ArcheoGator Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I rode my bicycle and rode it well. I rode it for a bit over 45 days. My first Whole30 was complete, and I just kept going. Then, my alcoholic buddy that I mentioned in previous posts offered me that one beer. I figured it was time to loosen up a bit. That day I had two. A week later I had six. Another week, and I had sixer's twice a week. Then burgers, then gyros, then Chinese buffets. It did not take long for this to all affect my glucose levels. It then did not take long for my glucose levels to affect my energy. Next returned about eight pounds of the 15 I lost. I lurked on the forums for a bit, not wanting to post. I was so excited after my Whole30. It was the first thing in so long that I set a goal for and accomplished. I was happy about the results and felt like a new person. However, I did not want to come back to post because I was confused why I came so far only to turn around again. I know I am not the first, but it just hurt on a personal level. I am coming back to this forum because this place is the biggest thing that worked. People took their time to give support, and I know that time is a very valuable gift. For all of December, I kept waking up, saying this would be my second Whole30. Then, I would just decide to put sugar in my coffee and figure the next day would be better. I spent December wondering what was going wrong. Like many, I have one messed up relationship with food and alcohol. The past couple days I spent getting the right foods in the house. I will again be the only one in the home doing this, so there are many non-compliant foods that will remain. However, I have the advantage now of having completed one Whole30 and am familiar with how my body and mind will react. So, I now embark on a Whole100 in hopes of getting my body cleaned up and making paleo more of a lifestyle rather than a 30 day challenge. My overall goals for 100 days: Choose the proper foods that give me stable glucose levels throughout the day Redesign our family budget to build savings and pay off debt Work on my home improvement list that I have neglected (as far as finances will allow) Spend time on these forums to lend support to others that may have a hard time January 1 shall arrive here soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sailorlawrence Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Kicking off the year with a whole 100 is a great way to start a new year! Don't worry about past slip ups. It happens to everyone and it only makes you more committed because you now know what works and you're getting better at saying "No". I've found that once you start having success with your health, it expands into all other areas of your life. Best wishes to you and Happy 2014! Year of the Horse!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 Year of the Horse? Coincidentally, that is my sign. How interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sailorlawrence Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 It's gonna be a really lucky year for you woohoo!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Simpson Thumann Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I rode my bicycle and rode it well. I rode it for a bit over 45 days. My first Whole30 was complete, and I just kept going. Then, my alcoholic buddy that I mentioned in previous posts offered me that one beer. I figured it was time to loosen up a bit. That day I had two. A week later I had six. Another week, and I had sixer's twice a week. Then burgers, then gyros, then Chinese buffets. It did not take long for this to all affect my glucose levels. It then did not take long for my glucose levels to affect my energy. Next returned about eight pounds of the 15 I lost. I lurked on the forums for a bit, not wanting to post. I was so excited after my Whole30. It was the first thing in so long that I set a goal for and accomplished. I was happy about the results and felt like a new person. However, I did not want to come back to post because I was confused why I came so far only to turn around again. I know I am not the first, but it just hurt on a personal level. I am coming back to this forum because this place is the biggest thing that worked. People took their time to give support, and I know that time is a very valuable gift. For all of December, I kept waking up, saying this would be my second Whole30. Then, I would just decide to put sugar in my coffee and figure the next day would be better. I spent December wondering what was going wrong. Like many, I have one messed up relationship with food and alcohol. The past couple days I spent getting the right foods in the house. I will again be the only one in the home doing this, so there are many non-compliant foods that will remain. However, I have the advantage now of having completed one Whole30 and am familiar with how my body and mind will react. So, I now embark on a Whole100 in hopes of getting my body cleaned up and making paleo more of a lifestyle rather than a 30 day challenge. My overall goals for 100 days: Choose the proper foods that give me stable glucose levels throughout the day Redesign our family budget to build savings and pay off debt Work on my home improvement list that I have neglected (as far as finances will allow) Spend time on these forums to lend support to others that may have a hard time January 1 shall arrive here soon. Research Dave Ramsey, he has helped a lot of people get out of debt. Good luck on your Whole100! I'm going to try for a Whole45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Research Dave Ramsey, he has helped a lot of