Wow, off roading sucks. Lesson learned!

[Juice06870]

I completed my first Whole30 near the end of June and for the rest of the summer I remained more or less complaint to the program with the exception of some alcohol here and there and a cheat meal every once in a while.  But all of my meals were home cooked from real sources (nothing processed or artificial)  I felt better then I had felt in maybe 8 or 10 years.  I had the tiger blood.  Every work out was awesome, I was sleeping like a rock, tons of energy day and night etc etc.  This really changed my life.  

Then I had to go to Mnnesota for a wedding over Labor Day weekend.  (Wed night - Sunday).  Since I was so good all summer, and since I never felt any ill effects from the occasional cheat meal, I was prepared for the fact that I would have a fairly high proportion of non-compliant meals over the course of the weekend and looking forward to it.  Big mistake.  I haven't felt the same since I returned.  Over the entire weekend, I probably ate 55-60% compliant food, and the rest was stuff I would not normally touch.  Pancakes & syrup, pizza, desert pizza, beer, wedding cake, bread, homemade peanut butter (made with lots of brown sugar), etc etc. Luckily most places served grass fed meats, so a lot of my protein intake (when i was eating right) was grass fed, free range and / or carge free.  However starting Labor day Monday, I was completely shot.  Some of it had to do with travelling, flying, driving etc with a 2 year old and being busy as part of the wedding party.  But usually a good night or 2 of sleep and that would be the end of it. 

 

Not in my case.  For the first time in months, I have been having trouble pulling myself out of bed to get to the gym.  My workouts have been very sub par.  My energy levels are at pre-whole30 lows.  General motivation to do many things is also very low.  This is all exactly the stuff I got away from and wanted to stay away from forever.  It's been 2 weeks since the trip, and I still feel like I am fighting an uphill battle to get my body back on track.  Since returning, my diet has basically been 95% compliant.  Except for booze which I have had on average 2x a week since then.  

 

I am hoping I shake these feelings before too much longer because it's so frustrating.  It is a big and valuable lesson learned for the future though.  I have a long weekend away with the wife at the end of the month, a short vacation in october and another 8 days away in December.  Any temptations I might have had to 'enjoy' myself will be out the window.  Of course a nice meal here or there, but not day after day. It's simply not worth it after the fact.  

[Anita D]

I too completed my whole 30 on September 17. Feeling good! Yesterday, I decided to have a hot fudge sundae with friends...wow! I couldnt sleep and this morning, I feel sooooooo lethargic. Sugar is my poison. And I'm amazed at how quickly my body rejected it. Lesson learned.

I enjoyed the whole 9 way of eating. So, except for the occasional glass of bubbly, and a meal that may not be wholly compliant, I'm sticking to it!

[cayenne]

I completed my Whole 60 in May and have been 99% compliant since with the exception of a off road meal here or there(maybe 3 times since April?) I don't think I could stomach several days of off roading. A meal or two over time is OK but I can sure tell my "taste" has changed as what used to really turn me on(icecream,candy etc) really don't taste as good anymore. But a bag of Tostidos came and went in very short order. Staying away from that!

So glad I have found a way of eating that I can feel good, lose weight, sleep better and not have to count a darn thing.

[Juice06870]

Yes I agree on how the taste buds have changed after the Whole30.  For example, yesterday I had a light lunch at my mother-in-law's place, and after it was finished, I was fairly satiated, but I felt I needed just a little of something else (and epic bar or primal pac would have been too much).  I grabbed a jar of peanut butter to have just one small spoonful.  It was WAY to sweet for my taste.  I haven't had peanut butter since May, only have had some almond butter sporadically here and there.  

There are a few other examples, but it's nice knowing that I don't need stuff like that to satisfy myself anymore. (and when i do have it, it's so sweet it turns me off to it, thus killing any further cravings)