy [well I can see all the colourful stuff I'm putting in my mouth, and I spoke to the growers about how the veg are grown at the Farmer's Market so this must be a good thing!]). The other tangible change is I haven't once, in the whole 23 days felt stuffed and bloated. I've felt full, like I've eaten enough, but I haven't felt stuffed. Today is my boss's birthday and another colleague brought a really dense and rich-looking cake in. I didn't have any (had an apple and a spoonful of coconut butter while it was being dished out) and now, 5 hours later, everyone is still complaining about how full they are and how sick they feel from eating so much. Me? I have had a thoroughly delicious and colourful lunch of tuna and apple with olive oil mayo, beetroot, cauliflower and mangetout salad, sweet potato with dukkah.

 

The thing that's impressed me the most is my willpower. I haven't felt jealous of what other people are eating, I haven't felt hard done by by not getting to drink the alcohol laid on by work, I haven't wished I could have the chocolate brought back from Switzerland. It's partly because I feel it's just not worth it. But it seems that I mostly just don't fancy eating it.

 

I've been thinking about what I'm going to do after this next week is up. There are a few things I'm looking forward to eating (mostly rice-based actually) and I'm looking forward to the re-introduction period as a further realisation of the close relationship between what I put in my mouth and how my body reacts. But mostly I don't see how I can go back to the old half-hearted paleo diet. I've shown that I don't need dairy, that high quality meat and veg are far more satisfying and interesting. Sugar makes me feel a bit uneasy just thinking about it, and my stomach ties up in knots at the thought of grain.

 

I'm sorry for such a long post. I think I've been thinking a lot about all this stuff and this is the first time I've been able to get it down in writing so it's a bit like verbal diarrhoea on here!

[Angela Poliquin]

jpkets - the GOTh reference was from me, Angela.  It's the second time you misidentified me, and, although I'm not sensitive about, I thought you'd prefer to know who you're referencing!  

 

I also hate noise.  Earplugs are my saviors, although since Whole30, I sleep better and don't seem to need to block out sound as much.

 

awg828 - You're not a poser!  I've occasionally found that something wasn't clean (like it's the Old Testament or something) and I don't consider that a fail or a cheat.  And I read it takes longer for some for the magic to happen, so I encourage you to not give up!  

 

alex - I'm glad you're feeling better!  I need to make some bone broth!

 

clarkthirty - Soft serve vanilla cone is my fave, too!  

 

The coconut chicken nuggets turned out awesome, and we ate them with pineapple basalmic dressing - yum.  Put some fresh pineapple, some homemade mayo, some basalmic, some roasted garlic, salt, pepper in the blender (I just used an immersion blender) = emuslified sweet&sour

 

I also sauteed some unpeeled wild caught shrimp and had that with some ghee.  I am so glad I didn't ruin that shrimp by trying to do something fancy with it, because it was SO GOOD!

 

I also canned homemade ketchup yesterday.  That was like a 12 hour project and I am going to be pissed if it isn't edible!  I ended up with 7 half-pint jars.

 

The weather has changed... might even snow later this week.  It's still pleasant enough to sit outside in the afternoon, which I have been doing as much as I can of.  Trying to figure out a vitamin D solution for the dark months ahead.

 

We're going out to dinner for my birthday tonight.  I chose a steakhouse.  DH wondered what we were going to do for sides.  I said, maybe they have sweet potato.  And then, I said, who needs sides with a big piece of meat?!  And then DH said something naughty.

[Angela Poliquin]

Alex - My grocery has beef knuckles.  I'm still waiting for my half-hog from the butcher, but they're saving me the bones.  I haven't heard of pork bone broth, but I'm gonna do it.  

 

Marjan - I don't think it is unusual to have food dreams at any point.  Even years down the road.  My sub-or un- conscious seems to live closer to the surface than most people's because I dream a lot, and most nights I either dream about food or beer!  If anything, it keeps my willingness to live as I am closer to my consciousness, too.  They're kind of a gift.  

