Start date: 6/30/14 (Yeah, I'm just now posting...:)

[teviag]

Hi everyone-

 

So I'm new this whole 30 thing- But so far I'm loving it- My husband and I started on Monday. This is the first thing we've found that we both feel like we can do and we're both motivated to do it! Crazy! We committed to the 30 days on June 30 and so far, it's been great! Now don't get me wrong- We've had the headaches, fatigue, irritability (me. yesterday. awful.), body aches, muscles aches... etc.. but, like I told my friend the other day, it's a "GOOD bad feeling".

Our biggest challenges right now are my lunches at work and trying not to eat so much later at night- That was our "prime time" for chowing down- Now we are trying to eat supper by 6-7, and not eat after that- So far we haven't been perfect but we haven't been nearly as bad or eaten as late as before. Mainly eating fruit or leftover veggies after dinner- that snacking hunger takes over and there's no ignoring it!

Anyway- we're on our way and staying strong. Anytime I think of a sugary carb (My ultimate downfall), or get a craving for soda, I just keep reminding myself this is a commitment and in 30 days I will allow myself 1 whatever-it-is-I-crave as a reminder that life isn't about extremeties and completely cutting out those things that you enjoy! I can make it through anything for 30 days and so can you!

 

Tips and advice much appreciated!

See ya later!

[Carlaccini]

Welcome and good luck to you!!!

 

Eat larger meals earlier on the day.  This will help you feel full longer and possibly eliminate the snacking at night.  There is a saying: Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, and dinner like a Pauper. (I don't necesscarily abide by this but it does make some sense)

 

Lunches are usually leftovers for me.  If there are no leftovers - a huge salad (think entire mixing bowl) can of tuna, some homemade dressing, and a cut up boiled egg works.  Planning menus or options for the week, help tremendously.  Weekly cookups (Take a couple of hours over the weekend) and brown up some ground meat, grill some chicken thighs, cook spaghetti squash, wash and cut up veggies - that sort of thing.  Basically you want stuff ready for you or at least partially prepared so there are no excuses.

 

Have you read the book - It's Starts With Food?  Highly recommended reading.

 

Check out the shopping guide http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-shopping-list.pdf

and Meal plan - http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

 

Also a word of the wise - go easy on nuts as a fat source.  They are approved but are not ideal.  They cause bloating and discomfort for many.  Also try to include one carb dense veggie a day. 

[teviag]

Thank you for the tips! I have heard that "wise saying" before- A friend of mine that teaches health uses it a lot, and while we don't always live by it, it's good to remember.

Will have to remember the carb dense veg in my meals- Too focused on eating lots of green veggies and meat! (Good but doesn't always fill you up.)

 

Confession: We broke the Whole30. BUT we did with the intention to restart. (Today is our new Day #1.) We made it through the 1st 3 1/2 days perfectly and we were surviving- I kept saying "I feel bad but it's a good bad feeling." And that's exactly the truth- My body was tired, exhausted and my head hurt, I got grumpy by Day 3...and I really just wanted a Coke! BUT I didn't feel "yuck" and sick like I did while I was eating so much bad stuff. So it wasn't that I felt GREAT, but just that the bad was a "good" bad.

Anyway, so halfway through day 4, we both started talking and realized the weekend ahead was a big, busy, crazy weekend for us. My in-laws were coming in. It's the 4th...(I just wanted some grilled corn on the cob for cryin out loud!), and we had a birthday to celebrate, and a big presentation on Sunday... just a lot happening. So we agreed to break it in order to not be stressed, irritable and tired all weekend long. And the whole time we were off plan, we kept talking about whole30 and getting back to it. Sunday we both agreed we were ready to get back and didn't like how bad we felt again.

So tried to start back Monday- we starved to death all day and crashed at our favorite restaurant that evening when I got off work. Tried to restart Tuesday- I was having a serious takeover with pms symptoms- I felt like I had grown a 2nd gut and wondered what strange alien form was growing inside me- I was SO TIRED. Miserable.. and I crashed that evening again. So I went to bed knowing...I have to re-commit and go through with this. Enough of the cheating already and let's get back on it. So I looked at my calendar and re-committed. And today is day #1. And I'm on it. And I'm going to suck it up even if it kills me. Cravings, tiredness, irritability, headaches, hunger, pms...whatever... I'm on whole30 for the full 30. (Oh. And so is my amazing, incredible, supportive hubs. He's a trooper.)