Emily T Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 So I did my first Whole30 in July/August of this year. I loved it. I gained so much out of it. I lost weight, my skin felt better, my hair and nails felt better, I slept better, I had better energy levels, stopped snacking, felt more positive, less anxiety - LOVED IT! I learned to live without my favorite foods - cheese, yogurt, hummus, Diet Coke being the big ones. And it wasn't very hard for me! I enjoyed this little journey. Then it ended. And I kept up with the meal plan. Occasionally having a little cheese, yogurt, etc. Making my own hummus here and there. But the big downfall was alcohol. It started with all these weddings - booze booze and more booze, "its just one night, I deserve this" I would say. Then it became a habit - Fridays, to let off steam, I would go out with friends. Since I ended my whole30 at the end of August, I have done this probably seven or eight weekends now - I would end up forgetting how much I hate the way alcohol makes me feel. I would "let loose." Because its so typical for people in my age group to get drunk once or twice per week, and so typical where I live to go out for drinks after work (I'm in DC, a happy hour town), its easy to think, "Well I don't drink as much as those people, its not a big deal." But I am not those people, because alcohol doesn't just give me a hangover. It makes me puffy - I see black spots in my right eye - I am bloated - my whole body is bruised and swollen - my nose and throat are stuffy - I am gassy and constipated. I physically feel awful for days. I quit smoking in May, and during my boozey weekends have led to me picking up the habit again (while drinking). I am terrified I am headed down a slippery slope and I need to stop it now. I still follow the meal plan for the most part (maybe with a little too much dark chocolate!), but the alcohol and occasional tobacco use negates all positive effects of the food choices I make. It surprises me how easy I found the whole30 - I was not tempted at ALL, and cheating wasn't an option. After it ended, though, it was much harder for me to stick to a healthy lifestyle, because I kept making exceptions for myself. Its clear I am unable to manage "moderation." The only time I am able to stick to a healthy lifestyle is when I have very very strict guidelines (like the whole30 or other strict eating plans). I'm scared about what this means - I don't want to live my life feeling controlled by the very strict rules of the Whole30 - the same way I do not want to count calories or be tied to the scale. But when I do not have rules, I flail out of control. I would welcome suggestions on how to move forward. I have decided to do the whole30 again in November, to try and push my body back to where it was in August, and hopefully do a better job when coming off. My thought was to do an experiment here by including a few "off plan" items to prove to myself I can enjoy these in moderation. For example, some dairy products (basic rule of thumb = 1 serving per day), some added sugars (in mustard or sriracha sauce), and SWYPO is okay in moderation. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WunderHase Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Of course thinking that you'd do something in a certain way for the rest of your life seems too much, because it is too much :-) You would be attempting to control something that's not in your control. What you could do though, is have like miniature strict rules for yourself. So for example, you would have a clear plan on what to eat and drink before and after going out to minimize the damage. Or always drink a glass of water in between drinks. Just have some plans so that you don't have to wing it when someone asks you out for drinks. Or if you'll eat foods you think you shouldn't, do a strict recovery period right after. Just don't go from one extreme to another. Don't punish yourself. Going for a run in a hangover is not reasonable. It's stupid :-) Countering one silly action with another will not help. It just makes you silly. I just read this one interview of a very successful business man and he said that he always has a backup plan. I thought to myself "Bloody hell. I've never had those! Perhaps it's time to start..." If I'd know what to do even when I'm tired (or drunk), then things might go more smoothly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibliophile Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I second the idea of a back up plan. It helps to know what you're going to do before the moment arrives. In terms of drinking, I did let friends and family know that I wouldn't be drinking. I made this a super low key sort of fyi announcement, which I framed in terms of health goals. The fact that I've lost 15 pounds since July perhaps helped, but no one blinked an eye. Now, if I go out with friends, they are just going to assume I'm not going to drink (and honestly, if I felt like a drink, I'd now have some reverse pressure there since I've told