Starting 11/21/13

[Time2GetHealthy]

Sorry you're not feeling well Annette!  Stress definitely triggers my appetite too.  I don't know why eating is so soothing, but hopefully you can stay strong.  I need to come up with a list of things to distract me from eating in those moments too, maybe a cup of tea or a walk around the block??  Hope things improve for you soon!

 

I'll have to try the coconut manna, sounds tasty.  Where can I find it?

 

Yeah, I'm feeling a bit better today, hopefully tomorrow will be even better although I am going to my cousin's fundraiser tonight so it could be quite late by the time I get to bed.  I typically don't do well when I don't have enough hours in bed because I have always been a poor sleeper.  At least I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow, though, so that is good.

 

Yeah, coconut manna was a nice surprise for me.  It doesn't taste like plain coconut but that is what it is.  Unfortunately, I don't know how much help I can be with helping you find it.  I see you are in California.  I am in Alberta, Canada and I found it at a store here called Planet Organic.  I bet you could find it there quite easily, though.  Maybe look at a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes.  I'm going to California at Christmas time, I will see if I see it in any stores while I'm there.

 

Ok, I just looked it on on Amazon.com for you so you can see what it is that I have:  http://www.amazon.com/Nutiva-Organic-Coconut-Manna-Ounce/dp/B003V7XNRQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385590428&sr=8-2&keywords=coconut+manna

 

You can get it in other brands, too.  Sometimes it's just called coconut butter.

[Time2GetHealthy]

Annette, I hope you feel better soon! Stress is a killer, literally. One of the best things I've found to alleviate stress is to take a walk. Walking is perfectly paleo, too! I'm sure it's not terribly warm where you are right now, but even going for a quick walk (10 mins?) makes a difference.

 

I'm happy there's a few of us here who started on the same day and are sticking with it. I hope the OP is still on track! I have some friends who support me, but there's nothing like having contacts who are in the exact same spot. Thanks to all of you for sharing your feedback, it definitely helps keep me motivated! Almost ONE WEEK done!

 

-Kimberly-

Hi Kimberly!  Yeah, I too hope the OP is still on track.  She probably has no idea we kept her thread going.  lol    I just really wanted to have a little support group on here like I saw some other people doing.

 

Thanks for the tip about exercising.  Yes, I agree that it can help a lot.  I did go for a bit of a walk, yesterday, and it did help a bit.  You are right that it isn't overly warm here but that isn't the real problem.  The biggest problem is the huge piles of snow!  Haha    I live on a farm and there is not really anywhere to walk.  So you know what my solution was?  I bought myself some snowshoes!  Now I can walk all over the field, even when it's knee-deep in snow.  haha

[beesknees79]

snowshoes sound awesome! i've never been on snowshoes before but i bet it's a challenge. good luck to you!

 

tomorrow i'm making lemongrass coconut chicken from nom nom paleo. am excited for more slow cooker experience. if i'm feeling really ambitious i might actually get the sauerkraut made. i didn't get to it the other day.

 

i'm five days in and doing pretty good, but i should probably work on adding more vegetables. i think i could do better. i should also focus on including exercise. now that i've (sorta) go the food part going i would like to add in yoga, walking, etc. i don't know if i can commit myself to anything strenuous, but that's not necessarily the point. the point is to start something, and make movement a habit!

 

anyone else finding themselves looking @ program tweaks after ONE WEEK DONE!!!!!?????

[Time2GetHealthy]

I'm finding the snowshoes not too bad.  The hardest part is when I go walking with them after a fresh snow.  Once I start to get a bit of a path mashed down, it's a lot easier.

 

Oooh!  The lemongrass coconut chicken sounds delicious!  Let me know how it goes.  Maybe I will have to try it sometime.

 

Yoga and walking are both good exercises to start with.  I haven't been focusing too much on exercise.  I just go for my walks with the snowshoes.  My plan for now is to focus on the diet, just getting gentle exercise, and overall trying to be healthy.

 

I'm just finishing day 8 and things are going well for me.  I'm still enjoying my food and I'm not sure I need to make any tweaks.  I'm eating quite a few vegetables.  I do want to try some new recipes, though.

 

Hope you guys are having a good Thanksgiving!

 

Annette

[Livealoha]

Well....I fell off the wagon

I made the conscious decision to enjoy the Thanksgiving meal with my family. Numerous reasons/excuses, none are very justified. I read a post about W30 over the holidays:

http://www.whole9life.com/2013/11/thinking-holiday-whole30-think/

Ultimately I didn't want to turn W30 into a negative experience by sacrificing the few holiday times I share with my extended family. I kept mostly to turkey and veggies for dinner, but allowed myself to enjoy the dessert.

