Starting July 21

[ltaylor9597]

Hi all. Day 12 kind of snuck up on me. I guess it really didn't hit me until today how far we have come. I finished yesterday on a slightly better note than the day before. I did find I felt a bit isolated last night. Not sure if it is just getting comfortable with having different food options from everyone or what. My oldest son came home from the store last night with a bag of M&M's and the smell about drove me batty!  I did manage to get a little over 7 hours of sleep last night which was a welcome change.

 

Last night did bring a winning moment - out of curiosity I tried on a pair of shorts that were too tight to wear on vacation a few weeks ago and was surprised to see that they now fit. If that isn't enough to keep going on this right now I don't know what is. I am looking forward to all the added benefits of sleeping better, feeling better and more energized in (hopefully) the coming week.

 

Dinner and a movie with hubby tonight. The plan is to have dinner before the movie (plan to choose the place we will eat early on so I can plan accordingly) and then just have water at the movie.  Hopefully this experience will go as smoothly as our last social outing with friends!

[BeckyB]

Yes the weekend is looming and it's time to strategize!  A traditional Friday night at my house involves eating out and wine, so I plan to eat my W30 dinner and then go get a pedicure!  Hubby can do his own thing.  Then I'll come home and watch Project Runway.  

 

First thing in the morning I'll hit the Farmer's Market, and Sunday I plan to follow this links meal plan and prep, excited to see how it goes:  http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2013/12/29/whole30-2014-week-1-meal-plan/.

 

Have a good weekend everybody!

[BeckyB]

 I will be turning 40 in two days. I can't believe it! LoL! 

 

So far, for me, turning the big FOUR OH was such a biggie.  Turning FIVE OH wasn't nearly as traumatic.  Good for you to be doing something so great for yourself as you turn the corner into this next decade.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 

[annabel]

The fish cakes were great for breakfast again this morning.  Then this evening, I tried the fried sardines from Well Fed 2 for dinner tonight and they were excellent as well. I've just realised that I've had fish for all 3 of my meals today 

 

I'm off to the National Eisteddfod tomorrow. It's only held once a year and moves around the country, so it's only really easily accessible every 2 years or so.  So, as one of my main goals is trying to work Whole 30 eating into my life outside of a Whole 30 context, I've decided that I'm not really fussed about trying to stick to Whole 30 eating and will take advantage of whatever local foods there are on offer and restart again on Sunday if need be. 

[bede0713]

Hi everyone, day 12 - wow, we're almost half way there! 

 

Outdorgrl - Happy Birthday!  You are so right about the running helping.  Ran again this morning and I'm really feeling better today - not as blah and moody and I actually slept well last night (yay!). It's a big plus that the weather has been beautiful lately here with hardly any humidity (I'm on the east coast).  I'm really looking forward to keeping it up.

 

Ltaylor - that is awesome about the shorts and good for you with the M&M's - that would be a tough one for me because those were a big snacking habit for me before. 

 

Well I hope everyone has a great day 12:)

[JMS]

The first couple weeks were so hard - and the sinus infection didn't help. I also struggled with finding the right amount and mix of foods that fit with my job as a group exercise instructor. Luckily I finally found that and no longer spend every afternoon starving. However, due to the rough start, I decided to restart my count July 21. So glad I did. Not sure if I'm seeing any improvement in any of my medical conditions yet (acid reflux still going strong unfortunately) ... but some of that may be my body still recovering from the surgery I had back in May. I have finally started to lose a few pounds. Yes, I know that they don't like us to weigh ... but my curiosity has gotten the better of me.  I picked up a few pounds when the doctor told me (a group exercise instructor) that I couldn't work out for six weeks.  I know I don't have a lot to lose ... but I really would like to drop the weight that I picked up this Spring during my recovery.

 

My daughter and I are headed on a short trip with my mom next week. I plan to pack food for the road and snacks like nuts, etc for the trip as a whole. I'm going to do the best I can in restaurants. I tend to get overly-perfectionistic about things sometimes. I'm going to use this as an opportunity to practice "going with the flow". I'll order things I think to be compliant and not freak over whether the food is cooked in the right oil or they use the exact right spices, etc. I'll try to veto any restaurant where I think it will be difficult to order a compliant meal. And I'll pretend the dessert menu doesn't exist!