everyone I'm not going to drink). You don't necessarily have to go that route, but if you wanted to plan not to drink on a given night, you could just let a friend or two know before leaving for the bars--and maybe offer to be the designated driver (or taxi hailer)! I've also done some experimenting to find some alternative beverages that I can enjoy. They probably aren't whole 30 compliant, but they feel like a special treat. One other thought: have you tried doing paleo or primal? It is a little less restrictive, and a few months of eating that way might give you more time to get new habits in place. You can always go back to whole 30 down the road or to do occasional resets, explore more food intolerances, etc. I have also found that when I eat more squash, sweet potatoes and other carbs, my cravings for alcohol seem to be diminished. Good luck! I know it isn't easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallulah Wolf-Angel Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Nowadays it seems to me that there are so many people "in Recovery" or taking meds that preclude drinking alcohol, that it's not all that unusual for someone to just say, "No thanks, I don't drink." If you are cheerful and convivial about it, people will still be glad to have you at the party. I usually have club soda with a twist of lime, so I can feel like I'm participating, but I don't have to deal with the results of really drinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 bibliophile - I ate very primal for the year before I did my whole30. But when I eat primal or whatever, because I am no longer beholden to the strict rules, I never know what is the appropriate diet. I cannot gauge what "moderate" is. How do you follow the 80-20 rule? How many servings of dairy is too much? How many times a week can I eat chocolate? How often can I order Thai takeout? Looking at my diet the past week, I definitely have eaten mostly paleo and several meals that are whole30 compliant - but I feel discouraged and lost without strict guidelines. On top of that, I still treat food (and to an extent, alcohol) as a reward. I am still equating food with my performance. The Whole30 is supposed to help you think of food as nourishment, not as punishment or reward. Maybe it will just take longer for my brain to realize that. As someone who used to be overweight and an emotional eater, its not surprising this is proving so difficult now. Re: drinking, its a separate issue I think. I have tried having a very specific plan for handling drinking during social situations. And then - in the heat of the moment - I usually reach this "Oh screw it, I'm young, I had a hard week, everyone else is doing it, how bad can it be?!" moment. Its like my brain has a revisionist history - it erases all of the bad feelings. Its happened time and time again, despite my many plans and commitments to myself. Its also a social crutch - I find it very difficult, even impossible, to feel comfortable meeting people and socializing without that so-called "liquid courage". That is a personal issue I need to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wynne Jones Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 It sounds like doing another Whole 30 is a good plan. I found I wasn't able to off-road at all until, suddenly, I could. How did that happen? No idea If you are drinking without your own permission, or if drinking is becoming an emotionally charged issue for you, you may want to seek advice from a doctor or counselor. I was diagnosed as an alcoholic in October of 2009, and I just celebrated 4 years of sobriety, but I could not have done it without help. Let us know how your November W30 goes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amberino21 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 bibliophile - I ate very primal for the year before I did my whole30. But when I eat primal or whatever, because I am no longer beholden to the strict rules, I never know what is the appropriate diet. I cannot gauge what "moderate" is. How do you follow the 80-20 rule? How many servings of dairy is too much? How many times a week can I eat chocolate? How often can I order Thai takeout? Looking at my diet the past week, I definitely have eaten mostly paleo and several meals that are whole30 compliant - but I feel discouraged and lost without strict guidelines. On top of that, I still treat food (and to an extent, alcohol) as a reward. I am still equating food with my performance. The Whole30 is supposed to help you think of food as nourishment, not as punishment or reward. Maybe it will just take longer for my brain to realize that. As someone who used to be overweight and an emotional eater, its not surprising this is proving so difficult now. Re: drinking, its a separate issue I think. I have tried having a very specific plan for handling drinking during social situations. And then - in the heat of the moment - I usually reach this "Oh screw it, I'm young, I had a hard week, everyone else is doing it, how bad