Starting over, shoot, need a buddy! (going for a Whole60!)

[Chica2543]

Hi everybody 

 

Sooooo, my name is Joyce, I'm 34 years old and I've had a bad relationship with food for, like, all my life..   Of all the weightloss diets I've tried (I think I've tried 'em all..), Atkins was the one that gave me the best results and made me feel good and in control of food. I loved WeightWatchers because of the choices I got to make for the foods that I love but as my DH always tells me; I'm too good at finding the holes in a diet to 'cheat' on myself. Hence I'd eat nothing all day to have all points available at night so I could binge. Yeah, that did work. Not. 

 

Latey I'm searching for a way to heal myself, mentally / emotionally & physically. I've quit smoking 3 months ago and I want to live healthy and feel healthy. Be healthy. 

I came across Whole30 and decided to take the plunge. My DH is doing it with me to support me and kick his sugar dragon as well, yay 

 

I knew I could go nuts for nut butter so that's a no go for me. I can eat a whole jar within an hour. Not.So.Good. I know... 

 

So last week we started and together we fought the dragons and were doing great. Until today. I ate all the nuts I could find and a lot of dates. It was like there was half of me trying to eat all the dates available and the other half of me was trying to take the dates away from the other me. Sigh. The binge battle. At night I ate a big fat chocolate brownie because the day was already lost...... 

 

Okay, back on track. Tomorrow we start again. Day 1. And I'm going to go for a Whole60 too. Away with the nuts and the fruit. It's too dangerous for me. I can't eat just one fruit or a few nuts. Even if I eat them with a meal, it unleashes the devil inside me... ohhh that banana was really delicious!!! So sweet and soft and creamy... I wonder how the berries would feel in my mouth.. I bet they'd taste sweet, and explode in my mouth... I think you get what I mean 

 

Although my DH is very supportive, I'm looking for buddy's to team up with... anyone?

 

[Tallchik]

Hi Joyce,

I started my Whole 30 this morning and would love a buddy!!

Kirsten

[Physibeth]

Joyce, I hear a lot of my pre-Paleo self in your post. I struggled with binge eating and all the diet traps for years. One thing about this program is it does take some mental work as well as lots of cooking and eating good food. When faced with these needs to eat all the things take some time to think about your reasons. Often when we can't stop eating it is because our body needs something nutritionally that it isn't getting and doesn't necessarily know how to ask for it. On that end sticking closely to the food template will help a lot. Sometimes when we can't stop eating though it is a psychological conditioning and that is harder to break with food alone. After all the title of the book is It Starts With Food.

 

It sounds like you really want this and thus you will get it! I encourage you to tape a list of your reasons for doing a W30 up in all the problem areas of your kitchen and getting all the trigger foods out of the house if possible. Keeping a food log would be helpful too so you can get feedback on your meals from others and keep track of where some of your triggers might be.

 

Looking forward to following your journey!

[littlekirbo]

Hey Joyce!

You are NOT alone in your struggles with binge eating. I know this because I too struggle with the same thing. Today was Day 3 for me and I slipped up big time with loads of sugar and carbs. I am re-starting tomorrow for a Whole 50! 50 days until I turn 25! On my birthday, I will gladly partake in a delicious meal from Carabba's. (Italian grill if you're not familiar) We can do this! I'm here if you need any support.

-Kirby

[Natalie M.]

I'm starting my second whole 30 today, after a three-day wheat and sugar orgy. I'm on vacation, but fortunately I have the food, etc., that I need to get started right away. I'm ready to feel great again.  Let's do this!

[HeatherM]

I'm on Day 3 of my Restart.  I fell off the wagon over the long week-end while camping (my Day 5).  My binge came in the form of several beers around the campfire and plenty of chips.  I felt horrible afterwards and ready to get back on track quickly.

 

I also have tried every nutrition program or diet known to mankind.  I've had success with Weight Watchers in the past but not by following it to the letter, I'd make up my own rules similar to yours.  I'd be starving all week long and save all my bonus points for the week-end so that I could have a cheat day on Saturday. That routine was very unhealthy and I'm trying to step away from that.  I have also quit smoking.

 

It sounds like you have great support at home from your DH, that's excellent.  My network is not particularly supportive, including my DH.  They tend to think that I don't need to go as "extreme" as W30.  I do look to the forum for support and I am ready to offer it regularly.

