Whole30 and chronic illness

[cphero]

I am on day 29 of my Whole30. I honestly didn't think I would make it past the first week.   Every time I had to make a meal, I vowed that I was done! It was truly awful. I deal with severe chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. The amount of time I have had to spend in the kitchen just about sent my body into shock.

 

OK, now for the good news... I am SO thankful I am married to a man who wouldn't throw in the towel with me!    He let me vent but held fast to his decision to see it through. His determination fueled mine. I can't find the words to express how thrilled it did!!

 

We both had our most dramatic results within the first two weeks. I was about 10 lbs overweight when we started. The shrinking stopped at the end of week two. In fact, I was actually looking bloated this past week and was getting quite discouraged. Then *poof* , I woke up this morning and all the bloating is gone and I look like I have slimmed down even more! I still haven't decided if I want to weigh myself on Sunday. I don't want the scale to dictate my success or perceived failure... but I am curious

 

I deal with ME-CFS and Fibromyalgia. My "invisible" illnesses were no longer invisible. I constantly looked grey and haggard.   As I watched myself shrink I also noticed that my face had color! In fact, we saw some friends I hadn't seen in months. As I shared about our Whole30, I said "I think I look healthier". Almost in unison they blurted out "Yeah, you don't look grey and pasty anymore!"    They felt so bad, but I laughed! It was true - I WAS looking grey and pasty, but no longer!

 

We have decided to go Paleo starting on Sunday. I purchased Robb Wolf's book Paleo Budget Guide. If the folks at Whole30 recommend Robb as a resource, that is good enough for me! In fact, I really appreciate his no-nonsense approach as I was getting fairly stressed out at our food bill! Many people living on disability pensions can't afford to eat really good food. He puts it all into perspective, which I am very thankful for.

 

My fatigue and pain have not improved. In fact, they got worse because of all the extra activity in the kitchen (my CFS is severe). I have connected with others in the forum who have said that it can take up to 6 months or longer to see dramatic improvement. I just keep looking in the mirror and the person looking back at me looks healthy. I just have to believe my body will catch up .

 

So, if you are just starting out and wondering if it's all worth it - it is! Don't give up. It's only 30 days. You can do anything for 30 days, right? Just take it one day at a time. If you haven't read the book It Starts with Food, please get it! They explain the why behind the how. Once you understand what your food is doing to you, it will change your choices. Don't give up - you can do it!!

 

[LRM]

Congratulations! I loved your story and I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. I deal with fatigue and pain from chronic hypothyroidism. It took a little longer than 30 days for me to feel relief but it did happen. I have adopted a strict paleo lifestyle and it's made a huge difference. Sometimes I do go off track and the pain returns, but a few days of W30 eating really helps. It relieves the pain, and helps get me back on track. I still do W30's and W45's throughout the year. All the best on this journey. Your post made my day. :-)