Dfroehlich Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 @Sarah88, What kinds of fat are you cooking with? What is the proportion of proteins to veggies in your meals? Are you eating starchy veggies to help fill you up? What is your water intake? Unfortunately, while I can relate to cravings, mine have always been for sugary, salty non-compliant stuff and my meals have always satisfied me so I don't know exactly how you feel. But I certainly understand frustration at not seeing results! Right at this point though, the best thing I can tell you is to STICK WITH THE PROGRAM and give it a chance. It may be that you will not see a big difference weight-wise during your whole30. From what I have read about the program and elsewhere on the forums, not everybody loses weight. That may be an area where you will need to make other changes (maybe in your exercise program) to see results. But keep concentrating on getting through a whole30. There ARE changes taking place - you just can't see them. They are inside - cleaning out your bowels, releasing water from body parts that don't need to hold onto it, learning how to convert foods to energy more efficiently, etc. And NEVER be afraid to rant to us - that is what this forum is for! So we can let go of our frustrations in a safe place and get the responses we need. Just stick with us. We need your enthusiasm and encouragement and we'll do our best to do the same for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dfroehlich Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 @lisamurrah, welcome to whole30! You will be fine. And don't be afraid to be hungry. I heard once that to lose weight you have to be a little hungry - a sad comment, but one that might have a little truth. Whenever I start to get that hungry feeling, I guzzle a glass of water. That is a great side benefit of doing a whole30 - you naturally increase your intake of a healthy, beneficial liquid in an effort to feel full! Another benefit to focusing on the foods you eat is that your weight tends to equalize. I am fairly confident that you do not need to worry about gaining weight while you do a whole30. Please keep us posted on your progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah88 Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 @Denise: Thanks for your supportive comments Denise Means a lot. I will stick with the program. I actually want to turn it into a whole 45/60 - for though I haven't cheated once, I do think my 'routine' can be very much improved. the 30th of november is my sister's birthday, and I want that day to be the first day I ''cheat'' - and eat a small piece of her beautiful home-baked applepie - If I really really want/need/decide to. So that's my plan - whole30 all the way - until the 30th of november. That way, I'll also have some more time to slay the sugar dragon, and to see some results - especially if I can increase the intensity and frequency of my exercise again, which I had to downscale due to a knee injury. I hope everyone's whole30 is going great. I am generally doing quite well. Some of the problems I still have are: 1. Eating breakfast within an hour after waking up. I often put it off too long because I won't feel hungry yet or because I am out of leftovers and do not feel like cooking yet. But then, at some point, I will be so hungry that I start grazing on carrots, or 2 or 3 walnuts, or a tablespoon of dessicated coconut, whilst I am cooking. Could be a lot worse, but still, I really want to break the grazing habit because this is a big problem for me. I find it really hard to stick to the three meals, but I think often because I put breakfast off too long - which then leads to a day on which I'll only eat 2 big meals, and start grazing again in between. So, definately room for improvement there. 2. I still have cravings. I manage not to give in, but I am still too preoccupied with food - that's for sure. Also, the timeline, which I thought was very funny and cool to read, does not apply to me, at all. Not one day/time-frame matches my day to day experience. That's not really a problem, because this experience is ofcourse different for everyone, it just bums me out a little. 3. I am not seeing or feeling any results, which frustrates me, because it starts to feel like yet another program that works for others, but does nothing ''visible'' for me. I know of course, that eating veggies for breakfast is better than eating paleo ''oatmeal'' (water/banana/flaxmeal concoctions) or a big bowl of sugary fruits, and that snacking on a carrot is healthier than snacking on cookies. So, I know I am doing good, I just don't feel any differently, and certainly I do not look any differently yet, whilst I was so much hoping that this would finally be it, the change that I have been waiting for - because I am as the Hartwigs put it that '''already fairly active healthy'' person for whom a whole30 could result in ''flip to awesomeness''. So yeah. Of course I'll stick to the program. Actually, for the most part I will try to stick to it 356 days a year, for I think this is the absolute best way to eat, always. I just also hope that some results will eventually show..However, I