I know I failed and have to start over. I truly feel better when I'm on W30 and my husband noticed that I'm happier when I eat healthy. I don't know how to handle the upcoming month of holiday family gatherings and traditions.

I finished a W30 last month, so I know I can do this. In the end I want to find the balance of eating mostly W30, with a few exceptions when it's really worth it. The trouble is knowing how not to go overboard on the sugar.

If it's okay, I'd still like up keep posting here for accountability. I know there's a bunch of other groups too, but I've been enjoying the interactions and support of you all and don't really want to start over with a new set of people.

I'm bummed that I let myself down. But as Vince Lombardi said, "it's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get back up."

[beesknees79]

livealoha - don't give up! IMO, you certainly deserve to bypass your whole30 for ONE instance of life participation. if it were me, i would keep right on going with my day count and consider it your ONE and ONLY deviation. i'm not sure strict whole-30'ers would agree, but i'm a forgiving sort and i know your heart is in the right place! please consider keeping on with us, i need you to work along with me! GET BACK UP!

 

so, i made the lemongrass coconut chicken in the slow cooker (from nom nom paleo). i was disappointed. for one thing, my recipes never quite turn out the way i think they're supposed to. i followed the recipe closely but still didn't get the product intended. when i put the lemongrass in the blender (with other ingredients) it came out all stringy, and i don't like lemongrass string all over my chicken. i also cooked it too long - about 4.5 hrs on low. it tasted okay when fresh out of the cooker, but had a hard time getting past the lemongrass stringiness. reheated it's just not good. sad waste of some pricy ingredients.

 

i still need to do a better job with eating more vegetables. anyone have any quick/easy veggie recipes they'd like to share?

 

also - i feel pretty great. i feel like i'm a lot more aware and focused during the day. i hoped maybe whole 30 would cure my laziness, sadly that doesn't seem to have happened. yet. there's still hope, right?

[Livealoha]

Thanks BeesKnees for your support and encouragement!!  I definitely want to keep trying with Whole 30, to refocus on healthy foods and also to overcome my addiction to sweets.  So it's great to interact with people who share the same healthy goals!!  My family is vaguely supportive but is mostly tired of hearing me talk about my nutritional habits.

 

That's a bummer about your lemongrass recipe!  I hate buying expensive ingredients for a special recipe that doesn't work out!  It's great that you're trying new meals though.  I like the Nom Nom Paleo website too.  I am not the best cook and get impatient with multiple steps, so I pretty much stick to recipes that involve 4 ingredients and 15 minutes max of prep/cook time.  I'm lazy...

 

To make it easier to eat veggies, I've been buying my vegetables pre-chopped and packaged at Trader Joe's.  This way, I can stir-fry my veggies instantly, rather than having to wash and cut everything beforehand.  Also, I've been roasting pre-cut butternut squash and sweet potato in the oven.  I spritz the veggies with olive oil; for the butternut squash, I like to sprinkle cinnamon on top; for the sweet potato, I just add some salt (or nothing.)  I find that I can roast almost any veggie and it's so easy.  It works for brussel sprouts, green beans, zucchini, carrots, broccoli.  

[Time2GetHealthy]

Aw, Livealoha, I'm sorry about that.  Please don't think of it as a failure.  You haven't failed unless you've given up and obviously you haven't done that.  Absolutely keep posting here.  I think it's just the three of us now, anyway, so it would be down to two if you left.  It's not just about being on the same day of the program but about friendship and support so if you feel good with us, that is just wonderful and I'm glad you're here! 

 

In any case, I think I really had an advantage over here without any major holidays until Christmas.  With your Thanksgiving so close to Christmas it really makes for a minefield for people trying to eat healthy.  I did go to my cousin's fundraiser on Wednesday, though.  It could have been a challenge but I did ok.  My best friend came too and she was having her "free day".  She does her own diet for trying to lose weight but allows herself a cheat day once a week.  I'm not so sure I agree with that mentality but she seems to think it helps her stay on track the rest of the time.  In any case, she had a big tall glass full of ice cream that looked so good.  I looked at the menu but there was absolutely nothing I could order.  The prices were outrageous anyway.  I had brought along some snacks in my purse and went out of the bar to eat some of it.  Other then that, I didn't eat anything there, and I drank only water.  My poor sister had brought her baby, not realizing that this fundraiser was at a bar and she wouldn't be able to bring him in there, so she was stuck sitting on a bench with him outside the establishment.  Fortunately we were in a mall so it wasn't too bad.  Some of the rest of us watched him for a while while she went in, too.

