fahrenam Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Hello everyone. Very excited to be starting today. I have planned this for a few weeks and was anxious to get going, but wanted to wait until after the holiday to make sure I was really setting myself up for success A little about me…I'm 40 years old and in business. My weight has always been up and down, very frustrating for me as the rest of my family is very fit/skinny. While I am usually able to maintain in the 140s (I'm 5'6), I have fluctuated between 130 to as high as 180 over the past 10 years. Well, after an extremely tumultuous couple of months (some good, some bad, including a job change, move, end of a relationship and knee surgery) I am up to 165 and feel awful about myself and how I look and feel. My main vices are probably wine and cheese. I gave up dairy a few months ago and was shocked at how much better my skin looked. But I ended up eating a lot of sugar as a crutch when I could no longer eat dairy and that was much worse for me. As for the wine….I would never want to give it up long term, but I think my consumption is simply not health right now for either my body or my mind. I believe this will be the hardest change for me, but the most needed My goals are below 1) Lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way 2) Feel proud of myself for making really positive changes 3) Have a clear head off alcohol to process my feelings and the life changes I have been going through 4) Feel more connected with my body 5) Learn how to cook lots of yummy things I started with a good breakfast this morning--2 hard boiled eggs wrapped in prosciutto and an apple. Off to the store to prepare a good dinner tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Welcome, fahrenam, and good luck on your journey. Make sure you eat enough, this isn't a 'diet'. Don't deprive yourself. You will rapidly get tired and cranky if you don't consume enough food. I would have been starving in an hour with what you had for breakfast. I had 2 fried eggs cooked in coconut oil, a pile of sausage and sweet potato hash, and a side of roasted brussels sprouts. I aim for 2 cups minimum of veggies at every meal. Fruit is okay once or twice a day, but not if it's pushing the veggies off your plate. Wine and cheese were my two biggies as well. I did 3-4 Whole30s year before last and spent the last 3 days planning what to eat and drink on Day 31. Not exactly conducive to changing my habits. LOL Then last New Year I hooked up with a bunch of women on here and did a W100. I had realized from previous W30s that wine made me tired and foggy the next day. By Day 100, I had no further interest in it. I felt so good I didn't want to mess it up. Your mileage may vary. Keep posting, ask questions, come here for support. This is probably one of the most supportive forums I've ever belonged to. Everyone is cheering on everybody else. Happy New Year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Welcome Welcome! It's exciting to start a Whole30 and the beginning of the New Year. We will definitely feel better 30 days from now! My own reminder to myself is to let myself eat as much as I want at meals. It makes life a lot more pleasant and the weight will still come off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Just returned from Whole Foods and while I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of grocery shopping I was doing, was pleasantly surprised by their new "Paleo Bar." I was careful to check ingredients (one or two items had honey in them) but the buffalo chicken salad and cauliflower "tabouleh" were fabulous!!!! And will be so easy to bring to work with me tomorrow. I just wish Whole Foods was closer to my house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Wow! I wish we had a paleo bar. My WF seems to be geared primarily to vegans. We have lots of grains and tofu, but hardly anything paleo. But we do have valet parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 What should we do when we aren't hungry? I'm not sure what is going on, but I'm just not hungry at all. The thought of making an omelette or something right now makes me feel sick. I actually noticed I had very little appetite yesterday as well, which was just day 1 for me, which seems like it's something other than the diet. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I think you're supposed to eat anyway. It helps teach your body what's going on and helps get your hormones on a schedule - I really don't know the deep reasons, but I know I just eat anyway and things seem to work. If I don't eat, then invariably I start craving the wrong things later on in the day. I'd sometimes just have a hard boiled egg and some veggies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Day two is done! Feeling good--had a little headache earlier today, but took some advil and it went away. Biggest challenge is getting enough vegetables in, today wasn't as good as I'd like it to be. Tomorrow will be my first real social challenge, heading to a friend's house to watch a football game--wish me luck! Day 1: Breakfast: Two hard boiled eggs wrapped in prosciutto Snack: Apple Lunch: Buffalo chicken salad and cauliflower tabouleh Dinner: Chicken chili sausage and more cauliflower Day 2: Breakfast: Two eggs scrambled with leftover chicken sausage Lunch: Buffalo chicken salad over lettuce and vanilla chia pod snack: Celery and sunbutter Dinner: Tuna salad with olive oil and olives over lettuce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Just had my first ever bite of coconut butter….yummmmmmmmmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Am having a great day. Woke feeling rested, no headache. Made a really yummy "greek" scramble with artichoke hearts and olives. Went to pilates for an hour, then headed to the local farmer's market where I bought an awesome half roasted chicken, raw sauerkraut, and avocados, which made a super lunch. And I have lots leftover. The sauerkraut is particularly awesome and a great option when you don't feel like a salad or cooking vegetables Overall, day 3 has felt good. First big challenge of the Whole 30 is tonight--headed to a friend's house to watch football. I have warned them ahead of time, but just makes me nervous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 So pleasantly surprised when I got to my friend's house last night. She and her husband did a Whole Life Challenge last year and are doing