Starting October 1st

[Iris van Breda]

@darkbloodangell I bought them at the pure markt, the next one is this Sunday at the Beatrix park, the Berkshire Butcher is almost always part of the market :-)

http://www.puremarkt.nl/

 

@nowiswhen thanks for your insight :-) I think for me it's also a more gradual thing, I'm feeling better, I hardly snack, and I really like the idea of just the three meals a day. I used to take a lot of food with me to work, snacks for the morning and lunch, lunch it self, and a back up snack if I might feel peckish... Often I couldn't control myself and before 12pm all my food was in my stomach already... I still have a problem with snacking when I'm home, while cooking dinner I'm often munching on some nuts or grapes that are lying around. I know that is a lot better then snacking on "real" snacks, but I'd like to lose the habbit before the end of my whole 30.

 

On another note, to celebrate I made it halfway through I bought a spiralizer during my lunchbreak 

[ifracchia]

How is everyone going? I haven't really begun to notice any of the magic yet, even though I'm on day 15......

Hi! I'm a lot like you! my sister feels much better and she is noticing body changes already. For me, is different, I feel in terms of weigh the same. cravings have stopped, recently I found myself craving chewing gum! I'm having no problem with eating 3 meals a day, in fact sometimes when is time for lunch or dinner even if I'm hungry I'm not able to it all, it's like my stomach it's getting smaller..... but anyway, I also hope this next 15 days bring all the magic! 

we can do this, besides, I do like the fact to know I'm eating healthy meals and it's because I want to!

 

 

This is Day 45 for me.  I can't say that I have felt "the magic" in a sudden, dramatic way.  Instead, it's more like a subtle after-the-fact realization:  like, hey! I never feel the need for a nap anymore!  My energy levels are taking me longer and further.  I haven't been cranky lately.  I started noticing these differences after Day 21.......

Thanks for your insight! It's really helpful and encouraging! 

 

 

For all the rest of "Starting on October 1st" good luck with this next 15 days! we certainly CAN do this!!

[Kaatje64]

Yes halfway! I'm doing ok. Cooked up another batch of food last Sunday. Great to see all the containers with labels in the fridge and freezer.

At work everyone is looking envious at my lunch, but curry for breakfast is one bridge too far for most of them

Especially now it's getting colder here in Holland I love eating three hot meals a day.

My only snacking time is when I get home and prepare dinner. I'll take a tangerine and some nuts. It's more like an appetizer than the four o'clock snack I used to eat. My energy is not really higher than it used to be, but my sleep is improving in deep soundless sleep for hours. I used to be a 'tosser', but last night my husband checked tot see if I was ok, when I didn't move in 6 hours! I wear a Fitbit, so I can actually see my sleep improving. Hope the energy kicks in next couple of days.

I ordered the Well Fed books from http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/wellfed/ 

The recipes I found on her blog made me wish for more, so I treated myself. More good food!

[CreatingMe]

You will love the cookbooks - they are fun to read and packed with good info as well as recipes. Congrats to us all on our halfway mark! I can't wait to hear stories on all the energy we are having all over the world! Lots of countries represented here. Great job everyone!

[NazzaB]

WELL, I had my first "hangry"/low blood sugar moment today which was really strange. I think I hadn't eaten enough fat today or something but I ate M2 at 12:30 and was hungry again by 3pm and RAVENOUS by 4:30. I really need to restock my fridge because I'm running out of food! haha

 

M1: 1 cup-ish of chopped chicken liver; half a cucumber, 2 stalks of celery and a banana

 

M2: Baked sweet potato with bolognese sauce (with carrots in it) and a large handful of macadamia nuts

 

Ate a mandarin at 3pm because it was in my bag and literally had no access to any other "compliant" food

 

Mini-meal at 4:30pm - chopped liver and punnet of blueberries.

 

 

Way too much fruit, I know. I reckon my breakfast wasn't big enough either. Being hungry caught me by surprise because I've had no hunger pangs the whole 2 weeks so I wasn't prepared.