 

In any case, I don't have to see any treats for a while... hopefully.  lol  My grandma's Christmas party will be on December 15th but I'm not too worried.  I will just have some meat and vegetables.  I'm pretty good at staying on plan at those things, especially when I'm on a strict program like this one.  By then I'll also be getting close to the end so I certainly won't want to sabotage myself!

 

Wednesday for the last day of my Italian class we are going to an Italian coffee shop.  I am a bit sad because I can't have any of the fancy coffees but it's ok.  I will deal with it.  Probably I'll just get some tea.

[Time2GetHealthy]

Kimberly, that sucks about the lemongrass chicken.  To be honest, I haven't had much luck with cooking in the slow cooker, unless I'm making something that I definitely can't have on this diet.  lol

 

You asked about how to get more vegetables in.  May I ask, how is it that you eat them now?  Do you mostly just eat them on the side?  I find incorporating them into stir-fries or a curry helps a lot.  My favorite thing lately is to eat the Indian Curry from "It Starts With Food".  Do you have the book?  Basically I just cook up a base of ground beef and onion seasoned with pepper, salt, and garlic powder.  Then I put some coconut oil and/or ghee in a clean pan and fry a bunch of cauliflower and carrots in it until they are tender-crisp.  I add some of the ground beef mixture and cook it a bit more, adding some curry powder and coconut milk.  It is a very quick meal and really soothing and tasty.

 

Also, do you like salads?  Another thing I like sometimes is a Greek salad.  I make it with lettuce, onion, cherry tomotoes, and black olives, and I put a dressing of lemon juice and olive oil on it.  It's very tasty.

 

I hope this helps, and I will try to think of any more suggestions that I can.

 

Annette

[beesknees79]

thanks for the veggie tips, ladies! yesterday i made golden cauliflower soup from The Clothes Make the Girl, and it turned out delicious! one thing i learned (and which may have been part of the reason my lemongrass coconut chicken didn't turn out very well) is there is a BIG difference between coconut milk in a can and coconut milk in a carton. the can is the answer! anyway, soup was delicious, and is a great way to slurp up lots 'o veggies.

 

i don't know why, the recipes i've been choosing to make do tend to separate out the protein as its own thing, requiring addition of a veggie. i will look at tips in ISWF (yes, i have the book) and work on making more stir-fry dishes. i think i'll have more luck with those in cooking skills as well.

 

i have a whole-30 hurdle coming up this week. i'm going out of town on a business trip (i travel frequently) and mon-wed i'll be VERY limited with lunch food options. breakfast and dinner i think will be do-able, but i'm not kidding when i say the lunch option may be a choice between pizza or a pulled pork sandwich. i will have to HUNT for a head of lettuce! i'm packing along some almonds, beef jerky, hardboiled eggs, and paleo-approved Larabars as snacks, but i'm nervous.

 

thanks to you both for keeping with me - DAY 11 DONE!!!

[GFChris]

thanks for the veggie tips, ladies! yesterday i made golden cauliflower soup from The Clothes Make the Girl, and it turned out delicious! one thing i learned (and which may have been part of the reason my lemongrass coconut chicken didn't turn out very well) is there is a BIG difference between coconut milk in a can and coconut milk in a carton. the can is the answer! anyway, soup was delicious, and is a great way to slurp up lots 'o veggies.

 

i don't know why, the recipes i've been choosing to make do tend to separate out the protein as its own thing, requiring addition of a veggie. i will look at tips in ISWF (yes, i have the book) and work on making more stir-fry dishes. i think i'll have more luck with those in cooking skills as well.

 

i have a whole-30 hurdle coming up this week. i'm going out of town on a business trip (i travel frequently) and mon-wed i'll be VERY limited with lunch food options. breakfast and dinner i think will be do-able, but i'm not kidding when i say the lunch option may be a choice between pizza or a pulled pork sandwich. i will have to HUNT for a head of lettuce! i'm packing along some almonds, beef jerky, hardboiled eggs, and paleo-approved Larabars as snacks, but i'm nervous.

 

thanks to you both for keeping with me - DAY 11 DONE!!!

 

Be sure the beef jerky you take along is compliant.

 

On the coconut milk, coconut milk in a carton is rarely compliant. Usually contains carrageenan.

 

For coconut milk in cans, be sure to get a brand without sulfites, including potassium metabisulfite.