people get out of debt. Good luck on your Whole100! I'm going to try for a Whole45. Sharon, I have one of Ramsey's books due in soon to pick up at the library. I will start with that. From what I have read of him online, after you gave me his name, he is pretty common sense and I hope I enjoy his book(s). We are just in a situation where we have a lot of debt looming. Our student loans total more than our mortgage (though student loans are income based right now), not to mention our mortgage is underwater, we still have two vehicles to pay off, and the changes with insurance programs this year are costing us an extra $400/month primarily from my insulin needs. So many share my story, and everyone knows how things are getting more and more expensive. The rest is a discussion for a different kind of forum. On the W100 note, I knew what to expect this time, so I bit the bullet and pushed through those first set of days. By day 7 I was starting to feel better, and now on day 10 my energy is picking back up, closer to where it was during my first W30. Today I actually sat down to watch TV and I just couldn't sit there. I poked around and started getting jobs done and even played with the boys outside. An order came in for a backpack for our dog, so I look forward to a hike soon to try that out. He can now carry his own water and it should help with his exercise also. He enjoys walking in the nearby woods a lot more than our subdivision. I also spoke with my doctor today. I was supposed to see him last November, but I fell back to old ways and did not see the point in more labs being done. The doctor agreed, and we have now rescheduled for 02/24. That gives me five more weeks to clean up before blood work is done again. After 23 years as a diabetic, I have found a doctor I actually enjoy going to, so I also want to impress him and show that I will do my part. Day 10 is coming to a close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Sassaman Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I just can't seem to get my body to even out. I feel like I'm starting to feel better, then I crash. But thank goodness Day 10 is coming to a successful close. These next few days have always been the hardest for me. The boards help tremendously! Have fun on the hike!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Hey Julie, hang in there. I can only hope you get to about day 20 and feel a spark kick in that will then get you to day 30. When I hit my first 30, just the accomplishment factor had felt great. I have challenged myself to so many things and never finished, so that first 30 was huge to me. I was looking around at our sports stores to see if kayaks were discounted for the winter. I would like to get an angler kayak for my outdoor time when hunting season ends. I found one that was an excellent price, but I am twenty lbs. over the limit. That was a reminder that I have to get things done so that I don't miss out on what I want to be doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 Day 14 is already here. Two weeks. This time, I had a better idea for what to expect and it passed by a lot quicker. My energy is ever increasing. Evening walks are becoming a breeze, and I may consider jogging soon. My dog keeps looking at me wondering when we are going to pick up the pace. I also have a goal of just two kettlebell workouts this week. A nice small number like two just to make it an easy goal to accomplish. It goes to show how addictive our current foods and alcohol can be. After feeling this way, why would any of us slip up and return to unhealthy habits? I hope to make more educated choices from now on. If I feel like a beer or a cheeseburger, I am going to have to remember where those foods put me and question how it could be worth it for such a short-term "high." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Sassaman Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 I honestly have not even begun to incorporate scheduled exercise at this point. I know I need to, and I do want to, but I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed still most days. I do try to do little things, like park far away or take the stairs though. It's a start. I can't beat myself up over it or it will be negative. I can feel my energy getting better too, so I'm sure I will be doing some exercise regularly soon. Once my thyroid is better, I'm sure that will also help with my energy levels. But you are doing so great! I like the way you liken the junk food as a short-term high....it makes it sound like such a negative thing! I am soooooo excited to be here, I made it past my personal best from my other three attempts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Look at you killing it again! Though it may feel like you took 1 step forward and 2 steps back you learned something important about yourself that I hope you will give a great deal of consideration. Beer (alcohol) is obvious a gateway/trigger for you. During you W100 you may want to come to terms with not reintroducing it again. I don't recall, but did you do the reintroduction period after your last W30 or did you just keep on chugging along? Another important thing is to keep being accountable. Don't ever feel shame in coming here and admitting you are struggling. Often when we are spiraling we just need someone to grab our hand and help us right ourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 Julie, if you are not up for exercise yet, just concentrate on the W30 and your health needs. If/when your energy surges, then you can always add movement. Physi, I did a proper reintro of dairy and found that I have problems