 

In October I have to go to Arizona for work.  I usually stay with my mom.  I'm nervous about getting off-track there.  Mostly because last time I was there and tried to work I felt so horrible I couldn't get anything done.  I don't want to feel bad!  And then again, there's no reason to go projecting...

 

TDC - Thanks for posting!  

 

"I've been thinking about what I'm going to do after this next week is up. There are a few things I'm looking forward to eating (mostly rice-based actually) and I'm looking forward to the re-introduction period as a further realisation of the close relationship between what I put in my mouth and how my body reacts. But mostly I don't see how I can go back to the old half-hearted paleo diet. I've shown that I don't need dairy, that high quality meat and veg are far more satisfying and interesting. Sugar makes me feel a bit uneasy just thinking about it, and my stomach ties up in knots at the thought of grain."

 

I echo all of that.

[alexasaurusrex]

Alex - My grocery has beef knuckles.  I'm still waiting for my half-hog from the butcher, but they're saving me the bones.  I haven't heard of pork bone broth, but I'm gonna do it.  

 

I am so confused at the grocery store butcher. I know when I was little my parents had kosher meats delivered. I don't really ever remember going to the butcher counter. I grew up kosher until high school and then we slacked off. We always had shell fish and non kosher food outside of the house or on paper plates - but we never had pork. We didn't start having it until my brother started bringing it into the house and really for the last seven years I haven't had as much as I've had in the last three weeks. I think its delicious. I'm debating getting the Paleo Parents cookbook: Beyond Bacon to learn how to cook with it more - but I also need to get more comfortable at the butcher counter haha

 

Sidenote: My boss made a huge thing of gazpacho from vegetables from our neighbors garden. I looked up all the ingredients and it's compliant! I had it with eggs and avocado for breakfast and I'm going to have it with sardines for lunch - love sardines! 

[Marjan]

You know what, I have no idea what I would be eating after the Whole30. There is not really anything that I crave....

I suppose that is positive but yes not licking your fingers when baking or tasting is very tricky.

I might just find some Paleo cakes etcetera, they must be around...

[Ana Tavares]

yep ring ahead or pack your own food!

Hi Marjan! 

 

Thanks for the warning. I packed my own food and it saved me at every meal! Especially with the fats!  

 

This weekend was a real challenge. I had to face from beer to chocolate cakes all in one day. With fried fish and lasagnas and carrot cakes, orange cakes and sandwiches in between. Oh god. I can't believe I made it. 

On saturday people were asking me, why don't you try a bite, just one, just have a glass of beer, etc, etc. But on sunday they were actually greeting me for my self control. 

 

I think that if it wasn't for Whole 30 I would not have that self-control. Not even a piece of it! Thank you WHOLE 30!!! 

[sdoucette]

Ohhhhh... I've been drooling over treats I want to make this holiday season on paleoparents.com so I can show my extended family that you can have something decadent without it being laced with crap. So bad, I know...

 

Alex, you've inspired me to make some bone broth. We have a local market that only sources local pasture-raised animals and I can buy their bones for 99 cents a pound. Maybe this weekend?

 

I've also contacted a girlfriend of mine who does PT and I'm joining her gym next week. She said she'll have me doing Olympic lifts in no time... I'm feeling a bit intimidated. Mainly I told her I want to get rid of my mom a**, you know from sitting at a desk for the last nine years of my life. It used to be so, ummmm, perky. I get aging. I know its going to happen. But I can do my best to slow the process, no?

Feeling a little blase about food at the moment. Not really into it. Would rather be hungry than have to plan, prep, and cook another meal. Trying to focus on other things in my life that need my attention as well. I've just been so focused on food and I can't possible maintain that for an extended period of time.

 

 

TDC, thanks for posting. Glad to hear from another voice!

