Starting Whole30 September 1st.

[BecFreeby]

Also- took my weight and BMI today at the gym.

 

Weight: went from 156 to 148.5- BOOM! This made me smile big time.

BMI %: From 27.8% to 24.6%

Lbs. of fat: from 43 down to 36.5

 

I didn't do measurements, but I do know that my jeans from college were looking pretty darn good when I zipped them on last night.  I hope all of you have the results you were after, and that we can all continue to support one another after this... I have a feeling that our journeys are just beginning!

[kacheentemple]

Day 30 is finally here! Congrats to those that made it! I am starting my reintro slow, so I definatly know what I am reacting to if I have a problem. Tomorrow I eating bacon, which I am super excited about Will continue with the bacon for the next few days. May try some ice cream I bought the other day and hid in my freezer in a few days. Not planning on ever eating soy or wheat again, so no re-intro on that yuck. Might try some butter and cheese in the next few weeks. Not too big on dairy anyways, but the occasional bit is good. Then maybe trying some other sweets, like dark chocolate. Might eventually try some organic corn chips, but I haven't really missed those. Still staying away from white potatoes, my body doesn't need the starchy carbs. I may try rice eventually too, but I haven't had any since January, and haven't missed it either. I like the simplicity of eating just meats and veggies, makes figuring out whats for dinner super easy I guess I will just go with the flow. The only things I missed on Whole30 were the bacon and occasional icecream/ dark choc treat.

Hope everyone has a successful reintro!

If you are looking for something else exciting to start Oct. 1st, there is a 21 day meditation for weight-loss hosted by The Gabriel Theory on Facebook, it's a free program and looks very interesting. Search for it and read what it says, see if it sounds like something up your alley. Just have to give your email, and everyday they email you a link to that days program. It is 10 minutes a day, and good for meditation beginners (like myself).

Make sure to give updates on progress, and I will be posting my weight-loss results once I get the chance to weigh in.

Think I might do Whole30 again January 1st to start the New Year fresh, who is with me?

[amberino21]

Day 30 is finally here! Congrats to those that made it! I am starting my reintro slow, so I definatly know what I am reacting to if I have a problem. Tomorrow I eating bacon, which I am super excited about Will continue with the bacon for the next few days. May try some ice cream I bought the other day and hid in my freezer in a few days. Not planning on ever eating soy or wheat again, so no re-intro on that yuck. Might try some butter and cheese in the next few weeks. Not too big on dairy anyways, but the occasional bit is good. Then maybe trying some other sweets, like dark chocolate. Might eventually try some organic corn chips, but I haven't really missed those. Still staying away from white potatoes, my body doesn't need the starchy carbs. I may try rice eventually too, but I haven't had any since January, and haven't missed it either. I like the simplicity of eating just meats and veggies, makes figuring out whats for dinner super easy I guess I will just go with the flow. The only things I missed on Whole30 were the bacon and occasional icecream/ dark choc treat.

Hope everyone has a successful reintro!

If you are looking for something else exciting to start Oct. 1st, there is a 21 day meditation for weight-loss hosted by The Gabriel Theory on Facebook, it's a free program and looks very interesting. Search for it and read what it says, see if it sounds like something up your alley. Just have to give your email, and everyday they email you a link to that days program. It is 10 minutes a day, and good for meditation beginners (like myself).

Make sure to give updates on progress, and I will be posting my weight-loss results once I get the chance to weigh in.

Think I might do Whole30 again January 1st to start the New Year fresh, who is with me?

 

slightly curious as to why you're doing a bacon reintro?

 

just to clarify, when you do your reintros, eat the reintroduced food group at each meal for one day, then eat compliant for at least the next two days to gauge any reactions. you can have different types of the food group - cheese, yoghurt, milk for your dairy day for example - but i'd try not to mix food groups.

[bookworm05]

Okay, I need some tough love/words of wisdom. 

 

I feel blah and have not been experiencing any magic. I'm actually kind of terrified to weigh in (yes, I know it's not all about weight, but my clothes don't fit better and I'm not any smaller). I'm also really excited to eat some chocolate. Really excited. I feel like my sugar cravings have been under control. Usually post dinner is the worst but I've been fine not having anything and have felt no strong urge to pull my hair out...but I still really want chocolate tomorrow. ANd maybe some wine. 

 

So does really wanting chocolate mean I need to extend my whole30? The thought of continuing it just sounds exhausting, but maybe that's what I need to do? Should I proceed with reintro? Should I eat a little chocolate and have some wine over the next few days and then get back on whole30 again? Thoughts? 

[Physibeth]

Okay, I need some tough love/words of wisdom. 