can it be?!" moment. Its like my brain has a revisionist history - it erases all of the bad feelings. Its happened time and time again, despite my many plans and commitments to myself. Its also a social crutch - I find it very difficult, even impossible, to feel comfortable meeting people and socializing without that so-called "liquid courage". That is a personal issue I need to deal with. In regards as seeing food as a reward, could you not turn the thought around to think your "reward" is choosing foods that will nourish and nurture your body and make it healthier, instead of seeing the "not-food" that makes your body less healthy you feel crap as a reward? I was also an overweight emotional eater, but now let health and physique goals guide my choices - sometimes I wish I didn't know as much or care as much, but I wouldn't really change! Even when I'm doing my own thing, I have a meal plan. I have my own rules. I pretty much don't eat outside my meal plan....unless it's planned, but that's part of the plan really! You need the strength to stick to your own rules, it's harder than following someone else's as you are accountable to yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibliophile Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Emily, I can totally empathize regarding food and drink as a reward. I have a stressful job and also have been negotiating some personal disappointments, including accepting that I won't be able to have a baby. Perhaps in part because I hadn't been drinking and had been eating well during the two years I was trying to get pregnant, i found myself turning to comfort foods and wine to make me feel better. In some ways it did: it numbed the pain. But one thing that the whole 30 helped me see is it actually made me feel better at the moment, but only for the moment. Anyway, just wanted to share that I agree it isn't easy, and that it is a process. One first step might be coming up with some non foodie ways to relax. You may not choose them every time, but perhaps some times. Take care! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement. These are great suggestions! I think the worst is how much I beat myself up for failing - its like when I was quitting smoking, the guilt and shame I felt every time I messed up. I need to do a better job of believing in myself and taking care of myself! Excited to be back on the w30 today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsStick Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Same here, Emily! Moderation fail = WholeSomething starting today. And, unlike yesterday, the few pieces of leftover candy aren't tempting AT ALL. Yesterday, I ate Reese's for lunch, candy while I was passing it out, and while I was watching a movie with hubby and a friend. I don't get it. If my brain knows I can't have it, it doesn't even care. If I *can* have it, it wants it three times a day. What gives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenNoodle Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 One little tip on the drinking/going out with friends...I have found that planning an early workout seems to help me avoid alcohol. I always have a crappy run if I drank more than one drink the night before. I hate crappy runs. Because I get up early everyday to get kids ready for school, it is easy to avoid alcohol during the week then on Sat am I run...so that leaves me free to have a drink or two on Sat night only. Outside pressures seem to help me stay in track. Now if only chocolate lead to crappy work outs, I'd be set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrot_flowers Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Have you been successful so far? I've done the same things as you, and am bacically spiraling out of control and into the land of the fat and depressed again. For some reason I can't just kick my as$ out of this funk I'm in. Blah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMBERETTA_1998 Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 I guess I just wanted to empathise with everyone for whom moderation has been difficult. I finished the whole 30 on 26th nov, I tried a reintro (didn't really work due to special occasion I wanted to eat off plan for) but since then I have gone mad with eating everything I couldn't have. Toast, chocolate, crisps, biscuits and even coke zero which I swore I wouldn't touch again. Anyway I am going to Australia for three weeks on a trip of a lifetime for Christmas and new year and hope it will give me the space to work out some of my eating issues. I am going to eat as I wish over there and try and put a plan in place for my return. It was funny when I was on whole 30 I was so on and wasn't tempted, checked everything but now I am off the plan I have gone mad! I think my plan is to whole 30 mon-fri and then have some moderate other stuff during the weekend IF I want it. I don't know how it will work but it is a start! Good luck to all who are struggling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted December 