[Christina_K]

So, I've decided to jump on the bone broth bandwagon. I bought marrow today. Are there other bones I should be using as well?

[alexasaurusrex]

@sdoucette if you have five seconds throw them in a pot with water and let it sit for 24 hours. Add vinegar too. It's so easy it's stupid. @Christina do it! It's delicious. All you need is one type of bones - so lamb or chicken carcass or beef bones and let them marinate in simmering water for at least 12 hours but up to 72. People use fish bones too! 

[misshannah]

It's comforting and encouraging to see everyone's posts. It's been a stressful week, missing cat has not returned home. This has been the emotional challenge we didn't expect, and has prompted the most conversations about quitting and "why are we doing this again?" But we doubled down and executed the meal plan/Big Cook for the final 7 days of this Whole 30 that included packaging both breakfast AND lunch for both of us for each day. 

 

Reducing stress where possible is the best we can do. The reserves available to get through this sucky time are coming from sleep and nourishing food. Eating crap would drain those reserves all the way down. 

[djoyce]

Hey all... Well I have been one really busy beaver... Sorry for not posting or participating.  Work is busy, family has been consuming (in a great way) and I have really tried (only partially successful) to work on good sleeps every night.

 

I am still going very strong, feeling good and eating on plan.  I am following my workout program and believe I am making progress.  I also had my first food dream (of this round) on the weekend when I (in my dream) woke up and started making poached eggs (my normal routine) but someone had left a jar of candies (hard candies) on the counter beside the stove.  I started having a few while I waited for my eggs to finish then after putting my poached eggs in a bowl, I realized "I was eating candy" but in the back of my mind... I knew this was too weird and quickly realized it was a dream... but for a few seconds, I was pretty bumbed out!

 

This week is going pretty well.  I was on the road (for work) last week and I went to an all-day meeting at an outdoor education centre.  They have a staff cheif and he makes the food for the events.  I brought my own cooler and did my own thing (pork chops and salad with an apple) while the entire group of 35 other people ate quesadias, chocolate milk and lentle soup.  In general... no big deal.

 

Tomorrow is another day on the road (rails actually) but I am packing my own cooler and keeping control by bringing my own food.

 

I am now over any sickness (cold / sinusitis) I had for a good two weeks and I am now movng ahead full steam.  I love, love, love the control that eating this way gives me.  I also enjoy the clear thought that comes now.  Concentration and a focused mind can allow you to do and achieve so many things!  Keep up the great work everyone. 

 

Cheers

DJ

[awg828]

@alex - you can call me wag anytime!  Actually, it's nicer than what my autocorrect usually does to me when trying to type awg into email addresses - more times than not I end up almost entering [email protected].  My name is Angie and the best ever was the email I got from someone that started out "Hi Abhor". I don't use the term LOL unless it is legit and that time, I really did LOL.  The person that sent it was mortified and sent an apology super quick. Hee hee - it still makes me chuckle.

 

Thanks all for not throwing me out of the group for my silly cashew snafu.  Clearly this was before I was so obsessed with reading labels and I assumed that cashews would just have cashews in them.  I bought the raw variety today.  Don't think these will be quite the same food without brakes as the others were.  I guess I really like peanut oil...bother. 

 

Saw this article and thought you all might find it of interest http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/21/4595712/gut-feelings-the-future-of-psychiatry-may-be-inside-your-stomach. 

 

Regarding probiotics, yogurt is out and I'm not terribly interested in sauerkraut.  What's left - kombucha?  I know @Helen is a fan - any others out there? 

 

@misshannah - so sorry about the cat!  I am very impressed with the Big Cook though! (and I like the new profile pic - reminds me of Frog and Toad)

 

Oh...and if you're in the mood for more reading, I thought this was interesting and made me feel a bit better regarding never getting around to signing up for Cross-fit https://medium.com/health-fitness-1/97bcce70356d

[Marjan]

@awg828 sorry cannot help you with the probiotics. A friend and me are going to make our own sauerkraut, since the sauerkraut in the shops here is pasteurized anyway.