know I should just quit worrying about results and everything and take pleasure in the ''work'' alone (i.e. taking care of my body/health), and start to be a little more serious about eating breakfast on time, and about eating 3 whole meals a day, and see where that takes me. (it's just that some things are so much easier said than done! ) I hope everyone is still going strong, and that some of you are actually enjoying some results already. I suppose that if you come from eating diary/grains every day to doing a whole30, the results may show sooner than when you are already paleo, but then again the cravings might be worse..So, just really curious as to how all of you are doing. Take care, and enjoy your weekend! xoxo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Hello everybody! I love reading everything you post here. I barely have time to post my log during the week - although it is still a great help. I've tried keeping food diaries for myself in a notebook before, and it never worked. But writing things down on the Internet for (potentially) anyone to see is different, keeps me feeling responsible. My main issue at the moment is digestion. I am taking enzymes, and they are helping, but when left on its own, my body doesn't seem to want to cope. Also, I do have cravings now (could be PMS-related?). Not wine, surprisingly, but bread. Oh, the bread. I literally dream about crusty baguettes and chewy pumpernickel and wake up with the taste of a sandwich in my mouth. It's a little unsettling I do miss wine with special meals, like weekend dinners with my husband, when I make something really good. I can't help thinking about how a lovely glass of red would complement the duck breast or steak... Dear Sarah, I am sorry you are not entirely happy with how your Whole30 is going. As Denise said, you may not notice it right now, but this works from the inside, not the outside, and it does take time, more for some people than others. I completely understand your frustration; I've been struggling with similar feelings my whole life. I've always had bad skin and a bit of a belly, always trying to stick to some kind of diet, while people around me were eating greasy fast food and cakes and still keeping their glowing rosy complexions and tiny waists. I once spent a year going to the gym 4-5 times a week, working out with a personal trainer and consulting a nutritionist, doing everything from weight lifting to swimming, and still lost almost no fat, while my friend who went with me sometimes to keep me company got an amazing body (six pack abs included) after just a few months. These are only some examples. So, yeah, the feeling that "nothing works for me" is very familiar. Even now, after two weeks on Whole30, changes in my appearance are very minor. OK, my shirts feel a liitle bit loose, but not my jeans. I still have acne outbreaks, and my dermatologist did not notice any significant improvements in my skin condition. My nails are maybe a bit stronger, but my hair is still a mess. Of course, I'm not trying to quantify anything - no weighing or measuring! BUT: I do my best to shift my attention to other things, the good things. Yes, no tiger blood for me just yet, but my energy levels are stable throughout the day, I wake up well rested, my thoughts are clearer and I am more productive, both at work and at home. It does seem like you are focusing a lot just on food and on your appearance. Maybe you could try to shift that focus a bit? How are you sleeping? How are your energy levels? So sorry about your knee injury, but maybe you can still do upper body workouts and abs? As for the constant hunger: I've noticed that including some foods into a meal tend to make me hungry quicker. Apples and pears are one example: just one apple after a big satisfying meal, and I'll be ravenous in an hour or two. Weirdly, drinking a lot of water sometimes makes me really hungry as well. Also, I get hungry quicker after a spicy meal than a bland one. I've read about the broccoli and fish thing on the forums as well, and I must admit it sounds strange to me. Fish and broccoli are delicious, after all! I remember one diet I was on, where the idea was that you are only hungry if the thought of a stale crust of bread lying in the dust and grime behind a 20-year-old kitchen counter makes you salivate. If you don't feel like cooking in the morning and it leads to problems, maybe you cook them ahead of time, or plan your dinners so that you have leftovers. It may be easier to stop grazing if you put away the things you graze on. I personally don't have this problem, but my husband does, and he puts his snacks away as far as he can, so he can only get them when he really really wants them, and then only takes a limited amount, like five nuts instead of the whole bag. Whenever I start thinking too much about food, I try to switch to something that helps me relax. Meditation works well - I signed up to Headspace and it sounds like a gimmick, but it works for me. Also, taking a bath with relaxing herbal extracts, or even a warm shower. A traditional Thai massage is beneficial, and I like that I don't have to get almost naked (they give you wide pants and a