Four44 Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I am going through the process of clearing out the frig, planning meals, and doing the shopping for a 12/4 start. I became a believer in this lifestyle and way of eating back in Feb. I had a couple of months that were GREAT, took a "break" for my birthday week and a vacation and was shocked at how quickly all of the old bad habits came back. That break became 6 months and the reversal of all the progress I made including the weight loss. I have been claiming that "this week" was going to be THE week to get back to clean eating and another week passes. It is especially frustrating because now I KNOW how good I can feel and how good real food tastes once you get rid of all the sugar and psychologically sabotaging stuff. I HAVE to make a change. My health depends on it. So, I am hopeful I will find the needed encouragement/ strength/ whatever it is to actually see this 30 day challenge through. Sigh. I hope my belief in my ability to do it isn't an indication of success because I definitely see all of the times I didn't do it. (Getting my whining and doubt out of the way...part of the prep phase I guess.) I have done it once, obviously I can do it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ShannonM816 Posted December 1, 2014 Moderators Share Posted December 1, 2014 You can do this! And you're definitely not the only one to have trouble recommitting, even after successfully completing one or more Whole30s. I did two with not much problem, and eventually completed a third, but between the second and third were months of saying, I'm going to do it this week -- and then failing Monday afternoon. It's disheartening. What finally got me committed to the third one and saw me through it is that my sister decided to do one too -- so I had more accountability. If you have someone in your life who might be interested, get them on board -- and if not, find some other people here on the forum who are starting soon or have just started. It's really helpful to have other people that you commit to checking in with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four44 Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 Good advice, Shannon! I doubt I will drag any of my friends into starting and continuing through Christmas :-) But you never know! Worth a try. Thanks for the encouraging words. I usually more of a lurker but trying to harness that "community" of support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted December 2, 2014 Administrators Share Posted December 2, 2014 Shannon gives great advice above. Choosing to do a Whole30 is a very big piece of healthful living to bite off. It's huge and daunting and not a walk in the park. And to choose it during the holiday season is even more of a commitment to make. If it was me, knowing I needed to do it and make a change but knowing that I'd committed and failed a few times, I don't think I would take it on in the most trying food-time of the year. I'm not trying to discourage you at all.......just suggesting that maybe you might to use the time between now and Christmas to practice your healthful habits and then jump in with a Whole30 in January so that if something at Christmas comes up that you can't (or don't want to) avoid, you haven't failed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Marie Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 remember .. this. is not hard ! birthing a baby -that's hard. I applaud you on deciding to start. ! I made it through my w30 during a horrendous week at work- called Client Service week.. a wonderfully smelling food provided by my employer EVERY Day for a week straight. Right by my desk. and I just keep thinking I can do this - its not hard ! The key to this - is being prepared. I made it through Thanksgiving - a totally compliant meal - I just stayed away from the non compliant food. You can do it too. Do your cooking on the weekend so you can have meals planned ahead so there is no option of "running to get fast food". There are posts about recipes and food planning, so lots of support out here to help you out. Good luck - read the book - check out the steps - and make the decision. YOU CAN DO THIS !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hbombdiggity71 Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I finished my 2nd W30 the week before Thanksgiving and have already fallen back into my bad habits. My problem isn't so much with sugar but with other things I haven't quite been able to narrow down. Giving up sugar hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be but dairy has been tough. I'm doing my best to eat healthy (75% compliant) until Jan 1 which is when I'm starting my 3rd Whole 30 with a complete (possibly extended) reintroduction phase to find out what food group is my demon. Good luck Four44. You can complete 30 days if you really want to and you will be so thankful when you do. You will learn a lot about yourself and change your relationship with food forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four44 Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 Laddyshanny, I appreciate your words of caution. When you are dealing with a lack of confidence, you want to set yourself up for the best chance of success. It is a huge undertaking. I definitely thought about whether it made a ton of sense to start this thing during perhaps the biggest food and alcohol month between all the parties and family gatherings. It is much worse than Thanksgiving because that is a day and this is a season full of days with Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Eve included. All that said, I guess I am just writing out my thoughts more to myself...I can't wait another week. I was 264 when I started eating super clean back last Feb. I know weight isn't the most