 

I'm in.  Let's do this!

[Chica2543]

Wow, thank you all for making me feel so welcome!

 

Natalie & Kirsten; yes yes yes, let's do this together! I'm looking forward to our journey and helping each other when bad cravings hit the road. 

 

Bethany; thank you sooo much for your time to write that up for me. For me this is and will be mostly a mental struggle. The other thing is that I really keep thinking about calories and small portions. I can't possibly eat the same big portion I gave to my hubby? He should get the biggest steak and the most protein/fat. And when I do make myself eat a big portion 2 things happen... 1) I'm so full I can't eat everything that's on my plate and (now this is where it gets interesting) 2) I keep eating because my mind tells me it's good to eat and I can't have a snack (3 meals per day) so eat while ya can gal, come on now, eat

 

Whether I eat everything or not, 2 to 3 hours later I'm hungry again. I ask myself; do I want steamed fish with boiled broccoli now? The answer is almost always yes. 

 

Problem is; I don't know if this is because I'm actually hungry or because I just LOVE steamed fish and broccoli. I actually love food so much anything can be my trigger food. It's like my brain tells me; ok so you can't have sugar? Fine, I can do this with nuts. Oh.. I can't have nuts? Fine, I can do this with fruit! Oh.. I can't have fruit? Ok.. fine.. then I'll be fine with eggs. You say I can't have them? Ok, throw in a can of tuna with homemade mayo and that'll be my new trigger food. 

 

Typing this makes me realise what a true junk I actually am. It's been worse since I quit my smoking habit. A little over 100 days now. Every hour there's a battle going on. Stupid tantrums my brain/body are throwing at me... You want to go sugarless? Fine!! I'll go smoke one Right.Now. Oh... that's right. I don't smoke anymore. Then I'll go for icecream. Or chocolate. Whichever is fine by me. I can't have that? Say what? Come again? You're not being serious are you? Oh. You are? Well why the heck should I go on living then hmm? What's the frigging use? I can't have ANYTHING. You're being so mean to me. I thought you were supposed to love yourself and all you come up with is this shit. Nobody is perfect and I've been through enough so give me something bad. Now. 

 

When I actually 'win' this battle it goes on like this;

Awwww come on now.. please? I'm BEGGING you. Just this once. Please, only 1 chocolate! Please? Honey come on I SWEAR I'll behave when you give me something. I'll settle for 1 cigarette. Please give me SOMETHING.... 

 

When I 'win' THAT battle I get 5 minutes of rest before another tantrum is been thrown to me. 

 

I'm getting quiet crazy about it and I'm obsessed with making the good choices, what I can and can't have. I try to live by the rule '3 meals a day' and no snacking. I try o live by the rule 'no SWYPO's' and no 'Paleofying' foods'. 

 

But honestly I'm only on Day 2 and my last failed attempt (when I gave into the binge attack on Day 8) isn't helping either. The voice in my head tells me; ah you failed at day 8. What makes you think you'll make it that far now? You've already failed. You can try, but I'll guarantee you that you'll fail again. 

 

ARGH ok enough with this nonsense... what's happening to me. I'm usually a smart loving girl so why all these battles and insecurities?

Last night (around 10 pm ish) I was sooo hungry, so I made myelf a mini meal... I ate spinach with 2 hardboiled eggs. It tasted so good. I wanted more when I finished. But I refused to eat more. Told myself enough was enough. Was I really really hungry? I didn't think so. I had a good dinner and a mini meal. How could I still be hungry? People in Africa, THEY know hunger. So I told myself to shut up and deal with it. 

 

But really the spinach was so good. And those hardboiled eggs... NOMNOM.. Just thinking about it makes me wanna have it again. 

 

Heather; thanks for your comment! Oh I know... I make my own rules too even though I DO follow the program to the letter. That's why I believe this W30 is good for me. There's little room for making your own rules. But it's tough though.. Like yesterday I neeeeded raisins with some almonds. I didn't take them but boy it was tempting. My head kept telling me; damnit, those are COMPLIANT foods, just take them alright! Yeah yeah, keep talking brainy, I'm not going to listen!