 

Dinner will be crispy skinned seasoned chicken thighs with roasted cauliflower, carrots, zucchini and home-made mayo!

[AnnaInternational]

Hi All!

 

Not posted since Day 4 I think because I've been insanely busy at work, but also because I've not really felt I needed any support - not wanting to sound all smug but I haven't really found this very hard! In fact, I have loved it! I did spend three days in bed with a migraine last week, but I get them anyway and I am not sure it was diet related, but otherwise I've not really experienced hangry or cravings or sluggishness! My worst thing I miss is alcohol. Wine, I love you. But I am also starting to realise how much I overdid it - only 16 days in, if I had not been on the Whole30 I might have had alcohol on three quarters of those days, which is too much. Even when I finish the Whole30 I am going to try limiting my alcohol intake because it really is not good for you, and it's expensive and I'm saving for a house!

 

Anyway, food-wise we have been eating a huge variety of yummy meals, and still loving breakfasts at the moment, and I'm rarely hungry either. In fact, I am eating so much I feel as though I am going to have put on half a stone by the end of the month, if not more. But - I also feel as if fat is melting off me - my jeans fit better, my arms seem slimmer, my waist is definitely less bulgy, so maybe it is working. I wish I could back this up with the scales, because I forgot to take measurements at the start, so I've no way of knowing for sure, but the jeans don't lie I hope! I feel like I have finally found something that works for me, and works easily, not constantly weighing or counting or feeling deprived and watching every little thing I eat.

 

The only downside is spending a lot more time in the kitchen prepping three meals each evening (dinner plus breakfast and lunch for the following day), but I seem to have got into a routine for it now. Even getting used to taking my coffee black - it definitely focuses the taste on the coffee itself!

 

Hope that everyone else is feeling good too, even if the 'magic moment' hasn't arrived yet! :-)

 

Anna x

[ifracchia]

You will love the cookbooks - they are fun to read and packed with good info as well as recipes. Congrats to us all on our halfway mark! I can't wait to hear stories on all the energy we are having all over the world! Lots of countries represented here. Great job everyone!

yep! 

 

Chile here!!

[Iris van Breda]

The only downside is spending a lot more time in the kitchen prepping three meals each evening (dinner plus breakfast and lunch for the following day), but I seem to have got into a routine for it now. Even getting used to taking my coffee black - it definitely focuses the taste on the coffee itself!

I know what you Mean, if I fall from the wagon, that will be the reason why!

[NazzaB]

Let's share some of our fave recipes/meal ideas! I'm getting a bit stuck! I make very whole30 compliant dinners all year round normally, so it's iust breakfast and lunch that needed a bit of tweaking. I'm very bored with dinner.

[raptah]

@NazzaB- I tend to eat three eggs scrambled or fried in ghee on a giant bed of veggies most mornings.  In the Well Fed book, she talks about "steam sauteing" vegetables ahead of time in big batches, and that's what I do.  Then in the morning I can just pull out veggies and either scramble those up with the eggs or heat them up in the microwave and put the eggs over easy on top and moosh (yes, moosh) it all together.  I tend to add a half an avocado to it as well.  I don't generally get hungry for several hours. 

 

I just don't have the time to make a separate and different lunch every day so I almost always make extra dinner and take that the next day (or days) for lunch.

In a pinch, I make a big salad and throw in tuna or compliant canned chicken (with home-made mayo).

 

I have gotten so many great, easy recipes from the Well Fed books.  Mine are permanently bent open in places and covered in post-it notes!

 

Hope everyone's doing well.  It seems like a great thread with people from all over--so cool! This has been a great W30 for me but it's a busy time in other ways so I regret I haven't been on the forum much. 

[Kaatje64]

@raptah, I can't wait till my books arrive. Hope to be cooking a lot from them.

@NazzaB, I'm eating three warm meals a day. Just rotating, the bolgnese with zucchini, Chocolate Chili, Stir fry vega with ground beef and 2 kinds of curry for breakfast and lunch and in the evening I'll just cook our usual dinners which are mostly all Whole30 proof. Just skip the cheese most of the times.