another in a week, so she had whipped up a great Whole 30-friendly meal. We started with cucumbers and guacamole, then moved on to sausage stuffed peppers and mushrooms with a lovely salad. And I drank about 15 glasses of water while she and her husband drank wine :-) I am feeling really good, woke up this morning with no problem at 7am. No cravings and no headaches. I am still struggling with not being hungry at times (I have zero appetite this morning). I also have to make sure not to head to nut or coconut butter as a "treat" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Today's Whole30 newsletter was perfect timing. I wasn't hungry this morning, so only had two hard boiled eggs. Then around 10:30am starting craving food and was about to go for a spoon of almond butter when I decided to read the daily email. When I saw the picture of the fish and it said, does this look good, it actually did! I realized I didn't eat enough at breakfast and I should sit down and eat something real, so finished off some tuna salad and half an avocado. Just a reminder that I should eat a full breakfast no matter what Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 Odd day food-wise, since I had two breakfasts and was unexpectedly away from home in the afternoon. Stayed compliant, but less than ideal to have two snacks instead of lunch Breakfast 1: two hard boiled eggs Breakfast 2: leftover tuna salad (with olive oil) and 1/2 avocado Snack 1: Rx bar Snack 2: Green juice from organic juice bar with lemon as the only fruit Dinner: Roast chicken and spinach sautéed with bacon (compliant) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 Is anyone else struggling with breakfast? I have never been a big breakfast eater, in fact haven't had anything but coffee for the past few years. I keep having to force myself to eat, but then get hungry before lunch. This morning I had two hard boiled eggs and a small avocado, along with coffee with coconut butter in it. I had to literally force myself to finish, felt like I was going to throw up, that was around 7:30. Well, by 10am I was starved, ate my emergency Larabar. And now it isn't even 11:30 and I'm hungry again. I want to get onto a normal schedule Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 It was very hard for me to eat a decent-sized breakfast at first. I was a 'coffee only' person for years and years. All I can say is keep plugging away. You really need to add some veggies to the protein and fat in the morning. After a while, you get used to it, and eventually you look forward to breakfast. I didn't start to lose weight until I started eating a decent breakfast. Instead of leaving my body in 'fasting mode' from dinnertime until noon, I now fuel the machine early, which actually helps me have more energy and burn more fat. And once you get in the three-a-day habit, your sleep automatically improves as well, because you get your hormones on the correct cycle. ISWF has a section that describes this well. I lent out my book, so can't look it up right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Ugh, I feel so bloated. Does anyone else? I knew this might happen, but I'm a little sad I don't have the sensation of being lighter. My skin is also breaking out! Aaaaaaargh Besides that no headaches or cravings and my mood is fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryztle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 What day are you on? I'm on Day 4 and no bloated feeling today yet, I felt bloated Day 2 and Day 3... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'm on day 6. I have been lucky to have few other symptoms, I'm mostly fine It may just be that I'm not use to eating such big meals. I think for the past few years I was more of a grazer. I actually didn't know what to do with myself yesterday when I ate a big lunch (salad with tuna, egg, and lots of veggies) and then wasn't hungry for 7 hours! I'm not sure that has ever happened to me before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I never ate breakfasts - hated them. I usually got hungry three hours after I woke up and saw no reason to change that, but now I go along with the breakfast thing and it's grown on me (though I still often don't eat till an hour after being up). It helps that I don't have to eat breakfast foods that I never really cared for like cereal. You sound like you're doing great and you're posts reminded me that I should probably go cook up a bit more breakfast since I didn't really eat much this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryztle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I never was a breakfast eater until this past year I made myself start eating breakfast! Now I can't go without it, you will get there too keep up the great work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 OK, had a 3 egg omelette with artichoke hearts, olives, and spinach, cooked in ghee…..and I'm hungry at 10:30!?! What's the deal? I think this is why I stopped eating breakfast years ago, it seems to stimulate hunger in me rather than quell it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryztle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 What time was your breakfast? Are you really hungry or just have a craving? I have to ask myself this daily... Are you drinking plenty of water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Breakfast was at 7, so not too early. Drinking lots of water, although mostly afternoon/evening. Mornings I do coffee with coconut butter in it (I tried that out of desperation when I realized my coconut milk wasn't compliant, but I actually prefer it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Did you have 2-3 cups worth of veggies in that omelette? If not, up the veggies at breakfast. If you do that and you're still hungry 3.5 hours later, have a mini-meal that includes a protein and fat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahrenam Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 There were a fair amount of veggies. On the flip side I need absolutely no afternoon snack at all or craving for after dinner dessert. Seems to be a weird thing about breakfast. I'll see how it goes tomorrow. I've had two larabars two days in a row now, which I'd rather not do Today was the end of day 6, overall I feel very good. Still a little bloated, but sleeping well and no cravings. No bad mood either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.