shirt to wear on the massage table). In order to break the "food=reward" connection, I am rewarding myself with other things. Got a new haircut, bought some books, things like that. Week 2 is almost over, and very soon half of this challenge will be done for those of us who are doing it for 30 days. I am keeping my fingers crossed for all of us. We can do it - and get what we want from it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah88 Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Dear Kay, First of all: thank you for your positive and supportive comments. I know I focus too much on my physical appearance. Body-image/self-esteem has always been a problem for me. I do a lot of yoga, both ''physically'' - i.e. asana (postures) as well as ''mentally'' meditation/philosophy which really helps me to identify my insecurities as ''ego problems'' - of which you try to rid yourself as a yogi. Like I said in my previous post: "However, I know I should just quit worrying about results and everything and take pleasure in the ''work'' alone (i.e. taking care of my body/health), and start to be a little more serious about eating breakfast on time, and about eating 3 whole meals a day, and see where that takes me. (it's just that some things are so much easier said than done! )". Second: I really hope that I did not come off as a total whiner, that is truly not my intention. If I did, than I am very sorry for that. I seriously love the whole30, and I love cooking, so much that I will try to turn my whole 30 in a whole365, or maybe not ''whole365'', but definately ''almost''365. I love trying out new recipes and my boyfriend enjoys the meals I make just as much as I do. As for how I am feeling/energy levels/sleeping: quite well, its just that I was doing pretty well to begin with, so I really started the whole30 - i.e. going ''the extra mile'' from paleo to whole30, for the ''fat solution'' () and to slay the sugar dragon. I don't really feel any differently energywise - but then again, I wasn't eating/drinking diary/grains/alcohol - so I didnt expect major changes there. I am working out my upper body and abs, (and still cycling quite a bit here because I live on a hill and everything is done on bicycles here in Holland) its just that I am very active person normally, so I miss my full body workouts. However, I really need to take the time to let my knees heal - so I know its good that I am doing that for myself, even though it feels counterproductive to not exercise hard. I am also waiting for my period to arrive, and I am sure that has something to do with my cravings/bloatedness-which-make-me-hate-the-way-I-look. I will just carry on, going strong, just like you, and the other ladies. Oh and the sugar dragon is still there, but not roaring as loudly as normally, so that's a win, I guess. Positivity from now on, promise. See if I can live up to that ''best cheerleader ever'' comment you made I hope you had a good day, and that your acne will soon get better. I am sorry you struggle with that. I think its awesome how you are doing your whole30, not only eating differently but also giving up your wine, managing to exercise regularly, and not snack in between..My thumbs are up to you! I am also very curious about this lumosity thing you mentioned. I did a free trial, which I really enjoyed and now I want more, but Im reluctant to take on a membership because of the year commitment of monthly payments. Do you really like it? Do you do a lot of different puzzles, and does it stay challenging? Well, Ill leave it at this for today. Lots of luck to the other ladies as well! Hope to hear from you soon! On to week 3! (oh my! goes by pretty fast ha?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abs1081 Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 hi ladies! so, day 16? i haven't felt the tiger blood yet, but i'm excited for it! i finally had enough energy and time (washing dishes and cooking all the time takes up most of my evenings) to start going back to pure barre...but the stars aligned against me....bus never showed....the classes changed times so i showed up at the end lol....but, i have been doing my PiYo DVDs this past week, so i'm getting back to it! and ice hockey started again, so i had a game saturday and sunday...so i am staying active. but i don't think i've lost any weight...and i don't really see any differences....i guess the last few days are not great cause i'm PMSing....However, today is my birthday and i just wish i felt better about how i looked...my boyfriend is taking me out and i HATE the way i look.... in other news, i do have a question/concern....sometime after we started this thing, i started feeling this tingling feeling....toes, feet, legs, fingers arms....its now even randomly around my midsection and chest....it almost feels like nerves "waking up" ....i had this feeling a lot after i had hip and knee surgery, but now i'm kinda freaking out....it's not painful, just a little irritating and weird....is anyone else experiencing anything like this? does anyone have any ideas? thanks! keep going strong ladies! abigail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Happy birthday Abigail! All