14, 2013 Author Share Posted December 14, 2013 @carrot_flowers - Honestly, I've been doing pretty well. I was about to write that its been touch-and-go and that I have only been compliant with my modifications like half of the time. But looking back at the past 44 days, I just counted up and I have had 12 days on which I have gone off of my own plan or off-roaded in some way. Of those, 8 of those days were impulsive decisions, and four were pre-planned off-road occasions (such as a Christmas party or Thanksgiving Day). What is a little worrisome is most of those days were in the past two weeks - its the holidays and I am finding it really hard to stick to my guns on booze and cookies. Hope you are finding it easier. I hate the guilt this causes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trezkholl0806 Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 bibliophile - I ate very primal for the year before I did my whole30. But when I eat primal or whatever, because I am no longer beholden to the strict rules, I never know what is the appropriate diet. I cannot gauge what "moderate" is. How do you follow the 80-20 rule? How many servings of dairy is too much? How many times a week can I eat chocolate? How often can I order Thai takeout? Looking at my diet the past week, I definitely have eaten mostly paleo and several meals that are whole30 compliant - but I feel discouraged and lost without strict guidelines. On top of that, I still treat food (and to an extent, alcohol) as a reward. I am still equating food with my performance. The Whole30 is supposed to help you think of food as nourishment, not as punishment or reward. Maybe it will just take longer for my brain to realize that. As someone who used to be overweight and an emotional eater, its not surprising this is proving so difficult now. Re: drinking, its a separate issue I think. I have tried having a very specific plan for handling drinking during social situations. And then - in the heat of the moment - I usually reach this "Oh screw it, I'm young, I had a hard week, everyone else is doing it, how bad can it be?!" moment. Its like my brain has a revisionist history - it erases all of the bad feelings. Its happened time and time again, despite my many plans and commitments to myself. Its also a social crutch - I find it very difficult, even impossible, to feel comfortable meeting people and socializing without that so-called "liquid courage". That is a personal issue I need to deal with. WOW - The drinking paragraph of this reminds me of myself so much... I have the "screw it" moments as well, with drinks and food... I do not feel comfortable unless I have a drink in my hand. It is my crutch. But it never just ends up being slow-sipping through the evening; I rush onto the next drink, and the next, etc etc. Glad you are doing well with your recent Whole30 though, did you decide to continue on or make your own rules? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan C. Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 I really appreciate folks being so candid about our own imperfect compliance with personal wishes and goals. I, too, really struggle with abstaining from alcohol and eating crap I know makes me FEEL like crap. WHY?! lol I've been paleo/primal since 2009 yet it's always a roller coaster and something I have to be vigilant about every freaking day. At times I wonder if living healthfully will ever just be the way and I can stop having to focus so intently on keeping it up. Moderation does not work for me - having that one bite or that one piece of whatever triggers something in me that sends me into a spiral of all things crap. Then I feel guilty and ashamed for doing things to myself that I know make me feel so physically and emotionally shitty. It triggers a compulsion. At times it feels like my brain is hard-wired to eat inflammatory foods and I must fight this for all time. (dramatic, but you get the idea) For those of us that do continually struggle... maybe we all have a tangled web of compounding factors that both play into non-compliance and are alleviated by compliance - if that makes sense. For me; I have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), adrenal fatigue, and ADD. It's lots of fun. I have a long history of binge and emotional eating coupled with poor impulse control and intense cravings set off by improper brain chemistry and hormonal imbalances. Sugar and salty packaged food give me terrible headaches, joint aches, acne, fatigue, depression, etc. yet I crave them them like no ones' business. Even at 32 years old, sometimes I'm like a small child when it comes to sweets... I'll eat them till my stomach hurts, I have a headache, and I'm totally wired. Wth? Alcohol leaves me bloated, gassy, lethargic, achy, and overly emotional the following day or two so why do I get a case of the f#%&-its after initially saying no thank you? With drinking... it's like I think that I should be able to have this one drink and be fine. After all, it's what people do. Well, maybe