Good for you that you've also quit smoking! How long has it been for you? My DH does support me although he can't deal with my temper tantrums.. when I go ballistic and tell him I need.it.now.or.else. he'll just go to the grocery to get me that chocolate. He doesn't want to see me mad all evening. 

I'm more than willing to offer you the support!! Let's do this!

 

Kirby; no I don't know Carraba's as I'm not from the USA but from Europe :-) 

It's almost 2.30 pm now. Going into my weakest moments now (3 - 9 pm) and I'll fight that battle. 

 

How are all of you doing today?

 

 

[Chica2543]

Oh and a question... my DH is doing this Whole30 with me to support me but he's always had a good weight. He's losing it very fast now too. He doesn't care much for food and doesn't like nuts or nutbutters that much. He doesn't like hard boiled cold eggs and doesn't like avocado unless it's been thrown in a dish. 

 

I see him losing the weight too quickly. 

 

Any suggestions what I can feed him extra so he doesn't lose too much weight?

[GFChris]

Oh and a question... my DH is doing this Whole30 with me to support me but he's always had a good weight. He's losing it very fast now too. He doesn't care much for food and doesn't like nuts or nutbutters that much. He doesn't like hard boiled cold eggs and doesn't like avocado unless it's been thrown in a dish. 

 

I see him losing the weight too quickly. 

 

Any suggestions what I can feed him extra so he doesn't lose too much weight?

Increase his protein and fat portions at each meal. Eat carb dense vegetables more often than not.

[amberino21]

Oh and a question... my DH is doing this Whole30 with me to support me but he's always had a good weight. He's losing it very fast now too. He doesn't care much for food and doesn't like nuts or nutbutters that much. He doesn't like hard boiled cold eggs and doesn't like avocado unless it's been thrown in a dish.

I see him losing the weight too quickly.

Any suggestions what I can feed him extra so he doesn't lose too much weight?

Adding fat is an easy way to get more in to him with very little volume - my husband doesnt like huge volume, so has more fat to increase his intake. Try covering everything in mayo lots of starchy carbs will also help.

I'd also suggest having him eat 4-5 meals a day but you mentioned that he doesn't have much interest in food...would he be willing to eat more often?

[Chica2543]

Adding fat is an easy way to get more in to him with very little volume - my husband doesnt like huge volume, so has more fat to increase his intake. Try covering everything in mayo lots of starchy carbs will also help.

I'd also suggest having him eat 4-5 meals a day but you mentioned that he doesn't have much interest in food...would he be willing to eat more often?

 

No, he tends to forget to eat actually. He's really interested in sports but not so much in food. As he always says; I only eat when I'm really hungry and only if he likes the food. Otherwise he just doesn't eat. That's fine with him as well. He hates mayo... so that's not gonna work LOL. He always tells me; I told you I like my tuna/salad/fill-in-here/ without mayo or olive oil covered. Sigh. I try to sneak it in but I see him losing the weight, a little too much too quickly in my opinion. He's very active. 

 

Can you give me a few examples of starchy carbs or carb dense vegetables I can give him?

Thanks!

[PocketPanda]

I'm on day two as well, Chica, and I'm right there with you on the poor relationship with food and the feeling hungry two hours after eating. I'm hoping that will pass. I feel like I'm eating a TON at meal time and there's no way I could eat another bite. Hoping the huge food cravings will pass with time. 

 

I added a giant sweet potato to my dinner last night (curried chicken, broccoli and cauliflower) and that seemed to help. I'd suggest you incorporate sweet potatoes, acorn squash and butternut squash into your husband's plan. Also bananas and olives.  

[GFChris]

 

 

Can you give me a few examples of starchy carbs or carb dense vegetables I can give him?

 

Beets, carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, yams, onion, butternut squash, jicama, acorn squash, plantains.

[Physibeth]

Joyce, your DH has similar eating habits to my DH only he is far pickier. If I ever get him off the SAD diet I'll be screaming from the mountain tops. You have gotten good advice on him so I will speak again to you.

 

Congratulations on quitting smoking! You do have the resolve to win these mental battles and quitting smoking shows you that!

