Take Two: Lady M's second Whole 30

[LadyM]

Day 53

M1 meat quiche, avo, cm tea, 7:30

M2 green chicken, red cabbage, sw pot w ghee, 11:30

M3 corned beef, veg, kraut, coconut chips, cm tea, 5

Lovely yoga class this morning. Thinking I'll take a run this afternoon, too. The race is coming up, and I've fallen a little behind in my training (in the interest of rest, which I do not regret). My only goal is to finish the half marathon, and I feel confident I could go out and run 13.1 miles this afternoon if necessary, so I'm not feeling any real pressure. Just want to do right by myself.

[LadyM]

Day 54

 

M1 meat quiche, avo mayo, cm tea, 8:30

M2 moroccan meatballs, rice pilaf, cm tea, 1:30

M3 tod mun cakes, cuke relish, cm tea, 5

 

Looooooong sleep last night. Nearly 10.5 hours! My alarm didn't go off and I'm glad. Haven't made it to bootcamp yet this week, but I'll make it up eventually. Sometimes sleep is the thing.

 

Treating myself to a pedicure later this morning, and though the temps are kind of on a roller coaster right now, I have confidence that I'll get to show off my pretty toesies sooner rather than later. Busting out the sandals any day now, y'all!

[LadyM]

Day 55

M1 meat quiche, avomayo, cm tea, 8

M2 green chicken, red cabbage, swpot, noon

M3 moroccan meatballs, spaghetti squash, RX bars, crudités, half apple, 6

Yet another excellent yoga class this morning. Lots of fun with handstands. I love inversions. I'm just as happy upside down as I am right side up. I have no idea why.

After yoga I stopped in to see the trainer, talk nutrition, and get weighed. Today was the final weigh in, and I said I'd take a look when the eight weeks was up, so I did. I have lost about eight pounds and maintained my muscle mass. I'm very happy with this and my reaction is simply, "Hey, let's keep going!" And so I shall. Perhaps looking at the numbers every two months. Though the numbers really aren't necessary. I am fully in touch with my body, its shifts and changes, and whether or not I'm heading in the direction I want to. This is a huge victory--much more than the weight loss!

I also got my lab results from the endocrinologist and my tsh is suppressed, which means we're backing off on my levothyroxine. This is another huge win. It indicates that all the diet changes and work I've been doing with FMD is helping my thyroid function--perhaps even rebuilding my (decimated by radiation in 1995) thyroid, as FMD is shooting for.

All very good news and significant progress. And you know how I'm going to celebrate? TO KEEP GOING.

[homerfrizzell]

Good stuff.

[pjena]

Awesome!

[LadyM]

Thanks, y'all!

[Beets]

Yay! Bravo M on the great dr news. You are my hero, too. Loved your post about your mom. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights.

[LadyM]

Day 56

M1 corned beef, veg, mayo, cm decaf, 8

M2 Moroccan meatballs, cauliflower pilaf, crudités w pate, RX bars, cm tea, 2

M3 gyoza meatballs, Asian slaw, cm decaf, 5:30

Very grumpy today. Work crap and maybe hormones. Cancelled a date with a new guy tonight. Thinking maybe I'm suffering from not getting enough cardio. Also, the RX bars are getting the best of me. I'm definitely using them inappropriately as dessert. Must shift back to my good habits of eating my meals and resisting something sweet at the end.

[LadyM]

Day 57

M1 meat quiche, cm decaf, 7:45

M2 bison rib eye, slaw, sw pot, RX bar, cm decaf, 12:30

Post WO water packed sardines, sw pot, kraut, 5:30

M3 corned beef, kale chips, RX bar, cm decaf, 7

Feeling rather well rested. Had a delicious nap yesterday after work AND went to bed early. Awakened at 7:30 without alarm. Very nice.

Yoga this morning and a 12-mile run this afternoon. My left IT band feels rather tight, so I'm a little worried about this distance, but we're doing a trail run, and my aim is just to relax into it and enjoy the time in nature. Should be a lovely day for it.

Update: glorious, as usual, yoga, and decent run, though I really look forward to the end of these long distances. I just don't think it's serving me well. Half marathon is one week from tomorrow. Then back to burst training and my beloved bicycle for cardio until the pool opens for the summer. So much to look forward to!

Also, I've decided that what's happened is I've had a week of "Easter candy" with these RX bars and cm coffees. Far too "treat-y" to continue on the regular. So, for next week I'm relying on "black" teas for mealtime beverages, cutting the RX bars, and making sure I'm deliberate with my starchy carbs and greens. Thinking my grumpiness may be caused by unnecessarily low carbs, and that, coupled with not enough greens with my meals may have been leading me down the dark path of RX bars.

I remind myself that I did see this coming when I ordered the dang delicious cookie/candy-like things. Time to rein it in.

80s dance party tonight!!

[mangio_bene]

I also got my lab results from the endocrinologist and my tsh is suppressed, which means we're backing off on my levothyroxine. This is another huge win. It indicates that all the diet changes and work I've been doing with FMD is helping my thyroid function--perhaps even rebuilding my (decimated by radiation in 1995) thyroid, as FMD is shooting for.