my best wishes go to you, and three cheers for you for staying active no matter what! Ice hockey seems like an amazing way to work out, too. I can barely skate in a straight line without falling, can't imagine wielding a hockey stick at the same time! I am familiar with the tingling feeling. I do experience it sometimes, and in my case it is due to poor blood circulation, and it normally goes away if I take a walk or do some deep breathing exercises. But I don't think it is connected to Whole30. I've also heard that it may have something to do with a vitamin deficiency. You might want to go and see a doctor, just in case! Also, I had a conversation about body image with my husband recently, and he admitted being hurt by the idea that I don't think I look good. He feels that, in a way, I am insulting him by presuming I look awful - would he have chosen me if that was true? Jokingly, he also said, "I would slap anyone who said that my wife was ugly. Be careful or you just might get slapped, too!" So, I do think we need to focus more on how our loved (and loving) ones see us. If my dear husband believes I am beautiful, maybe I should believe him, not do my best to contradict him? I will admit that this is not easy! But it's something to think about, nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abs1081 Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Hi ladies! we are ALMOST DONE! has anyone fallen off the wagon? the forum has been so quiet.....i'll admit, i was a bit disappointed, until i read the email that said a lot of people don't see dramatic results until the very end....AND, last week i thought i was gonna go out of my mind i wanted sugar so badly! but the email said that's normal too...AND, the last 3 days (i thought it was my imagination), but my work pants have been noticeably looser! nothing major but prior to this i was comfortable in a size 14 (i should be an 8-10)...my "normal" is a 12 though.....so when i was comfy in my 14s i knew it was time.....and now they are a bit too loose! i won't put on my 12s yet because i don't want to get discouraged if i'm not there yet..... has anyone tried this bulletproof coffee thing? i blended my black coffee with a tablespoon of coconut oil this morning and it was pretty awesome! how is everyone doing??? Abigail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Hi Abigail! I personally am still on the wagon and going strong! Weight loss was never my primary goal when starting this, but yes, my jeans are definitely getting looser now. But really, I already got so much more out of the program - I overcame my mental health issues almost completely, and I experience way less anxiety and way more energy and creativity. My memory and ability to concentrate have also improved a lot! I am so much more active now and can find the time and energy to hold down two jobs (one full time and one part time), cook my meals, exercise daily, learn new things, practice my hobbies and spend quality time with friends and family - and with time, I am absolutely sure that this lifestyle will eventually help me get the body I've always dreamed of... I'm planning to reintroduce some foods (not dairy or beans though - I already know these are bad for me) after the Whole30 and see how they make me feel. Ideally, I think I'd like to try and have a whole7 or whole10 once in a month for the next few months, this could keep me from falling back into bad habits. What are yor plans for when the 30 days are over? I've been wondering about the bulletproof coffee thing. Does it really taste good? Putting oil in my coffee sounds kind of icky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah88 Posted November 8, 2014 Author Share Posted November 8, 2014 Dear Abigail and Kay, I am very happy to hear that both of you are still sticking to the program and going on strong. Also, I am very excited that both of you are seeing/feeling such wonderful results - whether its looser pants or higher energy levels, confidence, lighter moods or better skin: congratulations on all your achievements thus far! I too am still going on strong. I had only one minor slip-up - which is definitely something that some would see as a total ''start over now'' slip-up, but I see it not so much as a slip-up, but rather as a one-time necessary evil....Curious? I had a very teeny-tiny (30 kcal) cookie on Wednesday. I had no time to prepare breakfast, figured I'd grab something whole30 compliant on my way to the university, but then due to a series of unfortunate events (my bicycle had a flat tire - had to run in very cold rain to a bus-stop 1 km away to catch my bus , a train and yet another bus bus to the university) I had no time to buy something at the station and after much running to trains and buses in the cold rain and then sitting on those trains and buses that were hot and steamy (because they were packed with un-showered students) I was sooo sick on arrival, I thought I was gonna faint/throw up - not necessary in that order. I went straight into a meeting so again no time to visit the uni-restaurant, plus I was so very nauseous I couldn't bear the thought of food - and because I was feeling so sick and dizzy I