 

I feel blah and have not been experiencing any magic. I'm actually kind of terrified to weigh in (yes, I know it's not all about weight, but my clothes don't fit better and I'm not any smaller). I'm also really excited to eat some chocolate. Really excited. I feel like my sugar cravings have been under control. Usually post dinner is the worst but I've been fine not having anything and have felt no strong urge to pull my hair out...but I still really want chocolate tomorrow. ANd maybe some wine. 

 

So does really wanting chocolate mean I need to extend my whole30? The thought of continuing it just sounds exhausting, but maybe that's what I need to do? Should I proceed with reintro? Should I eat a little chocolate and have some wine over the next few days and then get back on whole30 again? Thoughts? 

 

I think this is totally up to you. Is chocolate the only sugary thing you are craving? Would your craving be satisfied with really dark chocolate? It is possible that you just need more magnesium in your diet. Or is the reason you are craving it emotionally driven? I think you need to sit down and look at your journey and decide what is best for you. Perhaps you need to do another 30 days with a slightly less strict program than the W30 for a little while like one of the meal plans in Practical Paleo. Ultimately we all have to ride our own bikes.

[LauraP]

Okay, I need some tough love/words of wisdom. 

 

I feel blah and have not been experiencing any magic. I'm actually kind of terrified to weigh in (yes, I know it's not all about weight, but my clothes don't fit better and I'm not any smaller). I'm also really excited to eat some chocolate. Really excited. I feel like my sugar cravings have been under control. Usually post dinner is the worst but I've been fine not having anything and have felt no strong urge to pull my hair out...but I still really want chocolate tomorrow. ANd maybe some wine. 

 

So does really wanting chocolate mean I need to extend my whole30? The thought of continuing it just sounds exhausting, but maybe that's what I need to do? Should I proceed with reintro? Should I eat a little chocolate and have some wine over the next few days and then get back on whole30 again? Thoughts? 

Bookworm, not knowing your whole story, but just taking in the few things I have read, I would suggest you stay focused on what you have added to your eating plan that is successful.  Focus on what you do that you like and do it fully.  Stick to the meat and veggies and if you are going to reintro a few things, I would not start with dairy because that opens up ALL kinds of items that were OFF list before.  I think if you want a piece of chocolate, then let yourself have it and if you want wine, let yourself have a small amount here and there, but other than that -- don't go off the plan since you have not see the results you wanted.  Some people see results faster because they don't have as much garbage to clean out as some others do.  I personally am staying off wheat and dairy and legumes.  I am staying totally away from processed foods and MSG.  I am also doing VERY limited sugars and NO artificial sugars.  

 

Don't tell yourself that because you ate chocolate today that you can have anything with sugar.  Cupcakes and baked items are made with wheat flour - for that reason in addition to the sugar, that would be a NO for me.  Don't be hard on yourself, just do what you know will be GOOD for you.  Look at your food as medicine and if it is not going to benefit your body, don't eat or drink it.  Just EAT REAL FOOD.  

 

I hope that helps and I hope it helps take some of the pressure off because I know we need pressure sometimes to make wise decisions, but since you had the willpower to do the Whole30, then I think you have the willpower to make yourself eat healthy.  You CAN do it!

[kacheentemple]

I wanted to start my reintro with bacon because it is the thing I missed most. I didn't know about eating it for every meal though, so I didn't pack any for my lunch. I can definatly find a use for dinner, probably brussel sprouts and leeks sauteed in the bacon fat with the bacon crumbled on it.

I did my weigh in and I lost 5 pounds this month, not alot, but any loss is good in my book

I hope the fact that I had to break down and take some Ibpruphen this morning doesn't mess me up, haven't had to take any since June. So far I feel fine though,so we will see.

[bookworm05]

@LauraP - That does help take the pressure off. I have no intention to reintroduce certain things. I think the idea of just having to "perfect" for any longer than 30 days is exhausting. I don't want to totally go hog wild...I just want the odd chocolate or glass of wine. I will try that and see how I do. 

 

2.5 hours left in my (official) Whole30. I am soooo nervous to weigh in and see those results. I know I shouldn't be. I know it's not all about weight loss and today was actually a day I felt good. I hope tomorrow is the same and I at least have some results I can take away from this. 

[amberino21]

I wanted to start my reintro with bacon because it is the thing I missed most. I didn't know about eating it for every meal though, so I didn't pack any for my lunch. I can definatly find a use for dinner, probably brussel sprouts and leeks sauteed in the bacon fat with the bacon crumbled on it.

I did my weigh in and I lost 5 pounds this month, not alot, but any loss is good in my book

I hope the fact that I had to break down and take some Ibpruphen this morning doesn't mess me up, haven't had to take any since June. So far I feel fine though,so we will see.

Bacon isn't non-compliant though....you're allowed bacon! Most has a little sugar, but that doesn't require a separate reintro....