[Livealoha]

Thanks for the support Annette!  I plan to keep trucking on, restarting officially today (after taking a mental break over the holiday.)  I appreciate continuing to post here; it helps me to stay accountable to you both!  I spent my Sunday cooking for the week, cooking chicken, roasting veggies, making almond milk.  Between cooking my W30 foods and making my kids' lunches/snacks, I felt like I was in the kitchen all day!  But if I don't prep my own food for the week, I know I'll be too exhausted to eat healthy when I get home from work.

 

Annette, nice job staying compliant during your recent party!  It was smart of you to bring your own food.  I have to remind myself to plan ahead like that when I'm heading to a social event.  Some restaurants are easier to order at than others; when possible I try to discreetly request to meet up at a restaurant with a good choice of salads and fish ( and I always check the menu online beforehand).  As for your friend who has a "cheat day" each week, I have tried that method in the past.  It didn't work for me at all and totally backfired.  I would crave sugar and junk all week, while waiting for my cheat day.  Then I would totally go overboard, especially knowing that I wouldn't be able to eat like that for another week, and I would feel physically awful afterwards.  Sigh, better for me to avoid the junk all together.

 

Kimberly, good luck this week on your trip.  Sounds like you have a good plan to survive!  It is hard to find fresh fruit and veggies while traveling.  Will there be a grocery store nearby?  Can you bring along veggies/fruit in a cooler with an ice pack?  I do love those Larabars...blueberry and apple are my favorite!

 

Yay to us all!  I've been collecting quotes to help me through.  Here's one for today:  When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.  I will remind myself of this everyday!

[Time2GetHealthy]

Glad to know the cauliflower soup turned out well!  That is one I have on my list to try, as well.  Man, that business trip sounds like it will be tough.  I really do hope you are able to find some good choices, Kimberly.  I'm really fortunate at this time in my life because I am not in a lot of situations where I can't eat my own cooking.  It must be so tough for people who have to travel a lot and don't have as much control over their food choices.

 

Yeah, I used to love the idea of the cheat day, myself.  Have you ever done 'Body for Life'?  That is where I first heard of that concept and it was while doing that diet that I was doing the whole 'cheat day' thing.  I really loved the concept at the time, but I tended to WAY overdo it on my cheat day.  I would have to say that my experience with doing that was very similar to yours:  I would crave all week.  And anyway, my eating was not particularly good on that diet, though I thought it was at the time.  Certainly it was a huge step up from the way I had been eating.  I was just so sad when I didn't lose that much weight on that diet.  Well, I wonder why!  lol

 

In any case, I am wondering if I might be getting a little smaller.  That would be so nice... I feel smaller or tighter somehow.  But then I look in the mirror and just see fat.     Oh well, hopefully things are moving in the right direction and I will see a good step forward by the end of the 30 days.  Weight loss isn't the only thing I'm doing this for but it certainly is a primary one.

 

Anyway, I hope things are going well for you guys.  Talk to you later!

 

Annette

[Livealoha]

Annette, that's great if you're feeling leaner in some way! Don't be discouraged! I think we women are way too hard on ourselves, especially when it comes to body image. I see guys on the beach with huge beer guts, strutting around in too small swim trunks, with no sense of embarrassment!

I used to be over focused on the scale and hope the W30 experience will overcome that bad habit. I am trying instead to concentrate on fueling my body with healthy food. I do also hope to lose weight on the adventure! But more importantly, I don't want to feel controlled by my cravings anymore.

I made a yummy veggie soup on Sunday and have been eating it this week for dinner. It feels good to have a nice warm bowl of soup now that it's a bit colder (which means the low 50s here in California...nothing like your winter in Canada though!). I plan to make a stew, soup, or chili on Sundays from now on. I need to search for more W30 soup recipes though.

Keep calm and eat healthy!

[Time2GetHealthy]

Lol I would love some low 50s weather!  Here it it was -20 when I got up this morning!  We are going through a real cold snap right now.  I went out for some fresh air and to walk around on the yard but fortunately, I don't have to go anywhere now that school is done for Christmas break.

 

How are you guys doing?  I have been struggling a bit this week.  I haven't eaten anything off plan but I have had more stress than usual and an irregular eating pattern that has made this difficult.  For example, on Wednesday I forgot to bring my snack and then I was away from home for much longer than I expected.  The result was that I did not have lunch at all and by evening I was ravenous!  I ate a normal supper and then after that I still felt so hungry that I ended up eating a bunch of nuts.     I figure it's better than eating something completely off plan and having to start over but it is still not what I wanted to do.  I'm getting back on track now, anyway.

