Skepticallytrying Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Hey everyone! On day 5 of my first Whole30 & it's been a bit of a rough ride. Prior to starting, I considered myself to eat relatively healthy: love vegetables, fruit, gluten-free (due to Celiac's), shopped primarily organic (as much as I could). But, unfortunately I allowed the stress of graduate school & a tough internship, create habits that I now believe to be detrimental: having alcohol every night (under the guise that moderation helped with LDL & HDL levels), excessive coffee intake (2-3 cups/day, most days, with half & half, only) & some SERIOUS SALT CRAVINGS! I mean, it was nothing for me to take down a large bag of chips in a couple days! Now, 6 months post-thesis defense, I'm tired of being 'tired' at 3pm everyday, fighting to stay awake, alert & not cranky. As luck would have it, I had a physical a month ago, mentioned I was unusually lethargic to my doctor & he recommended that I get the standard blood screenings (for iron, thyroid, etc) and also mentioned the 'It Starts with Food'/Whole30 movement. He stated he tried it & he's never felt better. Like me, he's gluten free & found that dairy & legumes were adding to his fatigue, during the reintroduction phase of Whole30. Fortunately, all my blood work is normal, my weight is fine for my height (5'5", 125lbs) so this must mean, something else is going on.... I desperately want to regain my health & energy back... I'm eloping in 2 months, I used to jog/hike regularly & now I'm going to bed by 7 - 8pm every night, then waking up at 3am, falling back to sleep & still tired in the morning. Which leads me to Day 5 & Whole30... I've obviously eliminated alcohol, chips & dairy from my diet. But, coffee (with nothing in it, obviously)... that's another story. I'm thinking I'll gradually ween from coffee over the next couple of weeks. The major thing I think about is having alcohol... because I had it EVERY night with dinner! Scary to think it has that much control over me! But in other Whole30 news, I'm happy to report that I no longer have afternoon headaches, like I did in days 1 - 3. Today was the first day I didn't feel hunger pangs 3 hours post meal... that's great! My biggest grief is how ACHY I feel...even today!!! Does anyone else feel achy???!!! I knew that people would experience the 'carb flu', but this is rough. I also remember reading about crankiness... that's me right now, especially in the afternoon! I feel bad for my coworkers - I'm just trying to steer clear & immerse myself in work. I'd love to hear if anyone else is feeling achy & cranky!!!! Thanks so much!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina R Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Congratulations you have made it to the Kill All Things stage! Your body doesn't like the changes you have made and it is fighting you with everything it has. Your cravings may increase for a few days. I used to have a glass of wine almost every night. I thought it would be really hard to give up. I think for me it is more of the ritual of having something at that time then the actual alcohol. Some good news is when I reintroduced alcohol after my whlole30 I found that I don't sleep very well , especially red wine. So I don't drink it except on special occasions. You Can Do It! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninadude Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Hi Skepticallytrying! You CAN do this! I finished my W30 and am now doing another "whole" because I feel so much better. You'll get through the crankiness & aches after a bit. If you haven't yet, get and read It Starts with Food. Also, I find that cozy herbal teas through the afternoon & evening are also a great way to wind down. I too have an overabundance of stress (mine's from work) and had wine or a cocktail every night to relieve the daily angst. Stick with it! You truly will feel better afterward! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skepticallytrying Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Thank you Tina R & ninadude, for your support! I really appreciate it... it's good to know I'm not alone, in various ways (used to have wine/cocktail every night, experiencing Kill All Things stage!) Ninadude, I, too, live in New England & believe the crazy push in the work environment contributes to the daily angst (I'm originally from the West coast). I'm going to look for relaxing teas to chill out... seems much better than relying on my alcohol! Why didn't I think of that before?? Alrighty, already started Day 6! Thanks again!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina R Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Thank you Tina R & ninadude, for your support! I really appreciate it... it's good to know I'm not alone, in various ways (used to have wine/cocktail every night, experiencing Kill All Things stage!) Ninadude, I, too, live in New England & believe the crazy push in the work environment contributes to the daily angst (I'm originally from the West coast). I'm going to look for relaxing teas to chill out... seems must better than relying on my alcohol! Why didn't I think of that before?? Alrighty, already started Day 6! Thanks again!!! I am from New England and live in California. It was a culture shock when I first moved here. Love the weather but I am definitely a New Englander. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamH Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Hey everyone! On day 5 of my first Whole30 & it's been a bit of a rough ride. Prior to starting, I considered myself to eat relatively healthy: love vegetables, fruit, gluten-free (due to Celiac's), shopped primarily organic (as much as I could). But, unfortunately I allowed the stress of graduate school & a tough internship, create habits that I now believe to be detrimental: having alcohol every night (under the guise that moderation helped with LDL & HDL levels), excessive coffee intake (2-3 cups/day, most days, with half & half, only) & some SERIOUS SALT CRAVINGS! I mean, it was nothing for me to take down a large bag of chips in a couple days! Now, 6 months post-thesis defense, I'm tired of being 'tired' at 3pm everyday, fighting to stay awake, alert & not cranky. As luck would have it, I had a physical a month ago, mentioned I was unusually lethargic to my doctor & he recommended that I get the standard blood screenings (for iron, thyroid, etc) and also mentioned the 'It Starts with Food'/Whole30 movement. He stated he tried it & he's never felt better. Like me, he's gluten free & found that dairy & legumes were adding to his fatigue, during the reintroduction phase of Whole30. Fortunately, all my blood work is normal, my weight is fine for my height (5'5", 125lbs) so this must mean, something else is going on.... I desperately want to regain my health & energy back... I'm