important number...it is about health. But obesity is the expression of a lack of health. It is an "easy" indication of what direction things are going. I have all my blood work with a million numbers that measure where I am, including a ridiculously high level of inflammation. After clean eating for 60 days, I dropped to 236 and my inflammation was still WAY too high but decreasing significantly. Since falling off the wagon, I am back up to 260! And I know how awful I feel. So, I figure if I can get through the miserable first two weeks now before the actual week of Christmas, I can power through Christmas because I will be far enough in to harness the success and overall feeling of wellness to plow through the holidays. And if I fail, I will be far better off than I am today looking to "start this Monday". I just need to develop a better relationship with "failure". How can it be failure if I eat in a way that truly nourishes my body and my mind for even two days, much less 14 or 18 or 20.... And as I was musing all of this, I got the following article sent to me by someone who loves me. EXACTLY what I needed to hear! If anyone who is reading this post is struggling with the same "I have done this before so many times and failed, why is this going to be different?" type thoughts, I encourage you to read it. It helps you have a bit of nerdy streak like I do, but whether the references are funny/entertaining or not, the sentiment is spot on. Here is the link: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/12/02/fallen-off-the-wagon-today-is-national-respawn-day So, Happy respawn day for me!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted December 2, 2014 Administrators Share Posted December 2, 2014 Four44, you have clearly given this a tonne of thought and done a lot of soul searching, I wish you the absolute best of luck and will be rooting you along! Christmas comes but once a year....but it comes EVERY year, whatever you choose not to have this year will be there next year. You can totally do this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbgamblin Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I am going through the process of clearing out the frig, planning meals, and doing the shopping for a 12/4 start. I became a believer in this lifestyle and way of eating back in Feb. I had a couple of months that were GREAT, took a "break" for my birthday week and a vacation and was shocked at how quickly all of the old bad habits came back. That break became 6 months and the reversal of all the progress I made including the weight loss. I have been claiming that "this week" was going to be THE week to get back to clean eating and another week passes. It is especially frustrating because now I KNOW how good I can feel and how good real food tastes once you get rid of all the sugar and psychologically sabotaging stuff. I HAVE to make a change. My health depends on it. So, I am hopeful I will find the needed encouragement/ strength/ whatever it is to actually see this 30 day challenge through. Sigh. I hope my belief in my ability to do it isn't an indication of success because I definitely see all of the times I didn't do it. (Getting my whining and doubt out of the way...part of the prep phase I guess.) I have done it once, obviously I can do it again. Hey Four, I know the feelings you're going through, and I really appreciate you sharing them. I've had those feelings of doubt about my discipline and ability to stay successful in almost every thing I do: school, family, fitness etc. I personally have never done Whole 30 before, I'm getting ready for a hard start on Jan 1. Honestly, I'm excited to see that you think your success is worth getting back on the horse, because that will help me believe in myself as I begin to throw out all those things I think are tasty now. Anyway, I believe in you! I know it's weird to think that someone who doesn't know you can believe in you, but I do! Because it means I can believe in myself too. I'll be checking in with you on January 1, my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four44 Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 Hey Four, I know the feelings you're going through, and I really appreciate you sharing them. I've had those feelings of doubt about my discipline and ability to stay successful in almost every thing I do: school, family, fitness etc. I personally have never done Whole 30 before, I'm getting ready for a hard start on Jan 1. Honestly, I'm excited to see that you think your success is worth getting back on the horse, because that will help me believe in myself as I begin to throw out all those things I think are tasty now. Anyway, I believe in you! I know it's weird to think that someone who doesn't know you can believe in you, but I do! Because it means I can believe in myself too. I'll be checking in with you on January 1, my friend. Thanks! I really appreciate your words of encouragement. I will look forward to the check in and hopeful for great things to report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NazzaB Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Four44, I am joining you I have decided to commit JUST NOW after much umming and ahhing. I successfully completed a W30 in October this year and November has just been one big fat reversal of all the positives I gained. Birthdays, Xmas parties and my trusty "I'll just have a bit today" excuse repeating EVERY DAY trick have left me bloated and tired - again. Let's help each other through the silly season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four44 Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 How awesome is it that you are throwing down the glove so quickly after feeling terrible. I have six months of misery. Why do I do this to myself? Glad to have the company! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NazzaB Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Um don't be impressed too soon. Already slipped up. Starting again tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four44 Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 Today is day one! Last night I cooked grass fed ground beef in some bacon fat (no sugar in the bacon) with a bag of spinach thrown in at the end to wilt it. Also threw in the roasted butter nut squash from the oven for a one dish meal. Stored it in three containers for an easy grab and go breakfast the next three mornings which will get me to the weekend where I can do more cooking. I am going all out on this one. Doing the AIP AND Low FODMAP version.... thought long and hard about it and decided that if I am going to make some new habits, I would do in the most restrictive environment. I think it would be mentally easier to start here and add stuff back in if it is not working for me than have to take stuff out. The last time I did this I dealt with a lot of stomach discomfort, nauseousness, and diarrhea at around the 10-12 day mark and it was really not fun. After much research, I suspected I should try low FODMAP but I just didn't have the heart to take another step of removing things from my diet. I am going to see how it goes this time with starting there and also cooking all of my veggies to make it easier on my stomach. If I still end up with the same symptoms, at least this time I will know it is not a FODMAP issue and can bring those things back in. How crazy is it that broccoli and avocado are off the list?? I will say that the higher FODMAP foods were definitely heavy in the rotation when I did this last time. It will be an interesting experiment. I have plans to eat out with a friend today for lunch. That will be interesting. Worst case scenario, I will drink water and visit and come back to the office and have my breakfast in the frig for tomorrow for lunch today and figure it out from there. Have a great day all!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ10 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Good luck Four44!!! Starting mine in the morning I too am on and off. Tried to balance and then Thanksgiving at our house hit ..... With all the leftovers. Not sure why when I eat bad I feel like I have to eat and eat. No good from that! Tomorrow is a fresh day!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four44 Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 Best wishes, AJ10!!!! As for me, I hate to say....Day 1 do over today. But I am not letting myself get bothered by it. So that is good. All the details of yesterday are inconsequential, but I can say it boils down to not having enough "ready to go things in the frig" for when I got home from work combined with not eating enough at lunch because my options were so limited at the restaurant. Shaking it off and happy to have the weekend to give me the time I need to get organized. (I should have done a better job of prepping earlier in the week.) I got my Withings Pulse activity/sleep tracker in the mail yesterday (similar to a Fitbit and other type of devices) and will start using that today. I will make some realistic step up goals based on the baseline today and tomorrow. Happy Friday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NazzaB Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 I still haven't jumped back on the bandwagon. Ok, so I am going grocery shopping tomorrow and going to plan my meals for the week and food prep and just be generally awesome. Yep. I am not giving up damnit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini 60 Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Hi Guys - I realize that I've not OFFICIALLY introduced myself in the forum yet, but as I read thru the entirety of this post ... well, I just can't help jumping in .... I have never done a W30, but have been following (relatively) a ketogenic/paleo eating regimen for several months. Giving up dairy and alcohol are my two biggest hiccups. /o: But I am convinced that no matter when I start, I will be further ahead than if I wait any longer to go whole hog (humanely raised, of course) with the W30. So -- I'm beginning today - in spite of it being so close to the holidays. If I mess up, I mess up - my body will be happier and healthier for the time that I stay committed. And by starting again, I'll have some practice and success under my belt (so to speak) from the time that I stuck to my commitment. Four44 ~ As I read your comments re: failure, I thought of this quote by Denis Waitley: "Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." As one who is quick to beat myself up re: my own supposed failures, this quote helps to bring me back to Center - well, since we're all being honest here, most of the time, anyway. (o: So - none of us are failures, because we are saying SOMETHING, doing SOMETHING, and being AWESOME here, right now, today. Good luck to us all and steady on! ...c... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehansthatrocksthecradle Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 I AM WITH YOU! I technically started on 12/1 but decided to start getting the whole30 daily e-mails. And THOSE started on 12/4. So I will be going past the New Year Holiday with you. Here's how I figure it... I won't allow myself another holiday season of overeating and stuffing myself with candy and cake and crap; Or another New Years Eve of senseless intoxication. I realized IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT. There will be other holidays to partake. But let me get THIS under control first. Now. I think the Holidays get a LOT of people off track. So why NOT do it now? Best of Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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