[Helgahelga]

Hello!

Becfreeby and kacheentemple- those are great results! Congratulations!

Bookworm- i guess I agree that this next part is all about riding your own bike. A lot of people feel lost about how to continue life post whole30 that they just keep going. My personal choice is that I will keep on eating Paleo with the occasional paleo treat (the book against all grains have some that look really good). I know some paleo people are not OK with paleo treats but having some will make the change sustainable for me. I know from my previous Whole30 that gluten is bad for me so I need to stay away from it.

Measures wise I lost about an inch from the waist and about 3/4 of an inch from the hips. I haven't had a chance to weight myself but I don't think I lost too much. I am already in a good shape and weight for my height, I think that's why my change was minimal and I was already eating paleo.

Bookworm- could it me that you are already thin or that you don't need to loose weight? I've read that sometimes your body doesn't want to get any thinner and that's why you don't loose weight (or for people already too thin they even gain weight during the Whole30). There's a post some where called "Why didn't the Whole30 work for me" or something like that.

Anyway I will weight myself in a while and report back. Have a great day!

[Helgahelga]

I just step on the scale. I lost 6 pounds! I am very surprised, I thought I had lost 3 pounds tops. During this whole30 I discovered I am sensitive to pistachos and I feel better if I only eat a little nuts so I have to be aware of that. I have been sleeping better only for the last couple of days and I am proud of finishing. This time it was easier and that just proves to me that this is the way I want to keep eating and this suits me.

[bookworm05]

Helgahelga - I wish that was my problem. I'm about 20lbs overweight and 30lbs heavier than I would like to be...so it's not "vanity pounds" or anything like that. I definitely have excess body fat and weight to lose. 

 

So Day 31. Disappointed in my results. Couldn't sleep at all last night because I was nervous I wouldn't see anything on the scale (and since I haven't had any really majorly positive changes I was clinging to hope the scale might show something). 

 

I lost two measly pounds. I ended up at a lower weight the last time I attempted this when I went on a five day binge-fest during days 15 - 20. I feel like I did a good job with this one, though there's always room for improvement, but yeah. Not really feeling any whole30 love today. 

 

I hope everyone's results are better than mine! 

[Physibeth]

Helgahelga - I wish that was my problem. I'm about 20lbs overweight and 30lbs heavier than I would like to be...so it's not "vanity pounds" or anything like that. I definitely have excess body fat and weight to lose. 

 

So Day 31. Disappointed in my results. Couldn't sleep at all last night because I was nervous I wouldn't see anything on the scale (and since I haven't had any really majorly positive changes I was clinging to hope the scale might show something). 

 

I lost two measly pounds. I ended up at a lower weight the last time I attempted this when I went on a five day binge-fest during days 15 - 20. I feel like I did a good job with this one, though there's always room for improvement, but yeah. Not really feeling any whole30 love today. 

 

I hope everyone's results are better than mine! 

 

 

2 lbs while not logging every calorie and eating wonderful whole foods sounds like a pretty big win to me. Did you take any body measurements? Not sleeping well/stress will have a negative impact on the scale too. If you really feel like you gained nothing from this W30 I would look back over your food/movement/stress/sleep for the last 30 days and identify a couple of things that you could work on going forward. 

[bookworm05]

2 lbs while not logging every calorie and eating wonderful whole foods sounds like a pretty big win to me. Did you take any body measurements? Not sleeping well/stress will have a negative impact on the scale too. If you really feel like you gained nothing from this W30 I would look back over your food/movement/stress/sleep for the last 30 days and identify a couple of things that you could work on going forward. 

 

I will definitely review it, Physibeth. I didn't take body measurements but my clothes fit exactly the same. I think I'm too sensitive right now to kind of process everything. 2lbs is not tragic, but I feel like I keep losing and gaining the same two pounds whether I'm eating Whole30, paleo, or whatever I feel like and watching my calories. So it's a situation where the input doesn't match the output and that's a bit of a letdown. While I know weight is not the only part of the equation, I have weight to lose so I hoped to see some progress in that direction. 

 

Obviously I felt negative right now since my hopes were kind of shattered this morning. I'm hoping after I sleep I'll have some perspective. I did introduce dairy today so we'll see how that goes.  

[GFChris]

Helgahelga - I wish that was my problem. I'm about 20lbs overweight and 30lbs heavier than I would like to be...so it's not "vanity pounds" or anything like that. I definitely have excess body fat and weight to lose. 

 

So Day 31. Disappointed in my results. Couldn't sleep at all last night because I was nervous I wouldn't see anything on the scale (and since I haven't had any really majorly positive changes I was clinging to hope the scale might show something). 