eloping in 2 months, I used to jog/hike regularly & now I'm going to bed by 7 - 8pm every night, then waking up at 3am, falling back to sleep & still tired in the morning. Which leads me to Day 5 & Whole30... I've obviously eliminated alcohol, chips & dairy from my diet. But, coffee (with nothing in it, obviously)... that's another story. I'm thinking I'll gradually ween from coffee over the next couple of weeks. The major thing I think about is having alcohol... because I had it EVERY night with dinner! Scary to think it has that much control over me! But in other Whole30 news, I'm happy to report that I no longer have afternoon headaches, like I did in days 1 - 3. Today was the first day I didn't feel hunger pangs 3 hours post meal... that's great! My biggest grief is how ACHY I feel...even today!!! Does anyone else feel achy???!!! I knew that people would experience the 'carb flu', but this is rough. I also remember reading about crankiness... that's me right now, especially in the afternoon! I feel bad for my coworkers - I'm just trying to steer clear & immerse myself in work. I'd love to hear if anyone else is feeling achy & cranky!!!! Thanks so much!!! It was a long time ago, but I do remember feeling achy when I did an elimination 'diet' for a few days. The worst reaction was when I attempted a juice cleanse a few years back! Some people sail through while others do not. I just don't understand why but it is what it is… Try going to half caff coffee and then going down from there. I LOVE my morning coffee with Arroy-D coconut milk (full fat milk that you cook with, not the milk replacement you get in the dairy section). It is creamy and awesome. I find I drink a lot less. I am one of those people who cannot have caffeine beyond that morning cup at 6-7am or else it will disrupt sleep. I need some caffeine to keep my blood pressure up, it seems. That brings me to another thought: please make sure you use a quality salt on your food now that you are eliminating processed, salty foods. THAT could be a cause of crappy feelings, but not sure it would happen in just 5 days. Still, buy some himilayan pink sea salt and salt your food. Good luck to you on your Whole30! It really is just 30 days of your life to see if you can at least begin to turn around some lifestyle and/or health issues before they really become impactful and long term. Oh, and lastly (right, I talk so much there is rarely a 'lastly'): please check any labels of new foods you have added to make sure there isn't hidden gluten. I can imagine you are a pro by now, but still… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skepticallytrying Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Tina R - Completely agree about the culture shock! I was surprised since it's the same country, but man... completely different way of life! PamH - Thank you for the mention of quality salt! I was wondering if that may be contributing to my muscle pain, which is especially bad at the end of the day - Day5 being the worst, thus far (prompting me to reach out on this forum!) Before your post this morning, I was thinking about how I rarely use salt in my cooking; even when I do, I only use sea salt, which has no iodine. And since, I'm gluten free, I didn't have much salty processed foods prior to W30 (except cheese & corn tortilla chips ) I just saw that Himalayan sea salt does have iodine! I will definitely grab some... I bet my body is screaming for some electrolytes!!! It's clearly getting enough potassium with all the fruits & veggies, but very little salt!!! Poor body!!! GOAL TODAY: purchase Himalayan salt & sprinkle on my food!!! Thanks soooo much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina R Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Tina R - Completely agree about the culture shock! I was surprised since it's the same country, but man... completely different way of life! PamH - Thank you for the mention of quality salt! I was wondering if that may be contributing to my muscle pain, which is especially bad at the end of the day - Day5 being the worst, thus far (prompting me to reach out on this forum!) Before your post this morning, I was thinking about how I rarely use salt in my cooking; even when I do, I only use sea salt, which has no iodine. And since, I'm gluten free, I didn't have much salty processed foods prior to W30 (except cheese & corn tortilla chips ) I just saw that Himalayan sea salt does have iodine! I will definitely grab some... I bet my body is screaming for some electrolytes!!! It's clearly getting enough potassium with all the fruits & veggies, but very little salt!!! Poor body!!! GOAL TODAY: purchase Himalayan salt & sprinkle on my food!!! Thanks soooo much! The food is so much better in NE. Are you anywhere near Manch Vegas (Manchester NH). If you are you should try eating at The Puritan Backroom. They have an amazing gluten free menu designed by gluten free nutritionists. Unfortunately you have to look out for the dairy but at least it is a step in the right directions. Are you near Portsmouth NH? You should try Jumpin Jays. They have amazing seafood. Probably not paleo but definitely worth it after your whole30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skepticallytrying Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 TinaR - Oh my goodness! My in-laws live close to Manchester NH during the summer months! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUGGESTIONS! I will def check them out!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ultrarunnergirl Posted March 25, 2014 Moderators Share Posted March 25, 2014 I too was a wine almost every night kinda gal (in addition to my main problem, sugar addiction). I really missed the ritual of it while on the Whole30. Two things really helped. 1. I started drinking Kombucha with dinner, and I put it in a wine glass so I would feel fancy. Very enjoyable with the fizz, and makes dinner feel like a nice occasion. Not to mention the fantastic probiotic benefits. Start slow with it, one small glass, it takes your stomach some time to adapt. 2. Bought a SodaStream seltzer maker. We now have homemade sparkling water with a squeeze of lime most nights. Outstanding fizz, way better than the bottles you can buy in the store. Hubz was super-impressed that I went 30 days without alcohol, so that's saying something. I'm really happy with where I am now in my off roading - I only imbibe occasionally, not as a matter of routine anymore. Re: caffeine - I was bouncing off the walls with energy on my first Whole30 and waking up early, that's when I went half caff and I've stayed there. I only drink coffee in the morning, and I too love the coconut milk in my joe. If you have a wand/stick blender, froth your coconut milk with a little coffee first, then add the rest of the coffee. Divine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.