Only in the weekends I eat eggs for breakfast. During the week I have no time. I'll just grab my container from the fridge, heat it in the microwave and eat.

[cfracchia]

I´ve been eating a lot of carpaccios, I and cebiches I  love salmon, shrimp, avocado cebiche sometimes a put a bit of mango in it too, red onions, cilantro, lemon juice, salt and peper delicious!!!

 

lots of curry, cocnut milk stir fried veggies with chicken or meat, yum! for breakfast it´s usually scrambled eggs with tomatoes, avocado, fruit and coffee

 

So far, so good. Thought I would not be able to live without diet pops but to my surprise it´s been easier than I thought.... I have noticed some energy changes, like I wake up rested, and have more energy through out the day, which I usually didn´t have at all!! I started "working out" a bit and surprisingly I could handle a whole hour without feeling I needed an oxigen supply haha

I´ve resisted the urge to step on the scale, but definitely I´ve trimmed down a bit, as those long kept in the back of the closet skinny jeans are starting to fit ok! yay!

 

Eating out hasn´t been a challenge, I been going steak or  peruvian restaurants, so plenty of cebiches there! 

Hope you have a great weekend!

Can´t believe it´s day 17.... and counting.....wow!

[NazzaB]

I'm feeling REALLY fluey today. The same thing happened to me last time I did a whole30 except it was after I threw in the towel and drank wine and ate bread and cheese all at once! This time I see no reason for it. Maybe I'm just legit sick. But it sucks! Very achey all over and feverish.

[raptah]

@NazzaB- Sorry, it's sounds like you are really just sick.

 

I was getting ready to prep for the week, go to the store, etc., and I remembered this website/resource I used a lot during my first W30.  It's called the Foodee Project and it has a ton of W30 compliant recipes (some better than others, but most quite good).  You click on the ones you want and then the ingredients get added to your master grocery list.  I found it really helpful, and I'm going to use it today.  You have to "join" the site, but there's no fee.  Anyway, here's the link: 

http://www.thefoodee.com/tag/whole30/

[NazzaB]

^ awesome!! I might try that for next week's shop.

 

I definitely was just sick. A 24 hour bug of sorts. I feel fine now except I've had diarreah for the last couple of days (sorry for the overshare). 

 

I almost caved today - it's that time of month and I'm just tired and STARVING and I was at my best friend's house and all I wanted was to watch TV and eat a huge bowl (or two) of icecream. Thankfully she made us a huge salad for lunch and suggested we go for a walk in the sunshine. Now I'm waiting for my potatoes in duck fat to get done roasting so I can eat them with my slow cooked beef brisket and veggies! mmmmm

[Iris van Breda]

Glad you're feeling better Nazza, it's difficult to stay on track when you're feeling lousy. The duck fat potatoes sound amazing!

 

It's day 20 already, how is everyone feeling? I haven't seen any tiger blood around here, did you?

[NazzaB]

No tiger blood at all. I did spend 8 of the past 20 days on night shift though so I'd say my timeline hasn't been very typical. How are you doing Iris?

[ifracchia]

Hi everyone! how was your weekend? For me: I want to cry!!! I found out that ham has sugar on it!!! And I have been eating it for breakfast almost all the time! I didn't notice this because I order it at the counter top in the supermarket! I didn't even pay attention to the fact that no one posted any meals with ham!!! Aaa  f***I want to cry!

Will it still work if I go W45?

[CreatingMe]

I saw your other post about the ham, and I think you're OK. It is a reason to start over but if you continue on from here and still feel great, lose the ham and continue to skip the cupcakes I think it'll be OK. I've read it here a few times people found out they accidentally ate something with added sugar and the responses were that even though its a reason to start again, the sugar won't send your body into metabolic crisis. I suppose it depends how much sugar is in it too. At any rate, start fresh tomorrow and maybe by day 30, you'll want to continue to 45 anyway - that's what I'm going to do!