 

The other thing is I have been so tired lately that it's hard to cook.  I really hope I'm not going to get sick because some of the people around me have been getting the flu and throwing up.  I really hate the throwing up flu and actually have a phobia of feeling nauseous so I am trying really hard to take care of myself so I don't get it.

 

Anyway, I hope you guys are still hanging in there.

 

Annette

[beesknees79]

so - day 25 done! who's still with me? i haven't been 100% perfect, but i'm about 95%, which is a GREAT leap forward! anyone else from group still going strong?

[Time2GetHealthy]

Good to hear from you.     Yes, I'm still hangin' in there.  I wasn't posting because I didn't think anyone was paying attention any more.  I'm happy to know that at least one person is still with me. 

 

I have definitely lost steam, though.  Basically I'm still sticking with the allowed foods but have lapsed into eating almonds and raisins, sometimes in relatively large quantities.     This was something I told myself I would not do but, because of a few reasons I won't get into, I wasn't feeling well or didn't have quick food and so that is what I fell back on.  In any case, I'm still hanging on and not indulging on anything off-plan.  For example, yesterday I went to a Christmas party and just had veggies and meat with some grapes for dessert.  All in all I would say I'm doing pretty well.

 

In the New Year I want to do the whole30 again and I intend to do a better job by not getting into the nuts and raisins.

[beesknees79]

c'mon, you're doing GREAT! for me, it's a big accomplishment to do away with all the seemingly great foods like dairy, sweets, cheese, donuts, bagels, peanuts, on and on! and that isn't even taking into consideration - no drinking alcohol! i wouldn't beat yourself up about almonds & raisins. try as we might we will never be perfect. it seems like you've really stuck with the program as much as possible, for ALMOST 30 DAYS! you deserve a lot of credit for that, it is big, something most people can't (or aren't) doing.

 

i may do other Whole 30's next year too. for me it's not because i want to get 100% compliance, but because it's a great goal. even if i slip up or can't be the next poster-girl for W30 i know it is GOOD for me and that is what counts!

 

amazing, huh? only 5 more days! i haven't even started planning my first non-Whole30 intros. i think the FIRST thing will be a big 'ole glass (bottle) of wine. you?

[Time2GetHealthy]

Thanks for the encouragement!  I'm just kicking myself about the nuts and raisins because I so much want to lose my weight and I think that is one stumbling block that is preventing it.  At the same time, though, my doctor was encouraging me that part of the reason my weight doesn't come off easily is because of the toxins that are stuck in my tissues.  He is going to be working with me to get out things like heavy metals and molds so once I have made some progress with that I will not only be much healthier but hopefully my weight will come off as well.

 

So yeah.  I'm not planning on introducing a lot of things after this W30 is done.  I'm just thinking to have some wine at Christmas dinner and have some of that gluten-free pumpkin pie I made in the fall.  That will be a real treat.  For now I'm not supposed to eat any gluten or casein so I'm still going to avoid those until the doctor says I can try them again.  I do plan on having a taste of a cookie a friend gave me, though.  It's in the freezer waiting for me when I'm ready.  It's a biscotto that her aunt's bakery made so I thought it was a little more special than some of the other things and I want to try it.  I also really want a taste of brie cheese once my sister opens her present from me.  It's a brie baker and I'd like to hang out with her and make one of the recipes and have a taste.  I just love cheese.  It is the thing I miss most out of all the dietary restrictions I've had to have since the summer.

 

I think you're right.  It's better to keep on going, even if you slip up.  I tend to be an all or nothing kind of person and if I slip up I tend to just fall completely off the bandwagon.  It's better to pick yourself up and get back on the horse, right?  I'm definitely planning to do another whole30 in the new year so if you want to be buddies again, let me know.    We've both done very well in spite of all the challenges that life brings and I just want to congratulate you on the job you've done so far.  Keep it up!  We are almost done.

[beesknees79]

last night!!! what'd you had for dinner? i had a hot plate, directly inspired by well fed. i feel great!

[beesknees79]

what'd you had???? sorry, meant what'd you have!

[Time2GetHealthy]

Hey!  Sorry I only saw this now.  I can't remember what I had for dinner on the last night.  lol  All I can tell you is that on Sunday I had my family's Christmas celebration and I ate pretty much the opposite of the way I was eating on the whole30.  I'm eating better now, though, because I definitely do not like the way I feel when I eat all that junk.

 

Anyway, I wish you all the best for the rest of the holidays.  Thanks for hangin' in there with me!

 

Annette