not all people. Maybe not me. When I'm well into a Whole30 or can get 4 - 5 days of clean eating behind me, it seems like those cravings start to dissipate and healthful eating begets additional healthful choices until I'm feeling great and then what? I get cocky? There comes a time where I always seem to think I'm beyond my food control problems and accept a forbidden offering from a friend/family member/co-worker and it's internal battle time yet again. Why do I repeat this cycle over and over? It's scary to say "I'm never going to do X again." But maybe some of us have to approach our health this way?? I quit smoking almost 10 years ago and have never had even one drag since. I quit previous to that for over a year and "celebrated" by smoking a couple cigarettes while drinking with friends, which led to me smoking full time again within 2 weeks. Maybe shit food is like cigarettes for me and I really can't make those exceptions for "treats." Friends who don't understand and think they're helping say things like "one bite won't hurt" or "you've done so well, you deserve a treat." If crappy food is really like a drug, which it totally feels like to me, then yes - one bite will hurt and inflicting pain upon myself is not a treat. I've joked around with friends before saying "I'm pretty sure I'd like heroin quite a bit but I don't feel like I'm denying myself anything by not doing dope and don't consider it to be a treat, earned for good behavior." (which gets weird looks in central Iowa for some reason) Aside from the legality issue - I understand it to be toxic, obscenely addictive, and generally counters the type of lifestyle I want to lead... kind of like the crap food I'm trying to avoid. Hmmm. Batch cooking, having a back-up plan, and sarcasm are my main keys to (intermittent) success... but as I type this I'm up 15 pounds, highly inflamed, and craving the hell out of anything sugar or packaged and salty. I'm getting back on the wagon though - this weekend I'm batch cooking like never before to set myself up for a successful Whole30 January 2014. I've never gone beyond 30 days with the Whole30 guidelines, but maybe I should? My 80/20 turns into 70/30 then 60/40 way too easily. I am also looking over resources like meetup.com to interact with like-minded folks in my area. Finding folks who think like I do in central Iowa is not easy! Online communities are priceless but I also desire in-person interactions that don't revolve around social drinking or eating garbage. Why is that concept scary and foreign for so many people?! "What do you mean you don't eat (insert ANYTHING here) fried on a stick at the Iowa State Fair?" "Why don't you go out drinking 3 nights per week? Are you pregnant? Do you hate fun?" "You can food and make your own deodorant/toothpaste? What are you, some sorta hippie?" I wish a successful new year for all on this forum! We CAN achieve our goals; some of us just have to work a bit more to find the right combination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cayenne Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Megan, You said a mouthful there! I totally get the heroin reference as folks say "everything in moderation" and I reply that you sure would not tell a crack head that. I certainly had to stay on program much longer than 30 days to even begin to get a handle on my cravings. I have been really "good" til this last week and the wheels came off. But I know, today, I am putting myself first and treating myself with respect. When I am in my normal routine-work, workout, etc then I do pretty well. It is when I am off the routine(like I am on maternity leave with a little puppy:)) then it gets a little hairy. Eating out of boredom, anxiety, are big deals in my life. Pretty much all my friends are NOT on this plan so talking to them is not an option. this forum is great for that so I really don't know if I would benefit from folks face to face. Utilize the resources here-they are great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptah Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Megan C I could have written your post. I was lurking on this thread back in November when Emily T started it (and I could have written her post) but I was too exhausted and sad and burned out to engage with other people on the topic. I have been toying with all of these same issues. Can't do moderation. I look at all the "success stories" and remember back to mine (lost 13 lbs and 13 inches) and I think "oh just you wait." Isn't that terrible? I don't wish my struggle on anyone but I think actually most of us have some version of it. Moderation IS really hard. I was thinking I needed to do paleo for a long while until I got a handle on living that way, but I can't handle the ambiguity. So I'm now thinking I need to do a W90 (at least). I was recently at an eating disorder conference and the expert on binge eating disorder said that the three biggest culprits are sugar, gluten and dairy. It just reinforced everything I have discovered myself, and