[TDC]

Today I woke up groggy and sleepy for the very first time since I started this month. I have no idea what went wrong but I do know yesterday I felt bloated and uncomfortable after dinner, again for the very first time this month. I was at my grandparents for dinner and my sister's boyfriend cooked a big fried rice so I took a bit of all the chopped veg and meat and did a little personal stirfry without the rice and soy.. However, I cooked it in the same wok as the one used for the fried rice, which had soy sauce in. Have I become THAT sensitive to soy already? Bear in mind that at the start of the month I was eating fish that had been cooked in soy sauce (but not actually eating the sauce). This does worry me a bit because although I'm happy to avoid the bad stuff generally, I don't want to so sensitive that I can't eat things cooked in the same pan, that would be a bit debilitating.

 

@Marjan: Keep us updated on your sauerkraut; I have been planning to make some myself, and even bought a load of cabbage, but never got round to it. I don't love sauerkraut, although my boyfriend does, but I would like to eat more fermented food.

 

I'd also like to try and make kimchi. Kombucha is a completely alien thing to me, I'd never heard of it until I started reading the forums; I don't think it's available anywhere in the UK. Although I would be surprised if Whole Foods doesn't have it. Can someone tell me what it is really like, why have it over anything else and if it's worth me trying it out?

 

@misshannah: Well done for being so organised. I was feeling miserable this morning, especially when I realised we had nothing in the fridge for breakfast (having not been able to stock up since getting back from Geneva) and nothing prepared for lunch (although I then remembered that I've got a lunch meeting -- another minefield!). I NEED to get more organised! Although it's weird, and a bit scary, to think that actually I don't need to be that organised from next week onwards. Having said that, it is a lot easier when I know I've got things planned out...

 

@sdoucette: I was terrified the first time I went for Crossfit. I am not and have never been a sporty and fit person. I still get butterflies in my stomach going to Crossfit if I've been away for longer than usual. But then when I get into the class and start lifting heavy things and being encouraged it feels good. I think it's because we're told through most of our lives that women shouldn't lift heavy weights, that dumbbells are enough to get women where they want to be.

 

@awg828: the article about rhabdomyolysis is worrying; I didn't know about that. I think the problem with Crossfit is it attracts some people who enjoy being extremely physically demanding on their body, and Crossfit coaches may be a bit like this themselves too. Most people I know who do Crossfit are not like me, i.e. have been gym  bunnies most of their adult lives; not many people come in with no previous training. Thus the competitive spirit and challenges which are encouraged in Crossfit classes strike hard because they want to be better than the person next to them. What does it mean for me, though? I think it's important to know about the risks (so thanks for sending me to this article!) and be very mindful of your own personal limitations. Obviously that's incredibly subjective but we're encouraged to go to the coach and say no, I can't do this, can I have an alternative. Maybe the day will come when I want to put far too much weight on, but I'd like to think that I have the confidence to just step up and say no. I don't think I have an addictive personality, nor do I seem to be particularly competitive in Crossfit (although I am often in other aspects). More than anything else, I really hate being uncomfortable and in pain, and I think this will be the factor that will ensure moderation when it comes to Crossfit. I can't actually afford to go more than twice a week so I don't think I'm at risk of over exerting by going three or four days on the trot, like many Crossfitters I know.

 

I don't know, I suppose I have mixed feelings having read this. Anyone else who does Crossfit have an opinion?