 

Interesting ... I take Armour for my hypothyroidism and the majority of what I've read suggests that diet can't help much.  Now I'm curious if this change will help me in this area too. 

[LadyM]

Day 58

M1 meat quiche, avo mayo, cm decaf, 9:30

M2 morrocan meatballs, cauliflower mash, crudités w avomayo&pate, cm decaf, 3:30

M3 bora bora fireballs w sunshine sauce and slaw, cm decaf, 8:30

My body is feeling yesterday's run and three hours on the dance floor. Such fun! And again, no problem not drinking. Living without regrets is the way to go.

Replenishing the stock of leftovers today. Going to try bora bora fireballs and an old standby, chili cilantro lime chicken. Salmon cakes, chicken nan king and pad Thai ready to go, too. Need to get some veg in order. Plenty of greens and adequate starchy carbs in the lineup. It's half marathon week, so no shenanigans in the lead up.

Speaking of running, I've decided in no uncertain terms that the 13.1 miles I run one week from today will be the last long run I take for a good while. I've enjoyed training, and I look forward to shorter, faster runs from here on out. But I'm no longer in the business of putting the stress of hours of running at a time on my body. I'll say it again: it's so good to be attuned and to make choices accordingly.

[julied]

This is a great blog.  You're way more compliant and diligent about recording meals and having no snacks than I am!  Like you, my first Whole30 was just 'meh' - not so great.  I had trouble sleeping and had frequent mild headaches. Lost 4 lbs, though.  And it did change the way I look at and prepare meals.  So I did another Whole30 and I felt much better because I think I was not eating enough during the first one (no weight loss).  And now I'm on Day27 of my 3rd Whole30 and I'm sleeping better but still get mild headaches fairly often.  I can't wait to have a glass of wine and some lovely bites of extra dark chocolate along with dried figs!  I think I have not slayed my sugar dragon and don't believe that it's possible at this point. 

 

I like the idea of one day of freedom that you mention in the blog and think I will go that route once Day30 arrives.  I really like the food and feel pretty good overall, eating balanced, nutritional meals.  This will likely be my last Whole30, though, because I go into binge mode at the thought of all the restrictions.  I want to stop that, continue to eat 'Paleo' and enjoy treats in moderation (once a week).

 

Congrats on your successes on the Whole30 ... 60?!

[LadyM]

@mangio_bene, Thanks for stopping by! I honestly think the movement in the right direction can be attributed to my functional med doc and keen supplementation more than diet, though diet is certainly a part. My thyroid issue is from radiation, so it may be a different case than yours. I wish you the best of luck!

@julied, thank you, and congrats to you! I love hearing from others who have done multiple w30s. We learn something new each time, don't we? And keep tweaking and making the experience better. Good luck with those headaches. How frustrating! As for the bingeing, have you read the book Mind Over Binge? I found it very helpful in conjunction with w30. I understand that rebellious nature, all too well, though, in response to restrictions. But w30 genuinely feels liberating to me now. Not sure exactly how or why that shift occurred.

[LadyM]

Day 59

M1 meat quiche, avomayo, green tea, 6:45

M2 chicken nan king, romaine/endive salad, tulsi tea, 1

M3 morrocan meatballs, cauliflower mash, salmon cake, 5:15

Went back through my log a bit and realized my period is more than a week late. Weird. I had all the pms symptoms (hungries, zits, grumpiness, weepiness, craving for red meat) but no arrival. Wonder what's going on.

Back to Bootcamp this morning and happy about that. Got tons of food prep done yesterday and also very happy about that. I had forgotten what a scrumptious miracle sunshine sauce is! And those fireballs are worth the effort. I can't believe what a meatball fanatic I've become. I also whipped up chicken nan king, salmon cakes, mayo, and roasted bnut squash. Also expecting a us wellness shipment this week and that will get the creative juices flowing. Still having fun in the kitchen. Two months without a slump may be a record for me.

[pjena]

I found that my cycle is longer during W30 (but it's really short normally).  Maybe it's just the hormones rebalancing. 

 

Now I want sunshine sauce!  I may have to work that into my meal plan in the near future. 

[LadyM]

Update: I had the kind of day that made me want to uncork a bottle of wine as soon as I walked in the door and proceed to have an Olivia Pope style dinner. Instead, I shoved a cold salmon cake from the fridge down my gullet, unscrewed a bottle of Pellegrino, poured it into my fanciest wine glass, topped it with a little kombucha, and sipped it while I prepared the most comforting of comfort foods for dinner: mashed cauliflower studded with spices and raisins, topped with Moroccan meatballs and sauce.

Jen, make you some sunshine sauce! OMGheaveninabowl.

[LadyM]

Day 60 (!)

M1 meat quiche, avo, green tea, 8:30
M2 last of the moroccan meatballs, mashed cauli, bp decaf, noon
M3 tbd

My period arrived right as rain early this morning, which makes my previous cycle a cool 40 days. That may be a record for me.

Skipped yoga this morning in favor of a long sleep. Had a nap yesterday evening and still went to bed at 10. Slept until after 8. Oh how I love sleep. Definitely still recovering from the play, from training, from life. . .