everything that's outlined in ISWF. I have to include alcohol as the fourth culprit for all the reasons so well articulated above. So here's to trying again. Thanks everyone for your honesty. It is truly helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Boy, there are a lot of discouraged and frustrated people in this post! I want to give you all hugs. I think the whole30 is pretty easy but damn, the whole9 life can be HARD. Beyond the terrible choices available to us in the supermarkets, the cultural pressures to eat and drink things that are harmful, the monetary cost of investing in our health, the time and energy we must spend planning and cooking our food - we are also trying to break lifelong, emotional connections and habits. Not just about food, either. Trying to keep yourself from getting too stressed. Trying to make sure you are fitting in time for play. Exercising. Sleeping enough. Making time for friends, and family. All while dealing with cooking three meals a day - and for many of us, while working 45+ hour work weeks or dealing with kids. For me, my friends are a HUGE and CONSTANT source of pressure. Its like I am some sort of mutant because I don't want to get drunk anymore. They cannot understand it at all. To be honest, it has made me wonder if they are real, true friends - because true friends support you and want you to be happy and healthy. Alcohol makes me physically very sick. The only time I do not get sick is if I stick to just one, and I find that very hard. So yes, its HARD! I am continually impressed by people who make it work! But they show it is not impossible! This past six months has been a real journey for me. I have observed some success with very strict and stringent planning. Meaning, I was able to follow the whole30 template but add in my own modifications (for me, I allowed myself dairy products, chickpeas, and small amounts of sugar in cooking, such as honey or something). Then I made specific plans to go off-plan (not "off-road", not "cheat days", not "slip days" - off-plan moments - this helped alleviate some of the guilt). For example, I said, on Thanksgiving, I will eat some pie and will have a glass of wine, but I will not eat stuffing. So I did those things, and thats all I did. By thinking it through in advance, instead of making a split-second decision, I was able to stay clean and compliant and not go crazy. So that worked for a month, but then December (Christmas) happened. I made a plan but did very poorly sticking to it for a whole variety of reasons (I am trying to analyze these now, to better understand what happened). In spite of my off-roading, I can still say I ate better than I was eating eight months ago, so overall its an improvement. Now its a new year and a fresh start. I am beginning with a true whole30 this month and in February I will start adding in foods I like (dairy, hummus, etc) and planning off-plan meals or evenings in accordance with my day to day life. My goal for this whole year is that by next Christmas I'll have mastered the process enough to get through the holidays without guilt and without causing significant damage to my health and progress. Good luck to all of you. You CAN do it. If I have learned one thing it is that not having a system/process/plan is a recipe for failure! You have to find a system or process that works for you. I have faith in everyone here though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lori_vt Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Ahh this is a wonderful thread. I completed my first W30 before Thanksgiving because I thought the holidays would be too difficult to do if I was "limited." In hindsight I think I would have been better off if I had been on a W30 because then I would have had an excuse for myself (not anyone else!). But the W30 was wonderful. The holidays gave me too many options, and I still have no self=control. If 1 cookie is good, then a dozen are better. And if I eat them quickly, no one will even notice. Except that now I have a bloated stomach and feel like crap and the stupid cravings still haven't gone away. Argh. I am a homebrewer, and love to make beer. And love to drink beer. Wine is okay, but I could do without. I stumbled across Robb Wolf's NorCal Margarita, and made myself two of these on New Year's Eve. They were wonderful!! And I drank a glass of seltzer in between, and also additional water, so I kept myself hydrated. For me that was key so I didn't get dehydrated from the alcohol. I just brewed a batch of Farmhouse Ale which won't be ready for about 8-10 weeks. It's 12% alcohol beer, which isn't the reason I brewed it; i Love the sharp tang of a farmhouse ale. I think next time I will reduce the amount of sugar to bring the ABV down to a more reasonable level. When I was on the W30, I really didn't miss alcohol. But now that I'm "off" it seems that alcohol is important again. I feel like a social ignoramus without a drink in my hand. Which is really stupid - because I actually feel better when i don't drink. I'm