with it. I had absolute pain, and finding a bathroom was not optional. So, dairy is probably gone. The grains were reintroduced simply out of habits. While I don't know if grains themselves cause problems, they are inherently high in carbohydrates which then wreak havoc on my diabetes. More glucose means more insulin which means more weight put back on. Beer is something I will probably be saying farewell to. It is actually downright stupid to mix it with diabetes anyway. It is a trigger, and I think I'm at a point where there is no such thing as moderation (for me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Sassaman Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi Archeogator! I hope your Day 16 finds you with lots of energy and less cravings! Thanks for the encouragement on working in movement. I realized that stressing about that was only giving me an excuse to 'give up' in the past. So I am choosing not to obsess about it this time around. It will come, I know it will. When I was healthier I was far more active. It's good that you know that beer is a trigger for you. Some people don't even realize they have one (or care to admit it anyway). Mine is definitely chocolate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Day 17, and we had a cold front. I know it is a bit chilly for Floridians, but I like it about where it is at. Summers are always brutal on me down here, and I have to be very careful with heat stroke. It has always been a problem with me. I remember as a kid having to rest so often to avoid feelings of passing out. So, it will be outside for me today. Things continue to go well overall. My glucose levels have thrown a few surprises, but overall have been good. I have messed up a couple times with too much fruit. I learned from my W30 that I really have to limit fruit to about one per day, or my glucose pays. This is hard for me to do. My lab work will be done on the February 17, and my doctor visit will be February 24. So, I have one month left for all of this to affect my labs. I am curious about my a1c and my cholesterol. I see a doctor who is definitely not a pill pusher, so he really wants me to get numbers down soon so we can avoid other prescriptions. I will post the results here, just to remain accountable. Anyway, about that outdoors time . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Today was actually tough. I need to experiment more with foods. For example, I have made Caesar dressing and of course do oil and vinegar for salads. I found myself wanting ranch dressing. I enjoy salads, but the dressing just got boring. There is also my produce selection. Though W30 is not meant to be low-carb, I am making mine as such. When I am low carb, insulin management is so much easier. But this means that I don't get to eat sweet potato, most squashes, too much fruit, etc. The last time I had one serving of sweet potato my numbers shot up. Same with acorn squash. So, it does get old only eating low carb vegetables. Maybe it is time I try out some paleo cookbooks, or give that whole zoodle thing a try. Today I really wanted a trip to Sonny's. Pulled pork, barbeque sauce, baked beans, garlic bread, corn fritters. I am hoping today was just one of those days and I can sleep it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I highly recommend Well Fed and Well Fed 2. If you want low sugar recipes the 21 Day Sugar Detox books are good but be warned some of her recipes are not Whole30 compliant. I can flip through the one I have at home and do a percentage if you like (I loaned out the other one). Sounds like you should make some compliant pulled pork for yourself tonight with some compliant sides. Hang in there! You know it is worth it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 I think I am putting the Well Fed books and the Nom Nom book on my Amazon list. I may order Nom Nom soon, since our library has Well Fed available for me to preview. During my first round of paleo a few years back, I had Sisson's book. I sold it during one of my "I hate Paleo" moods, and now I wish I had hung on to it to at least get ideas. These problems are new this time around. It is day 20, with my goal of 80 more to go. Boredom did not come up last time around. Though I wouldn't mind a trip to Sonny's, tonight's dinner is chili that my wife offered to make. She cooks for us on her nights off work, and has actually been making me decent compliant foods. This helps some. This time around, I just really want to shove some starches in my mouth. Simple things like make a sandwich, eat some Kashi cereal, french fries, pasta. I know I can pull through and this is a battle that I need to win. Whole9 will add years of quality time to my life, so I am going for that as my prize. Another part of my goals was to get a financial plan going. That is our dinner conversation tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Sassaman Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 That is kind of how I've been feeling this last week or so. I just want to grab something easy. Cereal, a sandwich, the list goes on. Food boredom sets in with me no matter how I am eating. Even with junk food. I just bought Nom Nom last night and I am already done 'reading' it. I already had her iPad app, which is great. Her cookbook is pretty awesome too. I made her Thai Basil Curry with some chicken my husband had smoked when he was home and it was REALLY good. I know we will get through this too, but it doesn't make it any easier to go through. The prize is definitley awesome though! Did you ever make your own bacon? How did that come out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 