[ltaylor9597]

Day 15??  What??  That is nuts! 

 

Successfully made it through the weekend. Enjoyed a couple nights of a lot of really good sleep which was such a welcome change. Made it through date night with the hubby - nothing but water and a few dry roasted nuts at the movie and dry grilled fish with steamed and grilled veggies at the restaurant.  Went to the store and stocked up on supplies for new recipes this week. I visited with my parents over the weekend as well and even passed on all the cheese, crackers and popcorn my mom brought out for snacks during the visit. I only watched as my family also enjoyed ice cream and beer. It is challenging, but, I am finding it so much easier to say "no thank you" when something is offered to me. My mouth watered all weekend, but, I stuck to my guns and am quite proud of myself. 

 

Can't believe we are halfway!

[bee.roberts]

Gosh, I only thought it was day 14 today! [duh!]

 

Is it just me, or are other people finding the meal planning much easier now? Granted, I'm the sort of person who can eat the same thing day in, day out, but it's like my thinking's changed.

 

This said, I'm having a bit of a do at the moment and feeling a bit stressed out. Interestingly, it's become apparent that a lot of my bad habits really are psychological. I find myself thinking "I want to eat SOMETHING" and then realise that in fact I don't really want to EAT cookies/ chocolate/ ice cream, what I really want is a cup of tea and a break. (I have drunk litres and litres of redbush tea in the past 2 weeks!)

 

Also, last week I had a bit of a blip - I went to an elderly couple's house one afternoon, and they offered me a hot drink. I asked for black coffee thinking this would be more 'normal' than black tea. They brought me white coffee, and I didn't have the heart to tell them it was wrong (it took forever to make), so I drank it. That evening I was bloated, and for the next 2-3 days my arthriticky finger joint was agonising.

 

Has anyone else had any responses to things on the W30? I've found I'm intolerant of nightshades (and either coffee or milk!) and am not too sure where that leaves me in terms of restarting (oh please not again!). I'd love to know if anyone else has had this sort of experience?

 

Am looking forward to this 'tiger blood' phase...

 

Bee x

[outdorsgrl]

WOW...day 15...we are half way through the program!!!

Thank you very much for the birthday wishes! I had a great weekend! I spent the weekend with my husband and two daughters...and even with eating out a few times (we rarely eat out)...I did really well, and stuck to the whole30.

I plan to grocery shop today, and try a few new recipes. I will be traveling out of town the end of the week, so planning my food/snacks for that too.

bee.roberts-I have autoimmune thyroiditis...and realized night shades were an irritant. I have been avoiding them since the start of the program. I really think once I finish this whole30, I may try an AIP (autoimmune protocol) for another 2-4 weeks (another whole30) and see what happens avoiding other things like eggs, nuts & seeds, etc. I still have some inflammation and brain fog going on. You may find it will help you too!

Have a great week everyone! :-)

[bede0713]

Good morning everyone - is it really day 15 already?!?  I feel like things are moving along pretty quickly.  I think I made the decision over the weekend that I'm going to contnue and do a Whole60 - I'm feeling really good and my UC seems to be under control and doing well - I'd like to continue the trajectory and hopefuly really break my issues with food once and for all.  Seems like it took me far longer than 30 days to get where I am now so maybe it's a good thing to go a little bit longer?  Anyone else thinking this?

[BeckyB]

Yes, day 15 and still going strong.  The weekend was a bit difficult with temptations but I didn't succumb, and now arriving here on Monday morning so glad I didn't.  I made cauliflower rice yesterday for the first time and it was really good.  It'll be nice having that around this week, I actually spent most of yesterday cooking so should be well prepared for this week. 

 

Hope everyone has a good week.  

[annabel]

Bee- Dairy is technically a restart    I think I've read about some people who have started reintroducing other things but extending just the dairy for a full 30 days before reintroducing that.  It's not really technically a "Whole 30", but that doesn't mean you won't still get all the benefits of it.

[bee.roberts]

annabel - yeah, I know. But I'm beginning to realise that this is going to be more than just 30 days for me - bede0713 I'm going to be doing at least a W45, and outdorsgirl I think the AIP is next!