hoping this second W30 (which I am starting this weekend or this coming week) will give me a chance to really look at my relationship to food (and alcohol). I am one of those people who eats lunch at their desk in front of their computer while multi-tasking. Mindless eating. It takes a huge commitment for me to say I'm going to turn my monitor off and sit and savor my food. And it takes a huge commitment for me to get myself to bed on time so I can get a quality 8-9 hours of sleep. I was so surprised that adding the extra 30-60 minutes of sleep could make such a difference. I always knew I needed 8 hours, but turns out I do much better with 9. The problem is that I seem to run out of time to do everything I need to do in a day, and my sleep suffers. I'm not sure how to sort that one out yet, but it's nearly 10 pm and I need to get to bed!! Hoping all is going well for you and thanks for a great thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptah Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I like this thread too. I recognize I've been so hard on myself and it's a big part of the problem. I'm not allowed to to be one of those people who is "all or nothing" and has trouble with moderation. I'm above having cravings. I couldn't possibly have a sugar dragon. But GUESS WHAT? That's all me! And most people I know. The past six months has also been quite a journey for me and I've theorized and re-theorized about why everything's been so flippin' hard. It didn't seem AS hard before I did my first W30, but I think that's crap. I think I'm just more mindful now, and by the way, I was pretty mindful before, but now I'm uber mindful and no longer in denial about my food issues. And I think now that I know I just really can't have sugar (or grains or dairy or alcohol), I'm rebelling and wanting it even more. Does that sound weird? Many people say when you have a hard time with moderation and with kicking out the sugar dragon, it can help to do a W60 or W90, and some people just eat W30 compliant almost all the time. Why wouldn't I do that if I feel so much better when I'm doing that? I would miss my glass of wine, but then, it turns out, it's harder and harder for it to be just one glass. I'd rather have no glasses than too many. I don't want the congestion, puffy face and eyes, bloating, etc. Duh! I did a big shop today, after reading Nom Nom Paleo's cookbook (which is awesome). Is anyone interested in doing a Whole big something? 60? 90? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptah Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I just started a new thread under YOUR WHOLE 30 LOG called "Jan 5 All In! Moderation Out). If any of you want to post there to support each other. I am trying a longer period as I mentioned, and it feels good to have made a decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptah Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 That thread isn't taking off, which is fine. I slid backwards last night. My husband has really really really bad allergies and asthma which are most likely caused or exacerbated by our cat and dogs (mostly cat). We are a blended family so he is relatively new to my home with these animals and ever since he moved in 2.5 years ago, his health has been awful. He's been on every medication under the sun and nothing works. Of course, he hasn't tried changing his diet and he won't. Sigh. The whole situation has been so frustrating, sad and honestly scary. Two nights ago I thought I was going to need to bring him to the ER because he couldn't stop coughing. Anyway, last night, i think he/we made the decision to do a 6 month trial of no animals in the house. Even though I have good homes (family members) to take each of the animals, I am heartbroken because these are like my family members. My husband's life/health is obviously the priority but I'm so sad. What I'm getting to is I used my heartbreak as an excuse to have a glass of wine. Then I used my glass of wine as an excuse to have some jelly bellies. Don't ask me how that works. Starting over today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semolina Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Raptah - thank-you for your honesty here. It's helping me. I'm doing W30 number 3 (started 1st Jan) and like you I love doing a Whole 30 and then lose the plot afterwards. I am toying with a W365 this year, except of course it won't be because I will have to go and eat at my sister's house once in a while but I figure if I go W365 for all the time and can control what I eat, and do the best I can (i.e. lots of veggies, no alcohol, avoid gluten if I can, no sugar) when I am not at home then that might work. Here's to a better 2014 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptah Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Semolina- Im glad to know it's helping you. I am struggling but trying. Here's to a better 2014 for sure. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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