had one small free of charge cookie with my tea - purely ''medicational'', because I was obviously so very low on sugar/energy. I felt somewhat bad about breaking the whole30 rules, since i've been following the rules super strict up to that moment, but I felt like it was deciding between ''following orders'' and ''thinking/doing the right thing under the present circumstances''. The good thing is, the cookie helped me just enough to get rid of that super nauseousness, so that I could sit through the meeting without passing out, and immediately afterwards I had a good and wholesome salad. Moreover, the cookie really was purely medicational - it did not wake up the sugar dragon AT ALL. No craving, whatsoever. Very awesome. So, since the cookie caused no harm, i have decided to not start over, but just keep going, since I was already planning to turn this whole30 into a whole 365 - more or less As for results, I try to be happy with the work alone - for the changes are minuscule - at best. My skin has cleared up - a bit - not even brilliantly - and my sugar cravings are surely less prominent - but that is basically it. Pants are still tight, energy levels are the same, still sore knees..No changes whatsoever. I soo desperately wanted to lose weight- thought this program, with me eating more in general, and definitely more fat than I usually do - but way less sugar - would maybe be the answer - and make my body ''fat-adopted'', but no such thing seems to have happened. This frustrates me a little, for with the things that I eat and the amount of exercise that I do, I really think I ought to look better - especially since so many people seem to lose weight with far less effort - but I try really hard to cultivate contentment, and not focus on these things too much I do love eating this way and taking care of my body this way, and it surely does help with calming my nerves - for I don't have to worry too much about eating too many calories when I stick to broccoli rather than chocolate I also love to cook - but I am getting a little tired with cooking THIS much, ALL the time. I try to cook meals that will grant me some leftovers, but then I live with a very active paleo-man so often he will eat these leftovers too and well, the cycle starts again I think Kay's idea to do a strict whole7/ or whole10 every month is a very good idea, and I might try that as well if my paleo-ways become too much 80/20 rather than 100 - that is, when I start cheating too much again. About the bullet-proof coffee: it sounds interesting sure enough, but I too find the idea of mixing a glob of fat into my morning drink rather icky..Are you really enjoying it Abigail? What does it do for you? See if you can convince me to try it I am thinking about supplementing with gelatin - the grassfed kind from Great Lakes..I read a lot of wonderful stuff about it on many paleo sites and forums, such as that it will do wonders for your joints and muscles, which would be awesome, and apparently Great Lakes sells a formula that does not gel - so you can stir it into drinks/stews/soups, anything really without turning it into a gelatinous pudding. I might give it a try because I really believe in the benefits of drinking bone broth - but I do not have the resources to make that every day.. Anyways. Thank you for your updates, and positive stories. Again, I am very happy that you are both feeling so much better. Here's to you! xoxo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Just a quick little thing concerning the time involved in meal preparation: I have a pressure cooker (well, a multi cooker really, it can slow cook and bake too, but I haven't used it for anything other than pressure cooking) and it just makes life so much easier. Admittedly, it will never produce haute cuisine but it makes great soups, stews, chili and broth in 30 to 60 minutes. When I have no time at all for cooking, I just brown some meat in some kind of fat right in the pot, dump in a few bags of frozen or fresh chopped veggies, add some liquid (water or stock, crushed tomatoes or coconut milk) and seasoning, snap on the cover and press one button. Bam! 5 minutes of prep and several days' worth of lunches or dinners. A whole pot of broth cooks in roughly 40 minutes and lasts for almost a week. Of course, my man wouldn't touch paleo food with a ten-foot pole So, nobody ever eats my leftovers! This is going to sound silly, but my cat, my eight turtles (3 different kinds - 6 carnivores and 2 herbivores) and my five giant African snails are loving my new diet, since they get all the yummy leftovers, and a good variety of those, too! Yes, we keep all of those in a small 2-room apartment and yes, we are probably a bit crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwennie Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Hey everyone and happy day 30 ! I hope everyone is still going strong and doing well What are the plans for everyone after whole 30? I personally think I will stick to whole 30 but incorporate Paleo as well. But I hope everyone has a great & successful day today Irene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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