 

I lost two measly pounds. I ended up at a lower weight the last time I attempted this when I went on a five day binge-fest during days 15 - 20. I feel like I did a good job with this one, though there's always room for improvement, but yeah. Not really feeling any whole30 love today. 

 

I hope everyone's results are better than mine! 

I'm sorry you're disappointed in your results. One thing to be proud of: you COMPLETED A WHOLE30! From reading your posts in this thread, I know you had tried a couple times before, so kudos to you on finishing!

 

And, you lost 2 lbs instead of gaining 2 lbs. If I recall correctly, moderator Tom Denham also lost 2 lbs on his first Whole30, kept going, and proceeded to lose weight at a rate of 2 lbs per month for several months thereafter.

I second Bethany's (Physibeth's) suggestion to review the past 30 days for any possible diet/lifestyle tweaks.  This article may have some helpful tidbits as well. http://whole9life.com/2012/10/six-reasons-why-the-whole30-didnt-work-for-you/

Good luck on your reintros!

[bookworm05]

@GF Chris - Thanks! I know you're right, it's better than gaining. And completing a Whole30 was a big accomplishment. I'm sure things will look better in the morning. It's just frustrating when someone much thinner than that I know does it and loses 12lbs...or 17lbs even...doesnt seem fair. 

 

Also, I made an appointment at the clinic on campus this morning to get my hormone levels chest. My maternal grandmother is hypothyroid and I've "dieted" for a while and want to get my levels checked just to be sure nothing medical is going on. 

[BecFreeby]

bookworm,  I hope you get the news you're after from the clinician, thyroids can wreak havoc on your body and getting it in check can be very draining.

 

I am so proud that you finished, even despite feeling defeated and all that goes along with it.  On the plus side, outside of the weight loss, you can feel glad that your body is so much healthier and you are feuling it with the best possible food.  I am very sure that you will reap long-term rewards of the positive changes, even if it may not be on the scale. 

 

I have had some interesting experiences so far with reintro (I started them a week ago).  I thought I would DIVE into a bakery and order 9 of everything, but so far bread has held little interest.  I have tried it twice, and both times it was tasty but something I could live without, escpecially the bloating.  This is a big deal, bread used to be my "thing."  I think I have uncovered a bit of gluten sensitivity, which is great to know.  Rice, grains, noodle, tortillas are all just off my radar.  I don't care about them, which is a big switch for me- and I call it a success! Corn is different, it's not upsetting my stomach and it tastes amazing.  And, a lot of corn chips are gluten free so maybe I will treat that as an occasional add in social situations and in the summer when I grow it.

 

Dairy. Oh, dairy.  Milk, yogurt, butter, cream- meh, don't care.  Now cheese, on the other hand, is simply irresistable to me (in a theoretical sense, of course, as I am the master of my choices and can say "no" whenever I want... right?).  I want it all the time, with every meal.  But only the expensive stuff, go figure.  The funny thing is, it makes me a little gassy so I am not sure what to make of it.

 

Soy is a nightmare. Never again.

 

Sugar, that sneaky devil, has not been "added" in, per se, as I am not seeking out sugary items and dessert is never high on my wish list.  Of course it can be found lurking in my salsa and condiments, so I am just choosing to make my own or go without.  I do think that when I am eating out, sugar is the biggest offender.  It's pretty obvious when you're eating the other things (except maybe hidden soy) but sugar is the Trojan Horse of food.  I am not seeking it out, though, so I am also taking that as a good sign.

 

I am staying on plan for at least two meals a day, by choice, not design.  My "cheats" are cheese, occasionally alcohol, and some corn chips.  What has everybody else noticed?

[bookworm05]

Hey Everyone, 

 

So now that the forums are back up and running I figured I should update you. I'm retaining a crap load of water right now thanks to one night of drinking too much wine. Super frustrating it still hasn't gone away. 

 

But I do have good news! I saw the campus doctor on Friday October 4th, told her about how well I was eating and how much I work out. She probed me a little more about the exercise I do but agreed pretty quickly it wasn't normal how my body was responding. We did a physical exam and she gave me a blood test for thyroid and blood sugars among other things (I have PCOS). She asked if my thyroid came back normal would I consider going back on metformin and while I was definitely not a fan of taking drugs, if that's the little push I need to get me back where I want to be I'm willing to take it and hopefully come off it again in the future. I hate feeling so out of control with my weight. 

 

It was really refreshing to find a doctor so open to working with me. Hopefully this continues. 

 

Thanks for the support. I'm sorry I was so negative towards the end. I do love the principles of the Whole30 program and think it lays down a great framework for healthy eating. While this hasn't been a good week I definitely want to transition back into a whole30 way of eating after Thanksgiving and hopefully I will start seeing real progress after I follow up with the doctor on the 18th.