Started Whole30 today

[DavidM]

Started Whole30 today 9/27.  Before beginning the Whole 30 journey, I made a few changes in my eating habits first.

Beginning on September 1st, I cut out all sugar, all caffeine (water only), all dairy products and/or byproducts and all processed flours and grains from my diet.  At 6ft and 270, I had a serious caffeine and sugar addiction, like nobodies business.  The headaches and agitation felt the first week or so was a good indicator for me I was hurting my body.  Going cold turkey was the only way I could begin.

 

Though I still crave sugar (like a junkie needing their drugs), I think I am ready to begin the Whole30 program.  Just ordered the book today, and some paleo cook book too.  Now for me to cut out beans and nuts is my next obstacle, but I feel I can do it.

 

Though I know this is a food program, my goal weight is 180.  I don't care how long it takes, but that is my goal.  One thing I did notice the past few weeks though is that I am less tired, and feel rested when I wake up in the morning.  

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[ShannonM816]

Have you checked out the Meal Template? Even if you're not officially starting a Whole30 yet, making sure you have plenty of fat and protein at each meal should help with your sugar cravings.

[AuntJane]

Good luck, David!  I started eating an 80/20 Paleo diet a few months before starting my Whole30 on 9/1, and it definitely made it easier.  Since you've already eliminated most no-nos, I bet you won't have much trouble diving into this at all!  But you know you can have nuts and nut butters on Whole30, right?  As long as they aren't roasted in canola oil or anything like that.  Unless, of course, you have trouble managing your portions, then they would be a "food with no brakes" for you and it might be best to go without them during your Whole30.

[DavidM]

Thanks for the advice ladies, and hello AuntJane as a Hoosier I guess we are neighbors "sort of".  Wife kinda thinks I'm nuts for doings this (she sees it as extreme), and doesn't have a clue as to what to fix for dinner.  We have one of those old fashioned marriages, whereby I work my rear off away from home, and she is what makes the home work.  I always put down that she is a domestic engineer on our IRS forms.  Anyway.  Yes, I know I can have nuts, I just had to change the type of nuts I ate, and the quantity.  And, protein consumption is not a problem.  I also have eight chickens who are my little buddies and provide more fresh eggs than I can consume...lol.  I also allow them to free range 90% of the time, unless I see the hawks out, or the weathers crappy.  AuntJane, thanks for the Canola oil advice, I hadn't been checking for that.  

I also ordered the Whole30 book, and a couple Paleo cookbooks, I think this will help with my wife and I's meal planning.  Though I did see some differences in the Whole30 and Paleo.  As for portions, the previous month I cut way back, which is really helping with this portion of the adventure.  I find that if I begin to feel hungry, I hit some veggies form our garden, and some water.  I haven't had anything but water now for 31 days.  

 

It's crazy though how once you start looking, how many processed food contain sugar in some fashion or another.

[DavidM]

When I started this journey my biggest concern was being able to do it, with everything I have on my plate.  I work a full 40+ hours a week, teach one night a week at a local community college, attend onsite classes two other nights a week for my apprenticeship program, as an industrial machine repairman and am also taking an accelerated adult MBA program at a local university.  All of which, including work is an hours drive one way every day.  I think this is my beautiful little lady's biggest concern for me.  With proper meal planning, so far I've been able to focus more on what I need to do, and less on what I want to snack on.  Which may be helping.    

[ladyshanny]

You seem incredibly committed to bettering your health, that is wonderful to read! Good luck as you embark upon your Whole30!

[AuntJane]

Hi David, we are neighbors!    Glad to see you're still doing well on your Whole30.  Hopefully the cookbooks you ordered will help your wife figure out what to cook!  I'm lucky that I prefer simple food - I can bake or sautee some chicken or fish and steam or roast some veggies, and that is a perfectly satisfying meal to me.  I've looked at a lot of the Paleo cooking blogs and their recipes are just more complicated than I want or need!  Has your wife looked at any of those blogs?  Nom Nom Paleo is a very popular one.

 

I agree with you about the processed food, it's sickening how much of it there is!  I have to avoid it due to a recently discovered allergy to most artificial flavorings and several common preservatives.  Sad, but I'm definitely better off without them!