No tiger blood here yet either, although I do have consistent energy. I do NOT wake up bouncing out of bed, but i don't expect to. i have 2 kids, one who is a bed wetter and i need to get her up in the middle of the night, so its either stay up late and get her in there before i hit the sack or set an alarm and wake up. Sleep is definitely one area i could use more of! Also, I am waiting for in relief of inflammatory symptoms like a tendinitis I have in my hand and my vertigo, among others.

I'm proud of myself for sticking with it and you all should be too! We're almost there!

[Juliet]

My husband and I are doing Whole30 for the first time and started on October 1st.  I love not having indigestion and stomach aches.  I like sleeping better.  I've also only cheated with the scale.  I've lost over 10 pounds.  The best part is feeling more in control.  I just tried the "Seriously Good Asian Lettuce Wraps" tonight and really enjoyed it.  I've been saving a lot of money too since we usually eat out a lot more.  I'm worried that I will burn out soon though.  I love how I feel, but hate paying such close attention.

[NazzaB]

I'm already starting to burn out.. I will really need the help of all of you to see me through the last week!! Still haven't caved though. I'd be so annoyed with myself if I did at this point but it is getting very frustrating. I'm having a lot of trouble battling hunger with not finding food appetizing.

 

ifracchia; don't stress about the added sugar. Just stop eating it from today and see how you go at day 30. The first W30 I did last year (I've attempted 3 and not completed one yet!) I lasted about 3 weeks but I ate deli meat the whole time and realised the smoked chicken I was eating regularly had soy in it!! We really need to read labels. 

[ifracchia]

I'm already starting to burn out.. I will really need the help of all of you to see me through the last week!! Still haven't caved though. I'd be so annoyed with myself if I did at this point but it is getting very frustrating. I'm having a lot of trouble battling hunger with not finding food appetizing.

 

ifracchia; don't stress about the added sugar. Just stop eating it from today and see how you go at day 30. The first W30 I did last year (I've attempted 3 and not completed one yet!) I lasted about 3 weeks but I ate deli meat the whole time and realised the smoked chicken I was eating regularly had soy in it!! We really need to read labels. 

we really do! 

 

I made Larabars yesterday, and they are delicious! if you are really struggling with hunger maybe you should try one. I made them bcs I’m travelling today and food plane won’t be compliant at all! So I plan on eating those as a meal for the flights.We are almost there! although I'll go W45 anyway! so good luck! 

[NazzaB]

I live in Australia and Larabars don't exist here. I tried one when I was in the US recently because I'd read about them so much on here  They would definitely be a trigger for me! Too sweet, chewy and delicious.

 

My first 2 weeks on this I hardly snacked at all, but I've started trying to comfort my sugar cravings with fruit and dates (dates are dangerous!) and also eating nuts for the savoury crunch factor. I need to ease up. Especially with the dates and I know the nuts bloat me.

[cfracchia]

Ohhhhh I totally relate with you NazzaB!  I didn´t snack at all during the first weeks, but then I bought nuts and almonds and Boom!!! snack craving appeared! 

So, I´m totally not going to eat nuts anymore!!  For me, the sugar dragon is still very much present, I have avoided fruits and nuts (for the most) but I still want to throw myself on top of every muffin, chocolate, cereal I see..... therefor, I´m gonna stretch this round to a Whole45, see If I can control the sugar dragon a bit more, cause I´m worried I´ll fall of the wagon once this W30 is finished. 

 

I can see a change in energy and overall well being that I don´t want to loose...I guess that´s a fear many of us have, and I think it may be one the most difficult parts of ths challenge....how to keep up with the healthy eating and avoid falling into those old nasty habits?

I´ll try to do my best and keep up to the diet plan, incorporating a few things every so often like red wine....sometimes you really need a glass!

[gogigigo]

Yes, this last week is a challenge as the end is close and fear of being "let loose". Looms. Melissa had a post a while back about really tasting food and enjoying each sip of wine, so that two sips was all she really wanted. I find myself thinking more about what I am tasting and eating I hope to continue this practice so that one bite of cake is enough. I know after two my brain clicks into more mode and I don't taste anything I just shovel it in.