 

Re. the dairy, I'm pretty sure the irritant was the coffee rather than the milk - never had problems with dairy, and have never tolerated coffee too well, but still. It seems really unfair to have to start over for the sake of manners!

 

Had a super crappy day today, but didn't give in to y typical cravings foods. Well done me!

[annabel]

Lol, Bee - why in the world did you have a coffee if it doesn't agree with you?!    Mind, I do the exact same thing. I don't even really like coffee (any more, I used to drink probably 10 cups a day), but if someone offers me a coffee I'll still say yes.  

 

I've actually started drinking my tea black.  Accidentally.  As I hadn't realised the milk had gone off before making the tea.  And it tastes exactly the same as it did with milk.... probably because I was only putting a drop in anyway. 

 

Well done on not eating crappy food to go with your crappy day!!  That's definitely one of my downfalls, I do great with my diet until I'm stressed out and then it just goes to pot.

[ltaylor9597]

Happy 16th! It is nice to have more days behind us than in front of us!  Been doing ok for the most part. Have been finding my hunger has increased some. Real hunger. Growling stomach and all.  So, working to increase my fat and or protein at my meals to see if that helps. I had been doing really well at sticking to the 3 meals a day until the last couple of days when an afternoon snack started to creep in.  I really like the simplicity and predictability of sticking to 3 meals. Plus, if they are planned there is less of a chance of off program foods being tempting.

 

Soccer season starts for us today. Two nights a week and weekend games coupled with Karate practice. To prepare for that craziness (and the start of school in two weeks) I have started prepping food the night before. So, last night I cooked a pot of chocolate chili so we can eat whenever we are flying through the house. Tonight when I get home it will be prepping some spaghetti sauce for later in the week and then a crock pot of chicken and potatoes for another night. Time to get creative

 

bee - tough situation with the couple you were visiting. Totally understand about not wanting to be rude. Interesting reaction you had to the coffee. I would be curious too if it were the coffee or the dairy that was the key driver there. I personally would bawl my eyes out if I had to give up my coffee.  It is my most favorite part of the morning!

 

outdrsgrl - great planning ahead for your travels this week. Hope it all goes well!

 

bede - I have been contemplating going longer as well. Primarily because I think I just need longer to feel better. I have had a lot of years of stress and not eating well and I think the extra time would do me good. Haven't hit tiger blood yet which I know isn't uncommon, but I am curious if it is an indication of extra time being needed. I also have IBS and I think the extra time would do me good in that department as well. Not sure if it will be a 45 or 60 at this point. Will likely start with 45 and re-evaluate then.

 

Becky - I have heard a bunch of people talking about cauliflower rice. Guess this will be the next thing for me to try!!

[bede0713]

Good morning everyone,

 

So I just had an ocular migraine (like just a few minutes ago) - that was really scary.  No pain but wavy lines in my vision and such.  Wow.  Seems to be completely gone now - which is the norm for them but not a good feeling none the less!

 

I notice some of you are mentioning that you have a difficult time with eggs and nightshades and are either doing or considering extending with the AI protocol past your 30 days.  I think I'm realizing that I eggs are an issue for me as well.  I can tolerate them in small doses but having them every morning for breakfast was just not agreeing with me.  The past few days I've  been having leftovers instead and the difference is pretty amazing.  It's really such an amazing feeling to eat and not feel totally awful after - I have UC.  Anything food wise that I might miss a little is far outweighed by how much better my GI issues have been. 

 

ltaylor - chocolate chili sounds yummy - do you have a recipe you like?

[ltaylor9597]

bede - An ocular migraine sounds terrible. Glad it didn't last too long.  I have had a "wanna love/always hate" relationship with eggs for as long as I can remember.  I have wanted to love them for so long, but, every time I eat eggs (especially fried, scrambled, omelettes etc...) I would wind up with a terrible episode involving lots of pain, bloating and potty runs.  Major trigger for my IBS. I contemplated doing the AI program right off the bat when I started Whole30, however, it sounded like the general guidance was to first give the Whole30 a try and then add the AI if you don't see any progress.  (I may have that totally wrong!) So, I basically started the Whole30 program and have simply omitted eggs.  No point in trying to fit a square peg through a round hole!  I am happy to say that so far, I haven't had any IBS issues.  Hopefully that will hold as a permanent change. Due to this success I feel pretty good sticking to the Whole30 plan through the remaining 14 days and through any extended time I plan to tack on. The chili I made last night was here http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2009/02/22/my-favorite-chili-recipe/. Hubby tested it and gave it his approval.  Amazingly, it does not taste like chocolate!  I had no idea what to expect and it turned out great. Testing it out on the kids tonight.   