 

Forget about calories and portion control. Weight watchers is such an unhealthy program when it comes to truly nourishing the body and I know that from personal experience having gone on it the first time when I was 12. You need to unlearn those things. You have probably been chronically underfeeding and undernourishing your body and it is screaming at you for that reason! You will probably have to do battle with the sugar dragon for a couple of weeks at least. If you can let go of the weight loss/gain worry and just feed your body things will even out. Serve yourself a full template meal at every meal and if you feel hungry eat a mini meal (half template meal) and just move on. Once your body realizes you are no longer trying to starve it of calories or nutrients things should calm down. As the book says it does get worse before it gets better. Trust the process. When your body is screaming at you to eat something off plan either feed it a compliant mini meal or do something else. Get away from food. Go for a walk or bike ride. Read a book. Whatever it takes to recondition your mental and physical response.

 

You can do this! Fight the good fight!

[pennylane14]

I'm on day 2 as well, and happy to have found others who started at the same time. 

 

I admit, I was a Weight Watchers advocate for about four years, until I plateaued/gained some weight back. Then out of curiosity, I counted calories as well as points, assuming that I was eating way more calories than I needed. Wrong, I was always a few points over with WW, but was eating barely 1,100 calories. I agree to WW skews what our bodies need for actual nourishment. I think it is handy for portion control and deciding if a treat is "worth" it. 

 

Would love to share recipes/troubleshoot things as well!

 

Happy Wednesday!

[Natalie M.]

Joyce, I couldn't agree more with physibeth; your body wants nourishment, and as long as your options are nutrient dense, go ahead and have them. If you are "bingeing" on healthy vegetables, good fats, and well-raised proteins, you are giving your body what it needs to heal. Maybe you shouldn't have nuts and nut butter in the house for a week or two (or more) until your mind and body adjust to this new influx of nutrition As far as fruits go, maybe only buy local seasonal fruits. I think it is healthy and natural to eat fruits to satisfaction for the short time they are in season. Just tell yourself good food is a good thing; you are not a junkie!!!

[carrot_flowers]

Just wanted to give you a shout-out - I can't keep nut butters OR dates in my house, either

 

Best wishes on your Whole 30! <3

[awg828]

Hello all!  I just started my Whole 30 today and so I'd like to tag along with you all if that's ok.  I need accountability and support and I'm sure not going to get it at home!  My husband is quite the junk food aficionado and prefers to eat potato chips with every meal.  It's not pretty.  And I have two little kids -  sunbutter and jelly sandwiches are a staple around here!  I've never done anything like this but I've read most of ISWF and have looked through Well Fed (even made two recipes - the chocolate chili and the cumin cinnamon carrots - both were great!) and I'm excited about the changes this month will bring.  I have become far too dependent on food for emotional comfort (bored, sad, anxious) and find that I ride the sugar craving/binging/crash roller coaster all day.  I love wine and sugar and cheese and there are lots of vegetables I don't like (especially kale!  I can't figure out why people love it so much!) but I'm looking forward to learning new ways of preparing food and for re-setting my taste buds.  Good luck to all of you!

 

- Angie

[HeatherM]

Hi All, Day 5 here!  I'm happy that it's finally Friday but also a little apprehensive because I know I'll have my biggest challenges over the week-end.  I have lots of activities and some very delicious meals planned for the week-end to help me stay on track.  I have a long-term habit of blowing off steam on the week-end with drinks and junk food.  This is one of the biggest reasons I'm on Whole 30 to start with and it's one of the hardest habits to conquer.  

 

I'm curious what your biggest challenges are and how you deal with them?

[awg828]

Heather - I'm super nervous about the weekend too. With two little kids in the house (they usually go to daycare or as I like to think of it "school" during the week because I work from home), weekends are usually my most stressful time.  I actually started feeling sad last night because I typically like winding into the weekend with a beer or margarita at dinner and then, of course, treats all weekend (ie ice cream, pancakes).  I'm planning on doing some prep today such as cut up cantaloupe, make some sort of compliant snack mix (coconut, cashews,??) and creating a little poster with a countdown and all the reasons that I'm doing this (lose weight, gain energy, slay the sugar dragon, be a good example for kids/husband) and maybe a not so flattering pic from my recent beach trip. It's going to be tough but you've made it 5 days - we can do this!!

 

PS - I've already started my food dreams!  Last night I dreamed I just stuffed a big chunk of chocolate in my mouth without thinking about it.  This morning I tried to recreate the taste with a little pure cocoa, cinnamon and coconut milk in my coffee

 

Angie