Totally In--Day 18

[CarmenS]

I just want to introduce myself and say I am totally in! This is day 18 of my Whole 30. Each day I feel better and better.

I have posted a bit about what has been happening on my log, so feel free to read, comment, and share. I enjoy the community here. I have one friend (on Facebook) who is Paleo. Other than that, most people I know think I'm kind of nuts. So this is a great place for me to get inspiration and affirmation on a pretty regular basis.

I was a vegetarian for about a decade before going Primal in January 2011. Since then I've been playing-at-Primal, but this is the first time I've gotten really serious about cleaning up my diet. The benefits have been amazing in just 18 days! Now I see what everyone has been going on and on about. You really have to cut out all the crap, stop kidding yourself that you are "eating clean" when you are still eating sugar and indulging other "treats" regularly, and be vigilant about what's in everything you put in your mouth. Once you buckle down, the rewards are there for the taking.

I can't wait to share my "after a Whole 30" story--I already have a lot of amazing things to share. Just one more "success story" to add to the growing numbers!

[Tom Denham]

I love a good story!

[Michele Tourville]

PLease share what you have experienced already!!! It will help to motivate others like myself to stay on plan

[CarmenS]

Hi, Michelle. I started a log in the "Your Whole 30 Log" forum. It's called "My First Whole 30." I try to post on it every couple of days. I'm on Day 22 now and I am learning a lot! In fact, I'm surprised at how fast the time has gone by.

One thing I have really enjoyed doing (something I read about on Mark's Daily Apple that seemed kind of silly, but now I find it motivational) is marking off my days. I put up a calendar on the refrigerator door and each night before I go to bed I put a big X through that day on the calendar. I have a great, big ol' string of X's going on now. I'm quite proud of them, the ritual of marking them off is fun, and if I had to break that string, I would be disappointed in myself. It is such a little thing, but it seems to keep me motivated. (Probably doesn't hurt that it's right there in the kitchen where the food is located!)

I am not even looking at this as "only 8 more days" and then...something. I just will be proud of myself for setting that goal and achieving it. I know my birthday is on May 11 and I'm going to have at least a couple of bites of flourless chocolate cake that night, maybe a glass of wine. But the dinner will be Whole 30 approved (I know where we're going and the restaurant manager follows the Primal Blueprint--which is why there is flourless chocolate cake on the menu!). But other than that, I don't have big plans for "breaking my Whole 30." I just feel too good to want to go back to eating the way I was before. It hasn't been a big chore for me.

If I can motivate anyone else, that's awesome. I would love to be able to help other people feel as good as I do since I started my Whole 30. My only advice is to take it one day at a time. Heck, one meal at a time. Can't do it any other way.

Good Luck!