[bede0713]

ltaylor - I feel the exact same way about eggs, I've  always tried really hard to like them I just can't quite get there.  Now that they're making me uncomfortable I feel much better about giving them up.  I seem to be able to handle it on occasion but daily and multiple is too much!  IBS is similar in some ways to UC so I know the feeling.

 

Thanks for the recipe, I have her book and had this one marked. Always good to get positive feedback from others before trying it.  I think I even have all the ingredients!  I love chili but I also love beans and have wondered if I'll miss them in something like this - I'll let you know! Have your kids started adopting your food changes as well?  My daughter (4) is already dairy free but eats a lot of hummus and beans so aside from those things she has but I go back and forth on whether I should cut back on those for her as well. She is very small (a premature babe) and I worry about her gaining weight so I hate to take something away that she loves!

[ltaylor9597]

No problem! I feel the same way - love to get first hand reviews of recipes.  It is a little odd to make chili without beans. I love beans too!

 

The kids have pretty well adopted this way of eating at dinner. The rest of the day is same old food.  I am working on them. I think my 17 year old son thinks I have lost my mind. lol Not sure I can turn that one around, but, I think my chances are high with the younger two. They tend to be more open to a plate full of veggies.  My big challenge with them will be the grains - mainly toast, sandwiches and cereal. Only dairy I think they will put up a fight on will be cheese.  I figure I will just start slowly limiting its availability and eventually have them all converted over before they can figure it out.

 

Its a tough call for sure. My kids were all big when they were born and tend to stay towards the top of the "curve".  Although my oldest has started to kind of level out at this point.  I always worry about making sure they know what healthy choices are and don't keep things like cookies, pop, sugared cereals or chips in the house. Whenever they ask for a snack I point to the fruit bowl or the veggie drawer. 

[ltaylor9597]

Day 17...I feel like it is a whirlwind to Day 30 at this point.  Everything is going...so...smoothly....

 

The chili got a resounding 5 stars. I was informed that it was a keeper that everyone would be expecting on a regular basis. I served it over a baked potato (potatoes from our garden!) and, wait for it...there was no cheese to be seen. That is a statement in and of itself.

 

While my daughter was at soccer practice I walked around the soccer fields with my youngest son.  I haven't been out walking in a while. I pretty much had given up on it in favor of biking due to a knee injury and surgery two years ago. Every time I would go out for an extensive walk my knee would be achy and sore the next day.  Guess what? Woke up this morning to no soreness at all. I am amazed. Giving Whole 30 full credit.

[bede0713]

Good morning:) Wow, Day 17 already! 

 

ltaylor - I can't wait to try the chili and over a potato - perfect idea!!  I think that would make up for the beans in my mind.  I also agree with your response to me yesterday - my daughter seems to be more apt to try different veggies since she sees me eating them more and more.  This morning we both had chicken and snap peas with an orange for breakfast.  She said she loves not having "breakfast Stuff" for breakfast!

 

I'm feeling pretty good this morning and just generally in a good mood.  I like it:)  I'm going to the beach with my family for a few days on Sunday so I'm getting a little nervous about that but we'll have a full kitchen so I'm just planning my meals like I would at home.  Shouldn't be an issue.  Today in my office there is a ton of random food in the kitchen - an entire tray of baklava - my favorite.  Hummus and pita - love it all.  *sigh*...not even thinking about it (or trying not to)!  Honestly though as much as I know it tastes great I'm not truly tempted because I've been feeling so great the past  17 days I don't want to mess that up!