[helen]

Someone posted that CF article to my facebook yesterday so it is making the rounds.  I think journalists are just looking for things to write about (there are also reports that some people who are extreme paleo drink blood!).  I am a yoga fanatic and I heard an interview on NPR a year ago about the 'perils of yoga' and how some people have had strokes, etc. from doing shoulder stand (which is a pretty average yoga class move once you get out of basics).  And it is rare but a few people have had them but it hasn't scared me away since it is extremely rare and the benefits outweigh something like that and the circumstances in which they happened are not really typical.   I am *maybe* more careful about proper alignment from listening to the interview (long on Fresh Air) but ultimately I think it comes down to listening to your body when it comes to any exercise and being educated.  And, I seriously doubt it would be possible for me to push myself so hard my muscle cells explode!    Also, I'm not going to sit in heroes pose for an hour and then tear my hamstring where I require major surgery and then say 'yoga is not safe.'  Inversions like headstands can also compress your neck but I never hold them for 20 minutes (more like 20 breaths)  and I will stop in ny 60s or whatever or I don't do them when I'm tired.  I don't know.  I think you can always find kind of the edge or extreme in anything out there.  Just my opinion

[helen]

awg828~~I buy probiotics at the health food store (in the cooler section) when I feel like I need them (taking antibiotics, etc).  Yogurt doesn't really have a lot of probiotics in it honestly despite the claims.  The ones you buy in the pharmacy on the shelf aren't as good as the ones in the health food stores.  I give them to my kids who aren't the best eaters in a small amount of OJ or other juice (like 2 oz, I am anti-juice).   I love sauerkraut too.  I drink a Kombucha every day though so don't worry too much about myself.

[alexasaurusrex]

@helen - you mean you haven't tried the blood yet???  

 

@awg that story is hilarious! I agree with helen that yogurt doesn't have as many cultures as we think. Kombucha is awesome. I wish I could find a less expensive kind but it's really great. I actually didn't know it was a probiotic. I had read that part of the book but quickly forgot. 

 

@TDC Kombucha kind of tastes like a carbonated apple juice. I like Synergy's green one. I know they sell that at Whole Foods in the states. I was in London last summer and I can't remember where but I did get Kombucha while I was there. 

 

I read that cross fit article and it terrified me. I'm supposed to go Saturday to an intro class with one of the moms I work for. She's only a few years older than me so we are becoming friends and her husband is the VP of something in Reebok's cross fit. Should be interesting. She's a major athlete but never gone. I can lift heavy so hopefully I'll be able to keep up. And not throw up. That's the goal - no throw up. But that article makes me think that you could get rhabdo from any workout (if you are super fit as it says in the article) where you go hard core. What makes cross fit so special? Is it because you're doing the same motion over and over? It's not a long time though. I've seen guys in the gym lift heavy repeatedly and completely tear out their shoulders or shred their legs. I think if you do things safely and you use your brain it'll be less likely to get that. We're all adults and we are allowed to say no. No this hurts I don't want to do anymore. I think that article cites people who maybe have a little exercising disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder and just happen to do cross fit. That being said, the trainers should be paying a lot more attention if this happens more than we think. 

[TDC]

@alexasaurusrex: (GREAT name btw). Completely agree with what you said about the article speaking about people who have disorders; I've definitely seen some people like that at my Crossfit box! Like I said, I was terrified the first time I went to Crossfit, apart from anything else because I'm so non-sporty! I've never felt like throwing up, although I have seen people in classes look like they're about to pass out. But, as you say, it's completely up to you how hard you go! Sure the trainer is going to push you hard, and your peers might spur you on to work harder, but knowing your own limitations is really important. And I am a firm believer in what most sensible Paleo-advocate blogs say (e.g. Mark Sisson, Whole9) -- i.e., lift some heavy stuff once in a while but not too much! 

 

Crossfit is different for these reasons:

1.) You're doing completely different things in every class you go. One class you might do strict presses and deadlifts for the WOD; another class you'll do ring dips and pull ups. You're guaranteed to find muscles you never knew existed. So you're not doing the same motion over and over, not for a very long time anyway -- the maximum time for very intense WODs is 10-15 minutes.