Pleased that today marks two back-to-back whole30s for me. And I have no desire to stop now. Keeping my eye on Memorial Day.

[Noelle]

Sixty days is a real achievement! Congratulations, LadyM.

I've really enjoyed getting caught up on your log. Your insights are inspiring--and encouraging! More than once, you've written something that was EXACTLY what I needed to read.

[LadyM]

Thank you so much, Noelle! If anything I've written resonates with you, that makes me very happy.

[LadyM]

Day 61

M1 meat quiche w avo & lizard sauce, bp tea, 7

M2 chicken nan king, slaw, 11:30

M3 salmon cakes with almost alba and tahini dressing, romaine/endive, RX bar, bp decaf, 3:30

Made up yesterday morning's missed yoga class last night and it was lovely. Went to bed by 10 and was up for Bootcamp at 5:30. Worked hard, and unfortunately, pulled my SI joint out doing asymmetrical squats on a step. I should have known better. Hoping fmd/chiro can squeeze me in today--or at least this week before the race. Starting to wonder if I shouldn't drop down to the 10K instead of the half marathon. For me, this has been about the training, not the race, so I don't have that much invested in terms of ego, though a friend is coming in from Chicago to run the half with me and I feel a commitment to him. I'll mull it over, and see how my SI goes.

Yesterday was a good food day in that I felt very satiated. I think it was the increased fats, and maybe portions, at lunch and dinner. Starting to wonder if I've been under feeding myself at times, still stuck in the dieting paradigm, especially on days when I'm ravenous by the time I get to the next meal. Anyway, fats will be abundant this week, especially as I wean myself from my coconut milk dependency with bulletproof hot beverages. I have a hunch that too much coconut (milk, butter, flesh--not oil) feeds my sugar dragon and slows digestion and elimination, if you get my drift. So, I'm experimenting.

Wanted to mention that I had coffee with a friend recently at a sunny cafe and she stopped mid-sentence to comment on how gorgeous my skin looked. She's known me through my decades of battle with debilitating acne, so it especially meant a lot coming from her. This is an area that I have a hard time discerning on my own since seeing only flaws has been ingrained since I was 11 or 12, so I wanted to document this as a Whole 30 success!

[LadyM]

Day 62

M1 meat quiche, avo, green tea, 7:30

M2 fireballs w sunshine, bnut squash, kraut, bp decaf, 12:15

M3 chicken nan king, kale chips, RX bar, bp decaf, 5

Well, my back is a mess. My whole pelvic girdle, really. Chiro could only do so much. I'll just have to rest. The pain is acute and it's difficult to find a comfortable position. I'm icing it regularly, but that's it. Did some stretching last night before bed, and holy man is my mobility limited. Not sure what I'll do this weekend about the race. I will certainly cheer on my friend, though!

[Beets]

Congrats on 60 days! Honestly, sometimes I feel a little envious of your sticktoitiveness. You are not only doing it but staying positive and happy about it. There I go, making it about me. Lol. SERiously, though until your back troubles you were sounding amazing and much more consistently happy with where you are than you were last year. 

 

I'm sorry about your back. Ugh. That is brutal! Reminds me though that I came across a couple great SI joint pieces over the last couple months and thought of you. (I know this is different but just so I don't forget.) 

 

SI Joint Whisperer Part I

SI Joint Whisperer Part II

A Magical Unsticker for CRanky SI Joints

 

Maybe you already know these things, but just in case. 

 

And thanks for checking in on me. 

[Beets]

And yay for friends commenting about your skin! 

[pjena]

62 days!  You're on a roll.  I'm very inspired. 

 

I will be interested to hear how your coconut experiment goes.  I do CM in my cofffee because I read it HELPS with the regularity issue.  CB I limit to my breakfast sw pot as my fat, but in the past, it has been a FWNB if I let it.  For now, it's under control.  It helps to make my own.  It's not quite as good as the store bought CB so I'm less likely to want to snack on it.  Plus, it's way cheaper.

 

What a wonderful compliement from your friend!  Though the most important thing is how you feel, our minds are so tricky sometimes that it has to be nice to hear an objective observation that everything you are doing has you on the right track.

 

I'm so sorry your back (or pelvic girdle) is messed up!  Ugh!  Take care of yourself and don't push it with the race.  I did a 10 mile race a bunch of years back and had my ego so wrapped up in doing it that I pushed through 2 bouts of bronchitis and knee pain and very bad running weather (it was the day people actually died at the Chicago marathon) and ran anyway.  It wasn't the smartest decision and I think that is part of why I still have knee pain even though I stopped running long ago and can't do certain yoga poses that involve bending my right knee. 

[LadyM]

Thank you so much, you guys! Beets, those articles are gold. Thank you! Jen, you're so right about the race. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to run it, and I'm 100% OK with it. In fact, I'm starting to feel like I'm coming down with something cold/flu like that I'm fighting--on top of the back/pelvis pain--so I'm getting the message from my body loud and clear. Sometimes you just have to slow the hell down, especially if you want to keep going. That time is now.