[outdorsgrl]

Today is day 18...what?!?!?! My girls had a pool party yesterday with friends from school. There was enough food to feed an Army! I brought my lunch and was able to have fresh fruit and vegetables. I had no problem staying away from pizza, cookie cake, and cupcakes. Tomorrow I leave for my weekend trip to celebrate my birthday with my best friend! I plan to prepare some food/snacks to have in the hotel room. I feel pretty confident all will go well!

It looks/sounds like everyone is doing well this week.

ltaylor9597-How awesome...you were able to take a walk with no pain! Glad your kids are liking what your making. I too get ocular/regular migraines...and mine are partly hormonal, and partly foods I eat. I have a list of foods to stay away from. Glad your migraine didn't get past the visual disturbances. I too hope the Whole30 minimizes or completely eliminates them. :-)

bede0713-Sounds like there are a few us who plan to give a Whole30 + AIP a try. We can support each other as we have through this Whole30. :-)

BeckyB-Awesome job not giving in to temptation! Do you find it getting easier as you make you way through your Whole30?!?! :-)

Have a great weekend...can't believe we have 12 days left! :-)

[ZumbaMeg]

Hello There:)

I am new to the whole forum thing, so forgive me if I have posted in the wrong section. I also started on July 21st and it has been quite a journey as well. I am just NOW sleeping through the night (which is ironic bc I had perfect sleep before all this) and I hope it sticks. The other problem that has been plaguing me since about week 2 is water retention. I am surprised bc I thought we were supposed to be getting rid of all the excess water our bodies no longer needed, but I wake up EVERY morning with swollen fingers. I have to fight to get my rings off. Anyone else having this issue? I searched the forum and it seems most people are having the opposite situation:(

FYI In the past my fingers would occasionally swell the morning after eating dinnerr out. I'm pretty sure I'm retaining water but not sure why. I def drink at least 64oz water a day, in fact yesterday I drank 72oz just to make sure I was getting enough. I only have coffee in the am and can't imagine I am salting my food more then what we were eating in the past. 

Any ideas? The last time my fingers were like this i was pregnant with my 2.5yr old:(

THANKS

[ltaylor9597]

Yipee...Day 19. Craziness. Back to fighting sleep. Not sure what is going on. Some other odd female hormone things happening which is apparently a totally normal response to the whole30.  Despite struggling in the sleep department I still get bursts of energy, so, hopefully I will finally turn the corner on this one.  Had a great dinner of rosemary chicken, roasted potatoes with rosemary and asparagus last night. Was delicious. So far, every recipe I have tried out on the family they have loved.  Great news for me!

 

All in all my food is going great.  Loving the cooking and knowing everything in my food. Getting into a rhythm on my food and figuring out what keeps me full from one meal to the next.  

 

ZumbaMeg - glad to hear you are finally sleeping well.  I didn't sleep well until last weekend when I slept great! Now, I seem to be back to not sleeping well. Regarding the water retention and swollen fingers. I get that from time to time even now. Though, not as bad as it used to be. How much salt are you using? Maybe try cutting back a little for a couple days and increase your water and see if that helps?

 

Ourdorsgrl - Have a great weekend and safe travels!

 

Bede- ah...the beach....I love the beach. One of my most favorite places to be. Enjoy!

[BrettGA]

I just found this forum... on day 20. But, better late than never. I also started on July 21st.

 

About me: I'm a middle-aged guy, and I thought I was in decent shape. I try to work out 2-3 times a week and eat (I thought) pretty healthy meals. But, like a lot of people my age, my metabolism is slowing down. I have a relatively sedentary job, and I'm starting to get a little thick around the middle. Also, I had noticed that I often didn't feel very good after eating (bloated, uncomfortable, lethargic). When the trainer who leads the spin class I take at my gym mentioned she was doing Whole30, I looked into it and decided to try it for myself. 

 

20 days in, I feel pretty good. My skin is not as dry as it was, and a small patch of psoriasis that I've had on my arm for years looks a lot less red and scaly. I feel great after eating, and I haven't had heartburn at all since starting Whole30 (despite the fact that I haven't eliminated spicy food). But the most impressive change has been that my blood pressure is in the normal range for the first time in years. I've taken medication to control it, but it never seemed to get below the "prehypertension stage." All I can say is, "wow!"