2.) You're usually working out as part of a structured class of about 12 to 15 people so there is always a coach/trainer on hand to ask for help, to check you're doing things correctly and are not going to injure yourself. You'll find yourself going back to the same teachers once you've found who you like and they will keep track of your progress and abilities. You will never ever work on your own, so you are sure to know whether or not you're doing something right.

3.) You'll find people who are at roughly the same level as you progressing at about the same time, so you develop a real sense of community. I was told this when I first started and I thought it was a bit cheesy and that I would be unlikely to do this (how do you make friends with people you only see once a week for an hour, all of which are spent huffing and puffing?!) but actually I've got a group of 4 or 5 ladies who were all similarly terrified of Crossfit, started around the same time as me and have progressed to the WOD class at the same time so it's a really nice supportive atmosphere.

4.) Every Crossfit box will have an Intro/Elements/Foundation/Level 1 class that you HAVE to complete before you're allowed to move on to the WOD classes. This is so you are drilled with the specific movements until you know them well enough to lift or perform a move safely. You don't have to know how to do any of the movements to start with. In fact, I think I was at an advantage as I started off at ground zero -- literally knew nothing about weight lifting. So my squats, deadlifts, cleans, etc. are really good because I've never had a chance to form bad habits.

5.) Everything is completely scalable. Yes there's a man over there lifting 150kg over his head but if you can only manage a 15kg bar then that's OK. Can't do a handstand push up? Then kneel on a box and push off the floor like that. You will notice progress in no time.

 

I would speak to your friend's husband about rhabdomyolysis and Crossfit and see what he says. I will speak to my coach about it too if I get a chance. 

 

So as not to highjack this forum to talk about Crossfit, I thought I'd update you on my lunch meeting: we went to a very lovely restaurant serving very fresh, locally sourced, high quality British food. I discussed some of the items with the waiter to find out about dairy/alcohol/grain content. I settled on a whole globe artichoke with vinaigrette and a whole boiled crab with mayonnaise (made in-house so definitely no sugar!) with sides of greens and salad. Really simple food but tasty -- completely allowing the quality of the food speak for itself. I was pleased to not have to make a big fuss about substituting things. It may have been a bit inappropriate to have to eat the crab with my fingers while having a meeting with a prospective author (I'm an editor in Publishing) but at least I ate correctly!

[Christina_K]

@helen - you mean you haven't tried the blood yet???

 

@awg that story is hilarious! I agree with helen that yogurt doesn't have as many cultures as we think. Kombucha is awesome. I wish I could find a less expensive kind but it's really great. I actually didn't know it was a probiotic. I had read that part of the book but quickly forgot. 

 

@TDC Kombucha kind of tastes like a carbonated apple juice. I like Synergy's green one. I know they sell that at Whole Foods in the states. I was in London last summer and I can't remember where but I did get Kombucha while I was there. 

 

I read that cross fit article and it terrified me. I'm supposed to go Saturday to an intro class with one of the moms I work for. She's only a few years older than me so we are becoming friends and her husband is the VP of something in Reebok's cross fit. Should be interesting. She's a major athlete but never gone. I can lift heavy so hopefully I'll be able to keep up. And not throw up. That's the goal - no throw up. But that article makes me think that you could get rhabdo from any workout (if you are super fit as it says in the article) where you go hard core. What makes cross fit so special? Is it because you're doing the same motion over and over? It's not a long time though. I've seen guys in the gym lift heavy repeatedly and completely tear out their shoulders or shred their legs. I think if you do things safely and you use your brain it'll be less likely to get that. We're all adults and we are allowed to say no. No this hurts I don't want to do anymore. I think that article cites people who maybe have a little exercising disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder and just happen to do cross fit. That being said, the trainers should be paying a lot more attention if this happens more than we think.

It's normal to be terrified of CrossFit. It's out of your comfort zone! I was terrified when I first went and even now when I have been MIA for a long time (like now, because my school schedule doesn't work well with theirs).