I do have bacon. It turned out very well. Mind you, it is not like store bought, uniform slices of bacon. It is more like country bacon you would get at a restaurant. It lost a lot of weight during smoking, and I got close to six pounds out of eight. It gives you an idea of how many animals are needed to line our grocery store shelves. Hunting season, aside from the approaching spring turkey time is wrapping up. This year was quite a learning experience. Next season I will have a better idea of where to go, what gear I need, etc. Perhaps I can keep this paleo thing going and fill the freezer better with harvested animals and have a variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Tuesday and Wednesday were now better days. The sluggish feelings passed. The cravings passed. I got energy at just the right time. Our water heater was dying, and yesterday was the day to replace it. It was the original heater from our house when it was built, in 1989. We have been here three years, so we got some use out of it. I am proud of myself, because it is one more thing I learned how to do. While I realize the internet can not always be trusted and this bad thing can happen and that bad thing can happen, I am often thankful for it. Using how-to websites and youtube, I learned how to do something that was well within my skills range. For $330 I now have a 50 gallon water heater installed. Paying someone else would cost me at least twice that amount. I also picked up a few items to get some work done on the house, hoping the energy stays. We want to paint the exterior this year, so I have work to do before that happens. I look forward to keeping this going, and have enjoyed these good days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Sassaman Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 YAY!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad you got the energy! I agree with you about the Internet. It is a blessing and a curse! I was able to get my college degree because of being able to take online classes. I am still waiting for my energy. I'm a patient girl though (well, most of the time!) and I know my time will come. Right now I would just really love some sleep. You are doing so great ArcheoGator!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyLutheranMommy Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Just wanted to chime in and give you some cheers and encouragement! A Whole100 is a huge commitment and definitely inspiring. Keep it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Thanks for the encouragement everyone. Since I have done a W30, I figured a W100 was a better challenge for me, rather than another W30. Now it is already day 22, and I am glad I committed for more than 30 days because I am not done yet. Also, I youtube'd and checked out a few books on Ramsey, based on Sharon's recommendation. We have started an envelope system now to make a budget. We have clear goals to attack our debt and have a few rewards built in at each step. For example, with just a little bit of sacrifice, we can pay off our car loans within the year rather than 26 more months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I discovered Dave Ramsey more than 15 years ago. Through all of life's ups and downs, the value of those lessons have stood me in good stead. During the crazy years when everyone was buying more house, or refinancing to take exotic vacations, my friends thought I was weird (if you listen to Dave, you'll know weird is good) because I was content to stay in my current home and continue to pay down the mortgage. Fast forward a few years and many of them have been foreclosed on, or are drowning in debt in houses they owe more for than they can get. Me, I'm within $30k of paying off the mortgage. I only pay cash for cars, and I have money in the bank. Not that you need another reason to hang out online, but his TMMO site is pretty awesome, too. I haven't visited in a long time because I speak to most of my friends from there on facebook, but I am a lifetime free member because I was with him when he grew it from the old Dave's Club to the giant site it is now. Those of us who made the switch with him and helped to launch the TMMO forums got free lifetime access. WARNING: You will get some tough love over there. Much tougher on people who do "stupid with zeros on the end" than the people over here are when you slip up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcheoGator Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 Well, Maryann, I had a post ready to go to reply about Ramsey. Unfortunately, I am getting used to Windows 8 and I just lost it. So, an abridged version: My wife and I have always rushed into too many financial decisions. That is the biggest problem we have. We bought a house when we were not ready, racked up student loans to cover living expenses, and we should have taken care of our car loans while I was still working. I look at our family income, and it seems like we should have more freedom than we do. So, we are going to take care of things. I'll check out TMMO and maybe look at it for a few days for the free trial. I'll keep the tough love in mind; sometimes it helps. After dinner tonight, I went to make a couple dressings from nom nom. My oldest boy wanted to help and we worked together. He enjoyed the dressings and wants me to make more so we can stop buying the store stuff. Also, my energy has been climbing, so after cleanup we had a heck of a Nerf war. These are the good times I have wanted to experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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